Say 'Cheese' -- Photo booth business develops locally
If a picture is worth a thousand words, Daren Criswell and Billie Nichols’ new business could write novels. At the end of last year, the young couple introduced their new service, Love Photo Booths, which brings the classic fun and entertainment of photo booths to any occasion. The two are hoping that 2010 welcomes not only some economic relief, but smiles and laughs with it, as well, as they help countless people capture life-long memories.
Coastal Point • Ryan Saxton
Darren Criswell and Billie Nichols stand inside one of their photo booths.
“We want to do something that incorporates our lifestyle,” said Nichols. “This gives us the unique opportunity to establish ourselves, and we will have something to do on our own terms.”
Nichols, who has helps run her family’s counseling center, knew the crossover to managing a small business with her fiancé would be a smooth transition.
Criswell, who saw a halt in his home-remodeling company due to the real estate slump, knew the couple had to do something.
“Home development and construction had been scaled back,” he noted, “and I knew I had to either do something myself and take bull by horns or go back and work for somebody else. With Love Photo Booths, it was a business we could start for ourselves. I wanted to get it off the ground and be something we could really do on our own and be successful at.”
The engaged couple, who will wed later this summer, have been doing research for their own big day and stumbled across the idea through other newlyweds.
“We got the idea to start up Love Photo Booths when we saw a lot of our friends who were getting married set up booths at their receptions,” said Criswell. “We priced it out, got the business plans and licenses, and did what we had to get done to get us on our way. It’s a great little side business.”
Other photo booth companies were charging $1,500 or more for four hours of service, which put the idea out of reach for many people. Love Photo Booths renders the same service at an affordable price.
“Having a photo booth at an event is something that should be fun,” noted Nichols, “not something that breaks the bank. There is no occasion too big or too small for a photo booth, and it’s something fun for people to partake in.”
Giving back to the community has always been at the top of their list of priorities, too, and in effort to offer their service in support of worthwhile causes, Love Photo Booths can be set up at any charity event, free of charge, with payment only required per picture. Because the booth accepts dollar bills, money raised for each photo can easily be split with the charitable organizations.
“It’s a win-win situation,” said Criswell. “We cover our costs, and we get to donate funds to people’s charity functions. We’ve always volunteered – whether it’s registering voters or doing something like this – and it’s important to us to continue that tradition.”
Love Photo Booths provides a portable, commercial-grade photo booth, for public or private use, that produces a strip of black-and-white photographs in just 15 seconds. The tear-proof photo paper ensures the pictures will safe and durable, and they can easily find their way into a photo album or scrapbook.
While everything has quickly taken shape, the two have plenty in mind for the business’ future, once they have really established themselves throughout the area.
“We want this idea to spread as far as it can,” said Criswell, “not just at weddings. We’ve contacted schools’ prom committees. There are always a lot of events, like cheerleading competitions, at the Ocean City Convention Center. Our photo booth would work great there. We could go to other sporting events, too, and there are always a lot of art shows in the area. People pick up a lot of craft items or spend money on food items. Why not grab a souvenir like a photo to remember the occasion?”
Criswell and Nichols have included different backgrounds for the photos, as well as humorous props, such as wigs and hats, keeping the ideas fresh. The couple has been fortunate enough to travel to music concerts and festivals throughout the Mid-Atlantic and beyond, and have considered bringing the booth along with them in the future, as a vendor service. By next year, they plan to acquire a color photo booth, to offer more versatility to their customers, as well as providing video photography for events.
For more information, including rental rates and bookings for all events and occasions, visit www.lovephotobooths.com or call (302) 228-2737.
