Bella, our VW Bus attending the City Harvest Gala at The Lighthouse, Pier 60, NYC

Posted 7/13/23 in: New York
Our 1965 VW Bus set-up in front of The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers for the City Harvest Gala

We navigated Bella, our VW Bus, through Lower Manhattan to attend the City Harvest Gala at The Lighthouse in New York City last month.

City Harvest

We loved being part of the Surf Theme this year and to partner with a great cause. City Harvest programs bring fresh, nutritious food to communities across the five boroughs, free of charge, to help feed New Yorkers who are experiencing food insecurity.

We also wanted to highlight a unique opportunity to donate. The Abram and Ray Kaplan Foundation is matching all gifts, $1-to-$1, up to $50,000, to City Harvest through August 31, 2023 doubling the impact of your support. See donation link here.

Partnering with Event Talent

Thank you as well to Kathleen O’Hara at Ed Libby & Co. Events in using her talents to position Bella in an elegant surfer chic lounge area. See photo.

We also wanted to thank to Tracie Simon at Le Feast for her assistance and coordinated some of the tricky logistics of Manhattan. We always appreciate logistical help when it comes to pulling off successful NYC events – thank you to Tracie and her team!

Volkswagen Micro Bus – a Conversation Starter

One thing we noticed. Countless guests taking photos in front of our VW Bus while engaging in the most interesting conversation topics. We wondered why the Volkswagen Kombi Bus sparks conversations about the past, present, and future. We recently came across this article in the Smithsonian touching on the VW Bus and culture.

Upgraded Pier Sixty – The Lighthouse

Lastly, we were impressed to see the amazing renovation at The Lighthouse, one of three venues managed under The Pier Sixty Collection. We were hired for several events with our Vintage Enclosed Photo Booth prior to the renovation.

After seeing the upgraded space, we think this is one of the most beautiful event venues in NYC with an amazing view of the Hudson!

Our Vintage Bellows Photo Booth at the NYIT de Seversky Mansion in Long Island, NY

Posted 8/19/22 in: New York

We recently brought our Open Air Vintage Photo Booth to the lovely NYIT de Seversky Mansion located in Glen Head, NY on Long Island. Formerly known as the DuPont Guest Estate, we found the 1920’s architectural design of the estate to be a perfect fit for our Vintage Bellows Photo Booth. Originally called “White Eagle,” this lavish mansion captured the affluence and wealth of the Long Island North Shore “Gold Coast.” For this particular event, the guests had a fantastic time in our Vintage Open Air Photo Booth, with one guest commenting, “this is the classiest Photo Booth I’ve seen yet.” Considering she was a part-time event planner, this meant a lot to us. We love targeting these classy, black-tie event venues like the de Seversky Mansion, where clients offer their guests a fun, classy activity during their wedding reception. Plus, the guests simply loved the clean look of our photo strips, and the Vintage Open Air Bellows Photo Booth style. We had a wonderful time at the de Seversky Mansion, and enjoyed bring out Vintage Open Air Bellows Photo Booth to a venue that perfectly fit the decor of the venue.

Our vintage open air Bellows photo booth at the de Seversky Mansion in Glen Head, NY. The foyer decor and stone staircase captured the elegance of this venue. Our classic vintage Bellows Booth was a hit for all the guests at this lovely Long Island venue.

Classic Photo Booth – Central Park Boathouse New York City

Posted 7/14/18 in: New York

Our Classic Photo Booth at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City.  This is by far, one of our favorite venues, from the internal management team, to the event staff, we love working with this group here at the Loeb Central Park Boathouse.  They recently renovated their main hall and it looks beautiful.  New floors, new design.  The best part of course: you’re in the heart of New York City’s largest park!

Long Island VW Bus – Bedell Cellars Wedding

Posted 7/07/18 in: New York

Overlooking the Vineyard

Recently visited Long Island with our VW Bus at the Bedell Cellars Winery on Long Island.  Captured this shot of our VW Bus overlooking the vineyard at sunset.  Our VW Bus was positioned perfectly for guests to access the photo booth.  Big thank you to Riva and the wonderful Bedell Cellars staff for their hospitality.  One of the coolest places on Long Island for a wedding!

North Fork – Long Island Wine Country

If you get a chance, check out the North Fork of Long Island.  You will find a wonderful selection of wineries in New York’s backyard.  Check out this blog post from Winepair.  We loved being out there and interacting with the local wineries.  Bedell Cellars is one of many we highly recommend!

North Fork Long Island Wedding VW Bus

Posted 6/30/18 in: New York

North Fork Long Island Wedding VW Bus

Took this photo at sunset last night at a picturesque North Fork Long Island Wedding.  We partnered with Bedell Cellars Winery in celebrating a lovely wedding.  Guest loved the beautiful view as well as our VW Photo Booth Bus!  If you’re looking for great wedding venues on the North Fork of Long Island, check out our friends at Bedell Cellars.

North Fork Long Island Wedding – our VW Photo Bus overlooking a beautiful sunset at Bedell Cellars Winery

VW Bus Rental Manhattan NYC

Posted 6/20/18 in: New Jersey New York

VW Bus Rental – Manhattan, NYC

Ardbeg Day Celebration

Last weekend, we brought our VW Bus Rental and partnered with Ardbeg Whisky, a subsidiary brand of Moet Hennessy, to sponsor their Ardbeg Day Whiskey tasting.  Strewn along historic Stone Street in Lower Manhattan, guests tried out free samples of Ardbeg Whiskey.  As part of the celebration, we brought Bella, our VW Bus Rental, to Manhattan and set-up our vintage photo booth inside.  Guests loved the chance to pose with this classic Irish Whiskey and grab photos.  Ardbeg also customized our VW Bus Rental with decal stickers to enhance Bella’s looks.

VW Bus Rental NYC

Posted 4/07/18 in: New Jersey New York

VW Photo Bus Rental in Wall Street NYC

Last month, Bushmills Irish Whiskey, in partnership with one of NYC’s premier bars, The Dead Rabbit of NYC, hired our classic VW Photo Bus, Bella, to be part of their multi-city “Boys On Tour” St. Patrick’s Day events to demonstrate how to have a Real Irish St. Patrick’s Day. Each event, hosted at classic Irish bars featured innovative Bushmills cocktails, great food, and great music. Our Classic VW Photo Bus also offered guests the opportunity to jump in the back and take a few free photos to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day 2018!

The Preparation – Transforming our Classic VW Photo Bus Rental Service

For this particular project, Print Structures of NYC utilized a specific vinyl wrap to transform our VW Bus from an ocean blue to a rose red outfitted with Bushmills branding. Print Structures vinyl wrap specialists, Jesse and Sage, labored for hours, ensuring every last detail of the VW Bus matched the exact designs of the graphic artists. Before my eyes, Bella took on a whole new persona, and she now embodied everything Bushmills upon completion. Kudos two these two exceptional artists and their commitment to their craft.

Hitting the Road – First Stop Chi-town (Chicago)

Our VW Bus parked outside Pippins Tavern in downtown Chicago.

Second Stop – Bean-town (Boston)

Our VW Bus parked in downtown Boston on Boylston Street in front of LIR on Boylston – great bar!

Last Stop – The Big Apple – Our Classic VW Photo Bus returning to New York City

Our VW Bus parked in downtown Manhattan right around the corner from The Dead Rabbit.

We had an excellent time promoting an authentic VW Bus Irish St. Patrick’s day, while also touring the country in our VW Photo Booth bus. Having travelled two thousand miles in one week, Bella, our classic VW Photo Booth Bus, is ready for another road trip to promote your next corporate event!

VW Photo Bus Hired in Tarrytown, New York

Posted 3/01/18 in: New Jersey New York

A Photo Booth at the Tarrytown Music Hall

Bella, our Volkswagen Photo Bus at the Historic Tarrytown Music Hall for an annual fundraiser

Last fall, the Tarrytown Music Hall invited our Classic VW Bus to join their 1960’s-themed fundraiser. We were happy to learn more about this venue. Part of being a small business allows us to learn more about our community and support other local efforts in the Metro New York City area.  We are especially big supporters of all local artists, musicians, writers, and film makers.

A Historic Place in Tarrytown, NY

Built in 1885, the Tarrytown Music Hall holds an important place in American history.  Originally, the venue served as a place for wealthy families such as the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts to attend local events. Later on, this venue hosted some of the world’s most talented musicians.  Among the first artists to perform here, Antonin Dvorak and Hungarian pianist Rafael Jossefy. Later artists include Dave Brubeck, Louis Armstrong, BB King, Wynton Marsalis, Norah Jones, and many other talented musicians.

Joining the efforts with our VW Photo Booth Bus

We parked our classic VW Bus in front of the Music Hall and invited the entire community of Tarrytown to take photos in the back seat.  This gave us a great opportunity to start conversation, and direct community members to learn more about the Music Hall.  A creative, fun-filled way to support local community organizations with our classic VW Photo Bus.

Continuing Support

To learn more about this historic venue, check out the http://tarrytownmusichall.org/history/ . If you would like to contribute to this historic venue and continue the legacy of arts and music in the Tarrytown and Hudson Valley area, follow this link to donate.

The Vintage Photo Booth – Timeless Entertainment

Posted 2/19/18 in: New Jersey New York

Visiting the Photo Booth Expo

Last year, I attended the world’s largest Photo Booth trade show in Las Vegas for four days. During that time, I learned from other photo booth experts, industry leaders, and business owners. While walking through the exhibit floor, I observed the various new photo booth designs available for events. Amidst the constant flood of new camera technology and novel photo booth options, I found myself leaning towards these new gadgets.  Advanced drones with cameras, mirror photo booths, and 3D photo booths. With the current pace of technological innovation, any  great idea can be made obsolete in a matter of two years. It begs the question: “what made the original photo booth so popular and appealing to such a wide audience?”

Looking back at the Original Photo Booths

To get a better understanding of the history of vintage photo booths, and to learn more about how artists such as Andy Warhol and Nakki Goranin used the photo booth in their art, check out this great blog post by Max Bloch titled “Behind the Curtain: A History of the Photobooth.” While inventors constantly worked on improving the photo booth itself, at some point, they all landed on the final design of a booth, a curtain, a simple camera, and excellent quality photo prints.  Things have not changed much.  People continue to try new ideas, and I have to admit, it is exciting!  Exciting to observe new ideas using new technology to resemble the original photo booth design.

Keeping it simple

As we receive many inquiries for different types of photo booths, our approach is pretty much the same. Keep it simple, and keep it timeless. Our vintage photo booth has a minimalist design, classic construction, with excellent camera technology ideal for high-end weddings in Midtown Manhattan (The Loeb Central Park Boathouse is one of our favorite, timeless NYC venues), or a low-key family gathering at a private home. While innovation remains key for any business model, at the same time, in this age of constant upgrades, sticking to a timeless, vintage design is often sufficient. Plus, we find that our vintage photo booth bridges generational gaps, appealing to both the old-fashion, pre-internet generation and the uber-tech savvy millennial generation as well. As you research your photo booth options, we highly recommend our classic photo booth – simple, yet timeless.

Our classic photo booth in the modern, chic event space at the Martha Washington Hotel located on East 29th Street in Midtown, Manhattan

VW Photo Bus Rental in Beacon, NY

Posted 11/28/17 in: New Jersey New York

VW Photo Bus Rental at a lovely Fall Wedding in Beacon, NY

This past weekend, we brought our VW Photo Bus Rental to Beacon, New York, at a lovely Hudson Valley Wedding.  For many, the Fall Season in the Hudson Valley captures a unique beauty in all of nature. The changing leaves, the crisp air, and the beautiful mountains. It is no surprise that the Hudson Valley continues to grow as a popular wedding destination during the Fall Seasons. The Roundhouse in Beacon, NY, is one of those up-and-coming destinations. Last Fall, the father of the bride, a long-time Volkswagen mechanic and expert, invited Bella, our VW Photo Bus, to join in celebrating a lovely couple. He has years of experience working on Volkswagen’s and we hit it off right away talking about the history of the VW Bus, previous restoration projects, ongoing restoration projects, etc… and, of course, we posed for photo booth photos as well.

A Generous Review for our VW Photo Bus

It’s always nice to receive a positive review from previous clients.  So grateful for this generous review. See below:
“What a blast is the first thing I need to say! We met Bella, Tony’s VW Photobus the afternoon of our wedding, and boy did she have presence out of the gate! People loved the spin on the photobooth! Tony was easy to work and communicate with from initial call to the day of, and made our day so special and unique! If you want the traditional photobooth, he can sure do that too, but bringing Bella along for the ride is just too cool to pass up! It’s something people won’t forget!”

Posing for Wedding Photos before the Ceremony in the Hudson Valley

This lovely bride and groom posing in front of our VW Photo Bus at their lovely Hudson Valley Wedding in Beacon, New York