ShutterBooth Looks for Ways to be a Trend-Setter

As busy as everyone is returning calls and emails, meeting brides and just trying to somehow reduce that ever-growing “to do” list, we must take time to think about the future.

 

As wedding professionals, we have to execute today but be thinking about tomorrow – 2013 and beyond.  What will weddings look like in a few years? What about six, seven years down the road? 

When I launched the North Carolina ShutterBooth business in late 2008, people looked quizzically and sarcastically at me; I knew what they were thinking — “photo booths for weddings? Really?”  Not many people may have predicted several years ago that photo booths would be such a popular wedding option today.

 

The key now is to look down the road and see what weddings of the future will look like. But with the speed of technology and innovation faster today than ever, we can’t let opportunities pass us by. 

At ShutterBooth, we brainstormed, we researched, we identified gaps in services and, of course, we spoke to brides. We have decided that being a trend setter is better than being a trend follower. You may be asking how a photo booth company can be a trend setter?  Well, here are a few ways.

 

We identified a gap in spontaneous video.  What we found was that many video companies would rather focus on the wedding party.  Additionally, guests felt uncomfortable out in the open and being in front of a microphone. So we added ShutterVideo, an option where guests can have their photos taken or leave a taped message to the newlyweds – all while being comfortable “behind the curtain.” 

Then we looked at the affordability issue. While I believe a ShutterBooth is a “must have,” the reality is that it typically is something that brides want really bad but sometimes can’t afford. So we started the revolutionary ShutterRegistry where brides can register for a ShutterBooth and have their guests help pay for the service.

 

In our TMZ/celebrity world, we also found a desire to have the photo booth experience on the red carpet.  So we now offer the option of the booth – minus the curtain – so that spontaneous photos can be taken against branded backdrops. The corporate world, in particular, loves this approach. 

And finally, while the ShutterBooth provides instant gratification with on-the-spot photos, guests still want the availability to access their photos on-line as soon as possible.  With the new Shutter and Share, guests sign up on a laptop at the wedding to have an email notification sent to them when the photos go live.

 

What’s next?  That’s the question we should all be asking.  With technology moving at record pace and consumer demands escalating nearly as fast, the wedding industry must be thinking strategically on what they will be in 2013 and beyond.