Most equipment suppliers get messages every day that start with “Hi, how much does a photo booth cost?”. Nobody can answer that properly: four clarifying emails follow and a week simply disappears. A good enquiry fits into ten lines and often brings back a concrete quote the same day.
Below is a checklist of what belongs in an enquiry, whether you are planning a wedding, a company party, an anniversary or a trade fair stand. The same list helps when you are asking several companies at once and want to compare their answers fairly afterwards.
One important principle: an enquiry does not have to be long or elegant. It is far more useful when it is specific. A list of short facts works better than two paragraphs of polished prose, because the supplier can use it directly as the basis for a quote.
The first thing a supplier checks is whether the date is free. Put it in your very first sentence together with the times: when the event starts, from what point you want to use the equipment, and when the evening is expected to end. Those are three different times — a photo zone is rarely opened during the welcome drinks.
Add the venue and its address. Logistics affect both transport and setup time, and events outside Tallinn have to be planned differently from a dinner in a city-centre restaurant. If the venue is not chosen yet, give at least the town or county and note that the address will be confirmed later. The same logic applies to booking timing — we wrote about that in more detail in when to book your venue and equipment.
The number of guests determines how much equipment makes sense and how many working hours to plan for. An approximate figure is perfectly fine, but a range such as “50–60” is more useful than “about a hundred”.
Information about the room saves the most time, because it is exactly what most follow-up emails are about. You do not need a tape measure — what you can see with your own eyes is enough.
As for dimensions, it helps to know that the photo booth itself needs about one square metre of floor space, while the backdrop is usually 1.5–2 metres wide and 2.5 metres high. If you say straight away whether such a wall or corner exists, you get an answer with a solution instead of another question.
The word “photo booth” means different things to different people. Name specifically what you are interested in, and say so if you have not decided yet — a good supplier will then recommend something.
If the choice is still open, the comparison in photo booth, photo mirror or 360° — how to choose will help.
The output is what the guest ends up holding. It affects both working hours and preparation, so mention it right away.
If the company has brand guidelines or a finished design file, attach it to the same email. That noticeably shortens the number of approval rounds.
Two prices are not comparable until you know what is inside them. Add a short list of questions at the end of your enquiry — a proper supplier will answer them point by point.
For most events it is unrealistic to expect one figure to cover every wish. If your budget is set, say so openly — the supplier can then put together something that fits inside it, instead of offering things you will set aside anyway.
Hello! On 12 December we are holding our company Christmas party in Tallinn, at restaurant X (address …). The evening starts at 18:00 and ends at around 23:00. We expect 70 guests, mostly adults, speaking Estonian and Russian. We would like a photo booth with an operator between 19:00 and 22:00. The hall has a free corner of roughly 3 × 3 metres, the ceiling is high and the socket is about five metres away. Entry is at ground level, there are no stairs, and a vehicle can pull up to the door. We would like printed photo strips with the company logo, plus a digital gallery. Please send a quote including the number of hours, transport and deposit terms. Thank you!
One paragraph like this usually replaces the entire email thread and gives the supplier enough to send back a final price.
We are a local Estonian team that has been working at events for over five years, from Tallinn to Narva and from Pärnu to Rakvere, and the fastest agreements come exactly from clear emails like these. You will find more about the services on the PicMe website.
If you already have the information listed above, just send it over — we will reply with a quote and confirmation that the date is free. Request a quote.
