How to Choose the Right Photo Booth Backdrop for Your Event

People usually ask me two things when they’re booking a photo booth. How much does it cost, and what does the backdrop look like. The second question matters more than people think, so I wanted to write this out properly.

Every booking with us includes a backdrop, so this isn’t an upsell conversation. It’s really a styling conversation, and it’s one of the more fun parts of planning an event.

Sequin or printed, both have a place

I get asked a lot whether sequin backdrops or printed backdrops are the better choice. Honestly, they’re both great, and they do different jobs. A sequin backdrop adds texture and shine that a printed one just can’t replicate. It catches the light, it moves a little when people bump into it, and it photographs beautifully under flash. A printed backdrop gives you a fixed design, a pattern, or even a logo, so it’s the better call when the goal is a specific look rather than a general sparkle.

Neither one is the “upgrade” version of the other. It comes down to what fits the event.

Colour is what actually matters

Here’s the thing people underestimate. The backdrop isn’t just a backdrop for photos, it’s also a physical piece of decor sitting in the middle of the venue for however many hours the event runs. If the colour clashes with everything else in the room, guests notice, and it shows up in every photo taken that night.

So when someone asks me what to pick, colour is always the first thing I look at. Not just whether it looks nice on its own, but whether it fits the vibe of the space it’s going into.

A good example is the photo attached to this post. That’s from a baby shower where the theme was a baby boy, so blue was the obvious direction. We went with a blue sequin backdrop, and it worked on two levels. It matched the shower’s colour scheme, and the blue reinforced the “it’s a boy” theme without anyone having to say a word. The backdrop became part of the storytelling for the event, not just a backdrop.

Sometimes the “matching” colour isn’t the right call

This one surprises people. A client reached out just yesterday planning a gold themed event. Her decor is gold, her print template is gold, and she was deciding between a printed gold sequin backdrop or a black backdrop with a gold geometric pattern. Her instinct was to go all gold to match everything.

I suggested the black and gold option instead. Here’s why. If everything in the photo is gold, the backdrop can wash out and blend into the rest of the gold decor, so the photos lose contrast. The black in that second option breaks things up. It’s mostly black with a gold pattern running through it, so it still reads as “gold themed” without flattening the photo. Sometimes the backdrop that matches the theme best isn’t the one that matches the colour most literally.

How we actually help clients decide

We show clients what’s available for their date and let them pick, because at the end of the day it’s their event and their call. If they ask for our opinion, like the gold example above, we’re happy to weigh in based on what we’ve seen work in photos. We’ve also added backdrops based on demand. If we keep hearing requests for a certain look, we’ll go buy it, which is exactly how a few of our newer options came to be.

If there’s a specific style or colour you have in mind and you don’t see it listed, just ask. There’s a good chance we can source it or already have something close.

If you’re still working out your colour palette, our wedding budget guide and our guide to choosing the right photo booth for your event are both good next reads. For more on how a booth fits into a wedding specifically, take a look at is a photo booth worth it for a wedding and why Photobooth Guys is a good fit for your wedding. If you want to go further with styling, our DIY photo booth props guide pairs well with backdrop planning since props and backdrop usually get picked together.

For a deeper look at how colour theory applies to event decor generally, Curated Events has a solid breakdown worth reading.

Ready to see what’s available for your date? Get a quote from Photobooth Guys.