How many disposable cameras do you need for a wedding?

What is the quick answer?

Put one camera on each table. Most receptions seat eight to ten at a table, so a wedding of 100 guests needs about ten to twelve cameras. If you also want cameras to travel, add a few for the wedding party and the bar.

That is a planning rule of thumb, not a law. Real coverage depends on how many guests actually pick the camera up, and in practice a lot of them forget it exists.

Do all the frames need to fit on the sheet?

No. Each guest develops the roll on their own phone, and the pictures land in their own Photos library. The crew sheet only holds what the host collects. The send screen lets each guest choose which frames to share, so asking for favorites is normal.

That means you can be generous with frames each and still keep a sheet that reads well.

What are the trade-offs between cameras and an app?

• Disposables work for every guest, including those without a smartphone. An app roll needs an iPhone for each person who joins, since Proofsheet is an iPhone app.
• Disposables need developing and scanning after the wedding. An app roll develops on the phone at the time the host sets.
• Disposables get lost, dropped and left on a chair. A phone usually stays with its owner.
• Disposables cost money per camera, plus processing. Joining an app roll is free for guests.

Can I do both?

Yes, and many couples do. Put a few film disposables on tables for guests who like holding one, and run a crew roll for the people who will have their phones out anyway.

For the app side, the full setup is in disposable camera app for a party or wedding.

When should the roll develop?

For a wedding, the morning after works well. Proofsheet needs the develop time to be at least 30 minutes ahead and within 60 days. Guests who join late still get time to shoot, and nobody sees the pictures at the reception, which keeps people looking up. Each phone develops on its own at the shared time, and a reminder arrives an hour before by default.

What is a sensible plan for 100 guests?

1. Put eight film disposables on tables, one per table of 12 or fewer.
2. Create a crew roll with 12 frames each and send the ticket two weeks ahead.
3. Print the QR code on a table card and tap Show QR at the venue for latecomers.
4. Ask guests to type initials when they join so strips sort by person.
5. The morning after, remind guests to send frames and use Collect frames on the host phone.

Should I order spares?

A few. Film cameras get dropped, left in coats and lost behind a speaker. Ordering two or three extra costs little compared with the regret of a table with no camera. For an app roll, there is nothing to lose, but a late-arriving guest may need the ticket again, so keep the QR code handy.

Tell the venue staff about the cameras. They find forgotten ones when the room is cleared, and they can return them to you.

How do I decide between film cameras and an app roll?

Look at your guest list. If most guests carry iPhones, an app roll costs nothing for them and develops the next morning. If the list is mixed, or older guests would rather hold a camera, film disposables reach everyone. Choose by the people in the room, not by the technology.

Whichever you choose, tell guests plainly what to do and when they will see the pictures. Clear instructions raise the share of guests who actually shoot.