Free Photo Booth Rental Contest Entries!

(In no particular order)

1.  My most memorable photo book experience occurred on October 30, 2011 as I strolled through Jersey Gardens Mall, located in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with the absolute love of my life, Mr. Ewan Wayne Curvin. After doing some light shopping and enjoying a snack at the food court Ewan and I were preparing to leave the mall when we passed a photo booth. We both looked at each other, and the fun sporadic kids in both of us leaped up, and we pulled each other into the booth. Normally, I am fussy about my hair, makeup, and attire and will refuse to take a picture if I am not satisfied with my appearance. Likewise, I am generally not a spur of the moment individual and like to carefully plan my day and events out. However, this day was different. I didn’t care what I looked like. I just wanted to be carefree and have an old fashioned good time.

What great fun we had snuggling, posing, and taking photos together! The funniest part of the entire experience is that Ewan was having difficult time locating the camera lens, so when our photos printed out, in one he’s looking up in the air, and in another he is looking sideways while smooching me on the cheek. The photos are comical but I absolutely love them and keep them on the mirror in my bedroom. The photos are a great keepsake and will always remind of what a pleasure I had spending time with my “Ewie” (my nickname for Ewan) that day.

2. Photobooths can provide a myriad of things: 1. documentation that the dress you thought was a modern take on tulle, could easily have doubled as a sack for a bag of russets. 2. Proof that your date believes that he has a firm jawline and isn't afraid to show it. 3. A claustrophopia test for your 20 exuberent friends. 4. A photographic exhibit of your limited tolerance for gin and tonic., or 5. A snapshot of one of the most important days of your life.  Although I have experienced all of the above, the most memorable was the latter option. My boyfriend Jack and I attended a best friend's wedding and were taking fun, crazy photos in the booth there. Little did I know that I was taking pictures with my future fiance. Apparently he was telling everyone there that he was going to propose within the month. Later on, after a surprise proposal at the Sunset Marquis, I reflected that those were some of the last pictures of us taken before becoming engaged. I had no idea when I was trying to fit my five-foot-nine plus heels self onto my boyfriends lap, that this guy was going to be my fiance in a matter of weeks. You never know which pictures will document a special moment in time.

3. Photobooths have always been a passion of mine. I have been known to seek out dive bars around chicago that are known to have high quality authentic vintage photobooths. I prefer chemical, black and white, and classic. 

When I was planning my wedding having a photobooth was high priority. Having an authentic classic black and white photobooth was so important to me that I wore a two hundered dollar wedding dress, grew my own centerpieces out of grass seed in my backyard, had my bridesmaids make there own bouquets, and used paper napkins. I had a very low budget wedding but in that low budget I didn't care how much it cost I wanted a photobooth. My family thought I was crazy. 
I had the kind of wedding that the people who attended it will never forget. It was far from cookie cutter. It was in the middle of nowhere on a christmas tree farm. On the property there was a petting zoo, a maze, and a funky light tunnel that spun around as you walked through it.  
While the love of the amazing guests really made the wedding. The photobooth made it such an epic experience. Peoples faces lit up when they saw it. "What is vintage photobooth doing on this farm on the illinois wisconson border" They all thought. It made the older guests feel nostalgic. I have a picture of my grandmother and her sister and their smiles in this picture are incredible. I have seen my grandmother smile in many pictures but was nothing like this. There is something about a photobooth that captures the light and purity inside of people. The faces where relaxed and their smiles were authentic. People looked beautiful in these pictures. Every couple in the picture looked like they were in love. 

One really cool thing happend. One single female guest and a male guest who had never met before had such a good time in the photobooth that things led to them sharing a kiss in the booth. Since that kiss they are happily married with kids to this day. Imagine as a couple having your very first kiss captured in a picture. They have this picure. And I am guessing it is an extreamly treasured item.
I really want to win this contest for my friend for her wedding. She is a genuinley good person who comes from a family who is rich in love not money. She works hard for everything she has, never asks for anything and  has never had anything handed to her. I would like to hand her something amazing. I want her to have this amazing thing that I had. I want her to have an authetic vintage black and white chemical classic photobooth that brings the light out of people, brings pure joy, and creates lasting memories.

4. My love and I have collected over 30 photobooth photos in our 3 years together. This past Christmas, Maggie--the love I mentioned--handmade a frame out of sheet metal and fabric so we could display our collection in magnetic sheaths.  The photos range from San Francisco to Florida to the beaches of New Jersey. Some we seek out, some we happen upon, but all our equally important to us. Well, except for the one we took on Saturday, January 28^th, 2012.

That Saturday, Maggie and I went to our favorite NYC restaurant, tree, for a long awaited date night.  We had a coupon so why not re-visit this amazing East Village gem and home of one of our first date spots?  After our incredible dinner in the back covered garden, Maggie said she had a surprise for me. We walked two blocks to the Lakeside Lounge on Avenue B, and upon entering she gestured to the photobooth.  Not just any photobooth but a classic real photo photobooth, the kind that produces photo strips that smell like rotten eggs as the chemicals dry.  My favorite thing!  To find one this close to our favorite restaurant was really a perfect end to our perfect date night.

The booth is so vintage that you have to buy a token from the bar and then get in the booth.  So we did.  As semi-professional photobooth users, we have developed a system where our first photo together is a smile.  So first photo is a smile, second photo, Maggie pulls out the most beautiful engagement ring, and the rest of the photos are of me crying.  Best photo strip ever!  We come out of the photobooth and make our way to the seating section of the bar and this crowd of strangers is standing up clapping and cheering for us.  Behind them is our gang of friends with cupcakes and champagne.  Maggie had reached out to our friends a week before to join us for a post engagement celebration.  Our friends had arrived at the bar before us to claim a seat and shared the news with the other bar patrons so as we rounded the corner we received a standing ovation.  It was magical, holy cow, incredible.   We spent the rest of the night in and out of the photobooth with everyone and jamming to a cover band’s version of the Rolling Stone Album “Some Girls.”  Out of this world!

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