Meet Ancienne: A Photo Booth Made the Old-Fashioned Way
Some photo booths are built to blend in. Ancienne is built to be noticed. Ancienne is our vintage wooden photo booth, available for events across the San Francisco Bay Area.
What’s in a name? Ancienne (say it “ahn-SYEN”) is French for “old,” “ancient,” or “of another time.” The French also say à l’ancienne, which means “done the old way”: made by hand, with patience and care.
That’s why we picked the name. Ancienne is handcrafted from solid natural wood by artisans who use traditional furniture-making techniques. The warm wood cabinet, the classic wooden tripod and the big, rounded light all point back to the vintage studio cameras of the early 1900s. From across the room, it looks like it could have come out of an old portrait studio.
The beauty of natural wood
Plastic and metal booths look their best on day one. Wood gets better with age. Every scuff and every event adds to its character, and over time it slowly develops its own patina, the same way a well-loved piece of furniture does.
Up close, you can see the wood grain, the clean joinery and the rounded corners. Guests notice it right away. People walk up to it just to touch the wood, and then they stay for photos.
Retro outside, modern inside
Ancienne may look like a vintage camera, but inside it’s fully up to date. It’s built around a high-quality camera and a touchscreen, so guests get sharp, beautifully lit photos, instant prints, digital sharing, GIFs and custom templates, all wrapped in that classic look.
Perfect for events with a sense of style
Ancienne fits any event that calls for something retro, classy or timeless:
- Weddings: rustic barns, vineyards, garden ceremonies and anything with a vintage or boho theme
- Anniversaries and milestone birthdays: an elegant nod to the good old days
- Themed parties: Roaring ’20s, old Hollywood, Great Gatsby or a classic carnival
- Corporate and brand events: for when you want a booth that looks like part of the design, not something rolled in at the last minute
We recently set Ancienne up for a carnival-themed event, sitting on a bold red rug among red-and-white striped booths. It looked right at home, like a portrait camera from an old-time fairground. That’s what we love about it: it doesn’t just take great photos, it adds to the whole look of your event.