Year 12 Farewell Photo Booth Checklist: What to Ask

A Year 12 farewell photo booth checklist comes down to a few questions you ask a supplier before you pay a deposit. Get the answers in writing, share them with your teacher contact and the night runs far more smoothly. This guide is for student committees and parents organising a farewell in Sydney, many of whom have never hired a supplier before. At Shutter360, we use the same questions in our own pre-event briefing, which goes out 4 weeks before every event. Work through them in order and you'll arrive on the night with fewer surprises.

Key Takeaways

• Ask early: Send your date, venue and guest count in your first message. A supplier can't confirm availability or booth fit without those three details.

• Match the booth: A 360 booth starts at 585+GST(643.50 inc GST). An open air booth starts at 500+GST(550 inc GST). Choose by what students want to take home: a video or a print.

• Check the space: A 360 booth needs 2m x 2m of clear floor. Confirm the spot, the power and the load-in route with your venue before you sign anything.

• Get it in writing: Hire hours, attendant, photo delivery, overlays and backup gear belong in one written quote, not scattered across chat messages, so everyone on the committee reads the same terms.

• Lock details early: Our briefing form goes out 4 weeks before the event, and everything is finalised 2 weeks out. Ask any supplier for their equivalent process.

• Start approvals first: Overlay artwork, school crests and photo sharing often need staff sign-off. Send those emails first, because replies from staff take the longest.

What Should You Settle Before Booking a Year 12 Farewell Photo Booth?

Start with five facts: the date, the venue, expected guest numbers, the run of the night and who signs off on decisions. A supplier can't quote properly without them.

Farewell planning is often shared between a student committee, a year coordinator and parents. Pick one person to talk to the supplier. Pick one teacher or parent to approve the final details. Mixed messages slow everything down, and they're easy to prevent.

Ask your school two questions before you ask anyone else. Does the school or venue need a Certificate of Currency from suppliers? Are there rules on photographing students and sharing the photos? The NSW Department of Education photographs and recordings page is a useful starting point for public schools, and other schools set their own rules. Both answers shape which supplier you hire and what you ask them to do.

Then set a spending range. A 360 booth starts at $585 + GST and an open air booth starts at $500 + GST, so you know the real figures before you compare quotes. Ask every supplier what sits outside the hire price.

Choosing Between a 360 Booth and an Open Air Booth

Students usually ask for one of two things: a video to post or a print to keep. That decides the booth.

A 360 photo booth records slow-motion video clips on a raised circular platform. It holds 6-8 guests per session, so big friend groups fit. An open air photo booth prints two 2" x 6" strips or one 4" x 6" print per session. Both come with a professional attendant and unlimited sessions during the hire period, and setup and pack-down sit outside your hire time.

Neither is the wrong answer. Ask the Year 12 group what they'd rather post or pin to a wall, then decide.

Which Eight Questions Should a Photo Booth Supplier Answer?

1. What's included in the hire time? Confirm setup and pack-down sit outside it so students get the full window.

2. Is a trained attendant there for the whole booking? Ours stays for the full hire duration and runs the queue.

3. What's the backup plan if equipment fails? We carry backup components to every event. Ask others to name theirs.

4. How do photos reach students? Ask about the format, the delivery method and the timing.

5. Who approves overlay artwork? Year group colours and school crests need sign-off before the design is final.

6. Can you show a Certificate of Currency? We're fully insured, and some schools and venues ask for proof.

7. What are the deposit and cancellation terms? Get them in writing.

8. What time do you arrive, and where do you load in? Check it against the venue's access hours.

Our school formal booking guide covers timing in more detail.

How Should a Photo Booth Fit Your Year 12 Farewell Night?

Booths run in waves. Students arrive, take a few photos, drift to the dance floor and return later. Agree on the busy windows with your committee and the attendant before the night, not during it.

Tell the attendant when speeches, awards or the slideshow happen. Booths usually pause for these moments, and a note in the briefing saves an awkward conversation mid-program. Choose a spot near the entry or beside the dance floor, and keep it away from the speaker stacks. Bass vibration wobbles 360 footage.

Name one student contact for the night. Our attendant checks in with that person if the queue grows or a time changes. Our briefing form captures those contacts, the venue access details and the power location. All of it is finalised 2 weeks before the event, so nobody is guessing on the day.

What Should the Final Quote Show?

A good quote reads like a checklist. It lists the booth, the hire duration, start and end times, the attendant, how photos are delivered, any overlay design, travel and parking fees, and the deposit and cancellation terms. Delivery is free in the Hills District and Western Sydney, within 25km of Quakers Hill. Travel and parking fees apply elsewhere, and we state them upfront. Extras such as the Premium Collection backdrop for an open air booth, $100 + GST, belong on their own line.

Compare quotes line by line. Differences hide in what costs extra, not in the headline figure. Ask each supplier to confirm anything unclear in writing, then send the final quote to your teacher contact. After you pay a deposit, your supplier should contact you. If you hear nothing, ask.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should a school book a Year 12 farewell photo booth?

Book once the school confirms the date and venue. Early booking gives you first choice of booth and more time to finalise overlays and approvals. Our school formal booking guide explains how early to book and why it matters for school events.

Who should talk to the photo booth supplier?

Choose one student or parent as the main contact, and one teacher to approve the final details. A single point of contact keeps your quote, your overlay artwork and your run sheet consistent, and it stops conflicting instructions reaching the attendant.

Can the booth match our year group colours and crest?

Yes. Overlays are customised per event on both our 360 and open air booths. Share your artwork and approvals during the briefing, and we finalise everything 2 weeks before the farewell so the design is locked in well ahead of the night.

A briefed, backed-up booth means your committee spends the night at the farewell, not fixing problems. Get a quote for your farewell date.