Have a Photo Booth at Your Wedding

As a wedding DJ/MC, I am all about making sure you and your guests have a good time and are entertained throughout the night. What's better than having a wedding DJ/MC at your event? Having a wedding DJ/MC AND a photo booth! As Geraldyn Martinez from Lumi Pod Photo Booth Rental explains, the photo booth isn't just for kids. It's for ALL your guests!

On this episode, Geraldyn shares her journey to becoming a photo booth rental company owner, all of the great reasons to have a photo booth at your wedding, and reflects back on the positives that have come out of her experience with COVID-19.

Make sure to click that subscribe button. And if you haven't left a review, I'd appreciate it! I might even read it on a future podcast!

The intro and outro for this Highlight Weddings & Events Podcast was edited and produced by DropHouse Voiceover Production Studio and Tony Tee Neto, Voiceover Artist & Audio Producer. For more info on branding elements, editing, and post-production services, visit http://drophouse.com.

The song used for the intro and outro for this episode is Crush by https://audiohub.com License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Transcript

 DJ Josh: [00:00:29] Well, hello everyone again. Thanks for checking out the podcast. My name is DJ Josh with Highlight Weddings & Events, and I have a super awesome guest today. Her name is Geraldyn Martinez with Lumi Pod Photobooth. How are you doing today, Geraldyn? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:00:43] I'm good. Thank you. How are you? 

DJ Josh: [00:00:45] I'm doing all right. It's a Friday afternoon, so 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:00:47] Yes.

DJ Josh: [00:00:48] the weekend is almost upon us.  It could be worse. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:00:51] Exactly. It's always good. Yes, we are healthy. And we're good. So that's the most important thing.

DJ Josh: [00:00:57] Absolutely. Would you mind telling the listeners a little bit more about yourself? Who you are. How did you get to where you are today? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:01:05] Yeah, definitely. My name again is Geraldyn. I was born in Puerto Rico many years ago. Anyway, 21 years ago, I moved to Fort Walton Beach, FL, because my husband used to be in the military. So after that, we stayed here and this is where we call home. 

DJ Josh: [00:01:24] Cool. So was he stationed at Eglin or Hurlburt?

Geraldyn Martinez: He was at Hurlburt Field. 

DJ Josh: Ah, okay. And just for reference for those of you who are not from the area. We have three military bases within about 30 minutes of each other. Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, and Duke Field. which is now an army installation And then we also have Pensacola Naval Air Station, which is in Pensacola. So there is a strong military presence here. I was actually in the Air Force for six years. And the reason why I live here is because my father PCS'd to Eglin and stayed here for about 15 years of my life. So this is where I call home as well. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:02:08] Yeah. This is a great place to live so cannot complain. 

DJ Josh: [00:02:11] It's a great place to live. It's a great place to have a wedding, which is the point of the podcast. What excites you about being a part of the wedding event team for a couple's big day. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:02:23] This is so strange, but I love to work under pressure, and being part of a wedding team offers that. I don't know if you can relate to that. Like it's a pressure and a thrill together that you're being part of a memorable event. You have that pressure to make it perfect, make it happen. And that you're being a piece of a puzzle of people who are responsible for making a wedding or an event, one that everybody's gonna remember forever and ever.  

DJ Josh: [00:02:50] Yeah, I definitely can relate to that. There have been a couple instances where my computer was not working the way it was supposed to, and I didn't actually have any issues with the songs that were playing, but there were a couple of times where I'm like, "Please don't freeze up. Keep playing the song." Cause it was right in the middle of the dance set. That's the worst time for you to have dead air.  It's a good feeling for me when I know that something could have gone wrong. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:03:17] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:03:18] But I was able to make everything work smoothly. And no one really knows that it happened, which is kind of thankless, because it's like nobody knows other than the other wedding pros that are part of the event team. But it's still a good feeling because I know that I helped to reduce the stress for the guests on that day. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:03:37] Yeah, that's true. And there's always something that could go wrong like you said. And I have had stuff like people have tripped on the connection cable of the photo booth. So, it just. I'm like, "What is going on?" But you know what? Those are little things that can be fixed so we can not complain that much. 

DJ Josh: [00:03:54] You definitely learn, being involved in weddings, how to be graceful. Especially when things go wrong that weren't necessarily your fault. But everyone looks at you like it was your fault. You're like, "Okay. well I gotta make it happen. I gotta make it work" kind of thing. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:04:10] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:04:11] Okay. How can couples working with you make their wedding a highlight? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:04:16] I definitely think that. As a photo booth owner, from my perspective, sometimes, it can be underestimated because of the pricing or because I think we had this talk before, people would say like, "Oh, well this is just for fun."

But no, we have professional equipment, professional camera, professional lighting that will result in quality pictures. And not only am I taking pictures, I am printing out pictures. And that adds up to the value because people are taking that keepsake to their homes. And that's part of the memory of the event. They're going to say, "Oh my God, how much fun I had in Josie's, his wedding." They will never forget because they will have that picture there to remember. They won't forget that picture in that moment, because that was so special. 

DJ Josh: [00:05:01] What can couples do to set you up for success? Are there specific things like information that they can give you, or like a mindset going into the wedding planning process that really will make their experience that much better? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:05:15] Yes. Immediately after the initial call or email, I interview them of what their colors of the events are if they having a theme. I love it when they share the story, their love story or their engagement story. That gives me a more personal approach to their event. And I just love knowing exactly what they prefer to do because when I have to design the layout, I customize every layout.

I do not reuse designs on my photo layouts, especially to what they want, what they request or their colors or theme. That's one of the things that will set me up for success: having that custom design made to their liking. And they're going to be like, "Yes, that's awesome. I love that layout. I love that backdrop. I love the photo booth. I love everything about it." That is what I want. 

And the customer service seals the deal because whenever I am at an event, me or my attendant, we make it so much fun that we help people. If they're shy, we help them with their props. We help them with their poses. And I'm so proud that we do it because it adds up to the quality of the service.

DJ Josh: [00:06:23] I do something similar when I provide live streaming for ceremonies. I'll ask the couple for their wedding invitation and I will find a font that's similar and create a similar type of feel for the live stream. Before I transitioned to what the camera is showing. It's cool that you make it unique to that couple's wedding.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:06:45] Yes. 

DJ Josh: [00:06:45] That kind of attention to detail is appreciated. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:06:48] Yeah. They really love those details of customization and personalization. Yes, that's good. 

DJ Josh: [00:06:54] Why should a couple incorporate a photo booth in their wedding reception? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:06:58] First of all it's great entertainment. Just like having a DJ, you cannot have a wedding without a DJ. Madonna: "Music makes people come together."  You know?

DJ Josh: [00:07:07] Oh, I love that! 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:07:11] Yes.  food is a must. You gotta have food. You gotta have music. And if you want to have an extra thing, an extra layer of entertainment, a photo booth will always be a thing to go to because they're going to keep the guests smiling. They're going to keep the guests entertained. For example, if they are tired of dancing, they can go there, have a break, have some laughs with friends, with people maybe that they don't even know. If it's a family, they can make connections with a new family member. It's good for all ages. 

Yeah, children love a photo booth, but they don't know the meaning and the value of it. Adults, know the value of a photo. Yes, children will come and take pictures, but adults will be there. They will inundate the photo booth all the time. And it's ageless. Any age will enjoy the photo booth, and it will let people remember it forever. 

As long as they have that picture, they will be talking about your wedding. And it's a great favor, like a great keepsake for the event. And one of the things that I love about the guestbook. We set up a memory book on-site, where we keep, for the bride and groom, one picture of every guest and they sign right beside it. 

DJ Josh: [00:08:25] Okay. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:08:25] Let me tell you, I always get an email back thanking me, because that's one of the highlights of the night of their wedding. Having that memory to look back at, in their hands, cause you can always scroll on a phone or a computer and see the pictures, the digital ones, but having the actual printout and seeing all the phases and how much fun it was, that is beyond compare. They love it. 

DJ Josh: [00:08:51] Nice. Me being a DJ people would think that I would just be like, "Oh, you just want a DJ. That'd be enough." But I am aware enough to know that not everyone's going to dance the entire night. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:09:03] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:09:04] And the photo booth is a great option to allow for the dance floor to be reset. It's also great for before the dancing even starts. It really helps to bring more energy like for during cocktail hour, maybe the tail end of dinner. Because it's just another cool feature that allows guests to be entertained while they're waiting for the rest of the formalities to start. that's true. 

And something that my wife did. We had a photo booth for our wedding. She actually created a Facebook album with all of the pictures. So, it's a really cool thing because now every year when our wedding anniversary comes up, it'll pop up on the timeline for memories and she tagged everyone in the pictures or encouraged people to tag them. So it's just a cool thing to look back on and just have that memory and the refresh and be like, "Oh yeah, I remember Rhoda and Josh's wedding. It was so fun" kind of thing. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:09:59] Yeah

DJ Josh: [00:09:59] What are some things that you wish couples knew about the photo booth that they might not know? Like some misconceptions or things that they're just not aware about?

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:10:09] Let's see. It takes work to set it up, just like a DJ. It takes work to take it down, transport it. There's planning behind it. I need to plan the design. I spend at least, maybe four hours trying to design a couple of designs for the client. And then until that layout is perfect, I do not give up. If they're not happy with it, which doesn't happen often, or if they have a better idea, I do it until they're happy. There are a lot of things behind just that fun art, which we love. 

DJ Josh: [00:10:42] Okay. How has COVID-19 impacted you both business-wise and personally. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:10:48] I had lots of reschedulings for next year.

So three days that I could have had for next year are taken, or I still have availability because I have three photobooth units that I can operate on a day. Now the business is picking up and I'm so grateful for every time that a wedding planner calls me or a client calls me to book, I celebrate it. I just did a little story on Instagram, celebrating the fact that I make some bookings today because it's work. And I appreciate the fact that people are thinking of the small business owner like you and I. And, they're actually considering giving us their support. So yeah, that to me, is a great thing. This has been a very big learning experience financially, mentally, emotionally, all kinds of "lies", because we never had a pandemic.

 Yesterday I put a photo on my Instagram stories. It was an event that I had. I think it was Isaac was on his way here so that hurricane went some other way, and it didn't hit very hard. But the night of that wedding was really windy. And I remember driving and my SUV would be like, shaking cause it was so windy. So we did that wedding and they had hats that said "How to evacuate: grab a beer and go," or something like that. It was so much fun. And I remember I was like, "You know what? We have worked through rough situations, but none have been compared to what the pandemic has caused," because it has been like a long recess and it has affected many people financially. And mentally too emotionally, all that, it's a thing to consider 

DJ Josh: [00:12:29] Oh, yeah. It's been pervasive throughout society. The experience is slightly different depending on who you are, but it's something that has touched everywhere. For instance, when you mentioned the hurricane, it's not like the hurricane will make landfall and the immediate area gets impacted. It's been felt 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:12:51] Yeah.

DJ Josh: [00:12:51] throughout the world. So it's very weird, but very interesting as well, just to get an idea of how different it's impacted everyone, even though everyone is feeling it.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:13:02] That's true. In the meantime, when I was doing basically not nothing cause you know, you always have something to do, but I was feeling distressed of the lockdown. I was feeling all the news and stuff. And I'm like, "What can I do to get rid of this anxiety?" So like I was telling you before, that's how I started my podcast as well. That was something that took me from that anxiety to letting go of that. Because I'm writing a script. I'm recording stuff. It has been something that I came up with to get rid of that anxiety and to put it as a good energy into something, So yeah. You gotta reinvent yourself sometimes. And these are the times when you do it. 

DJ Josh: [00:13:44] I think for me it helped partly because I had started deejaying live streaming. But the other thing was, is I actually spent like two weeks completely reorganizing and remastering my entire music catalog.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:13:59] That's awesome. 

DJ Josh: [00:14:00] No, it sucked. It was so boring because I'm not a big organizer. I am definitely more organized now that I'm married to my wife, Rhoda. She has encouraged me and shown me how to be more organized. My mom can attest to the fact that my room was not clean when I was growing up.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:14:20] That happens.

DJ Josh: [00:14:21] No, it was bad. It was really bad. I'm one of those people that once I have something a certain way, I can just deal with it and be like, "Oh yeah. It's not. Organized to someone outside looking in, but I know where everything is."

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:14:33] Exactly. You know.

DJ Josh: [00:14:35] Yeah. So it was just painstaking getting the music, how I needed it.

And then, the other hard part was I would put the tracks through a program that was taking the music and making all the levels closer to each other. So if you listen to music that was recorded in the seventies and the fifties, there's a distinct sound difference between how it is today, just because of technology and how mastering happens.

So that was one of the reasons why I did that as well so that everything has a similar level. So I don't have to crank up or crank down a track depending on what the previous track sounds like. And the reason why that sucked is because. I wasn't doing anything. literally the program was just running. 

 It needed to get done. I knew it needed to get done. And if I hadn't had the pause of COVID-19, it would not have been done today. Because it's one of those things where it's like, " I don't have to deal with that. Cause I'm working on business thins. I'm doing the things that matter, but it's also working in the business is almost as important as well too. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:15:43] I don't know if you did the same, but I know that I've seen a lot of DJ's DJ through Facebook, like live stream and stuff. And that's another way of reinventing. And in my case, there's a Facebook community that is super supportive.

They started to do groups where they doing retraining and doing zoom calls and marketing ideas. And how do you work with different programs that we operate? How do you clean up the equipment? Stuff like, yeah, you think about it and duh, you got to do it, but you just take that machine you've operated it and that's all you do.

And when we started communicating and getting all that training I call. Wow. I have grown so much as a photo booth owner because you know what you're doing, but Hey, there's things that you really got to do behind to keep it working the way it should.

So yeah. Oh my gosh. It hasn't all been negative, for sure, business-wise.  

DJ Josh: [00:16:38] Since you shared who Geraldyn is, as far as the business owner, would you mind answering a few questions just about yourself? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:16:47] Yeah, for sure. 

DJ Josh: [00:16:49] Okay. Since you are Puerto Rican, what is your favorite Puerto Rican dish?

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:16:55] Definitely, anything with green plantain. 

DJ Josh: [00:16:58] Ah, okay.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:16:58] Anything out of green plantain. Mofongo, Mangu, which is mainly a Dominican plate, but it's healthier than a Mofongo. Green plantain in any of its stages: tostones, or it can be ripe plantain, like the sweetest version of it. Yeah. Anything plantain I love it. 

DJ Josh: [00:17:19] My favorite is empanadas. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:17:21] Oh, of course. Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:17:24] There used to be a restaurant in Valparaiso.  

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:17:27] Cafe Amapolla? 

DJ Josh: [00:17:28] Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Is it still open or did they close it down?

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:17:32] No. They closed it. Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:17:33] Oh man. That's so sad. Those empanadas were so good.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:17:36] But we still have Papi's and we have Cafe Rico.

DJ Josh: [00:17:39] Oh, That's right.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:17:40] Yeah. So we have other. Yeah, they're delicious. 

DJ Josh: [00:17:44] Yeah. Cafe Rico is the food, right? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:17:46] Yeah. The food truck and then Papi's, which is a Puerto Rican restaurant off, Racetrack Road. Yeah. It's really good. Really good. Free promotion!

DJ Josh: [00:17:56] Food trucks are great for weddings, especially if you're doing like barn wedding or a venue that doesn't necessarily have a robust, kitchen to work with. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:18:07] Actually, today before the call, I was looking at an event where the lady wanted Puerto Rican food and she's not from here. So I recommended all three of the vendors that are local, like the food truck, the restaurant, and a private chef. cause I know that they're great. And the food is amazing. So, yeah. We gotta support each other like that too. each other. 

DJ Josh: [00:18:30] Definitely, so what did you want to be when you grew up?

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:18:33] When I was in the elementary school, I wanted to be an archeologist. 

DJ Josh: [00:18:37] Interesting. Why did you want to be an archeologist? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:18:40] Well, I had a history teacher who studied to become an archeologist and then some reason ended up teaching history. And every time she talked about it, in my little head, I just saw, her doing whatever she was describing. And she said it with so much love that, oh my gosh, I came home saying I want to be an archeologist. And I have that in my mind for so many years. But after that, I discovered that I love designing homes and I wanted to be an architect when I was in high school. And I applied to become an architect and everything I  was going to go to study in Wisconsin. And then all of a sudden things happen and I was not able to study that. So I became a teacher instead. 

DJ Josh: [00:19:24] Oh, okay. What did you teach? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:19:26] I taught English as a second language and also I taught Spanish. I did it for six years and then I decided I didn't want to do that anymore. So I became a business owner.

DJ Josh: [00:19:37] Nothing wrong with that. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:19:38] No.

DJ Josh: [00:19:39] Are there any lessons that you've learned that stand out from being a business owner? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:19:45] It was a challenge for me while I was not a business owner. And it still was a challenge for me after I became a business owner was the fear of talking to someone on the phone or talking to someone and getting "No" for an answer. That really freaked me out. I get anxiety to get rejection or to hear that, "No," but then I learned that every "No" prepared me for the other phone call or the other conversation where I get the "Yes"s. So all of a sudden they lost that fear and, yeah, I still get it a little, but I go for it. I go for it. And I definitely ask the question and I prepare myself it can be a no, but hopefully, it will be a yes. 

And then, another thing that I have learned in life is to celebrate. Now that after the  COVID, especially, celebrate each achievement. Even if it's a little achievement, I don't know, like one pound shed or one booking for the month or a hundred dollars or $5 or, any little achievement because I read one thing once that said, "Remember that little by little, makes a little a lot. That's true. And sometimes you want something right now at this second and you want to dig. You want it now. But you know what, every little thing that you're doing towards working toward that achievement, that goal, counts, and it actually makes it better. Like you enjoy the success better when you actually consider that everything you sacrifice and everything you did was worth it. 

DJ Josh: [00:21:18] Yeah. To talk about both of your lessons, the act of asking for somethingimplies that someone can say, "No." 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:21:26] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:21:26] And just because they say, "No," It doesn't necessarily mean that it's a reflection on you.

you just may not be a good fit for them. They may not be a good yeah. Fit for you. And if you go into the conversation wanting to set them up for the best experience possible, and if they don't feel that they're going to be able to get it from you, then that's okay. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:21:52] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:21:53] That's. life and I think it's easy to take it personally. And that's where the fear comes. That's the, "Oh no, they're saying no to me," whereas it's not really necessary, "No," to you, even though it feels like that. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:22:07] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:22:08] And I think the celebrating each achievement is really good because that helps to buoy you when things are a little tougher.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:22:16] Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:22:17] Because you're automatically practicing gratitude for the things that you've been able to do.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:22:22] That's true. Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:22:23] And it helps. For you to keep where you're going in mind, as opposed to just focusing on the one little thing. So you're like, "Oh yeah, I did this thing. And then doing that is going to help me get to this point, and then the next point. And then months or years later, I'm going to be at this point in my business those are awesome. Those are great life lessons. Not just business lessons. So that's really good. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:22:47] They can be applied to your life as a person and as a business owner. Yeah. 

DJ Josh: [00:22:51] Are there any things that you would like to leave the listeners with before we go. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:22:56] Let's see. Yeah. Hopefully, my life lessons have touched somebody who's listening because maybe, sometimes, I'm not the only one who fears the, "No." I'm not the only one who wants things now. A lot 

DJ Josh: [00:23:10] of people want that, so 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:23:11] hopefully  somebody can identify with them and I can help somebody. I love what I do. Like I said, I went to college to become an educator. I love educating. All of a sudden, I decided I didn't agree with the system. I came up home. And I said, "You know what? Let's do something different." And the photo booth has filled my life with so much joy and I love that I can do something that I feel happy doing. And that's one thing that also everybody needs to know. Sometimes we don't feel happy with what we're doing and we need to start planning. "What can't I do to make my life better?"

If it's changing a job. If it's changing the habit. If it's improving a skill, learning something new. Something that will make you happy like having more time to spend with your family. You gotta do something that makes you happy and that you feel what I'm doing is worth it.

Even though I'm not a millionaire, maybe one day I will be. But what I'm doing right now is making me happy and that's exactly what everybody should listen to. And, I love doing the photo booth So if anyone listening would love to have a photo booth in there event Lumi Pod Photobooth is perfect.

DJ Josh: [00:24:19] How would someone reach out to you to find out more information about booking you?

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:24:23] Okay. We have a website it's lumipod.com l-u-m-i-p-o-d.com. And there we have links for booking or for quotes. Our phone number, which is (850) 496-6739. We also have our email that they can email us with any questions. They can text us. They can DM us through Facebook or Instagram, which you can find @Lumipodphotobooth on both. They can see our pictures, our events cause we have videos.  Those are the ways Instagram, Facebook, phone, email or website. 

DJ Josh: [00:24:56] Okay. What was the email again? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:24:57] Lumipodrental@gmail.com. 

DJ Josh: [00:25:01] And the phone number? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:25:02] 850.496.6739.'

DJ Josh: [00:25:04] All right. Geraldyn, thanks so much for taking time out of your day to stop by for the podcast. Did you enjoy yourself? 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:25:11] Yes, and I love what you're doing because it is very important. Planning a wedding is stressful and we have amazing wedding planners in this area. For sure. I've worked with you before. And I know that the job that you do is great.

You're so entertaining. You are skillful, creative. That's why you were messy in your room. Cause you're creative. 

DJ Josh: [00:25:34] I guess. Yeah. I'll chalk it up to that, I guess.

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:25:38] But yeah, I love working with you. 

DJ Josh: [00:25:40] Aw. Well, thank you. It was a pleasure working with you as well, and hopefully we'll be able to do it in the future. 

Geraldyn Martinez: [00:25:45] Okay. For sure.

DJ Josh: [00:25:47] So here's to all the couples that are planning their weddings. And here's to making those weddings a highlight.