Just hearing the name of this new business makes you want to smile for the camera. Wacky Party Pics Photo Booth, which has been operating since November 2011, can be hired for birthdays, weddings, graduations, corporate events, quinceañeras, school fairs, holiday parties, baptisms, proms, or most other special occasions. After the celebration is over, guests take home a personalized 4-by-6-inch party pic to commemorate the fun.
The Santa Maria-based mobile business is run by the husband-and-wife team of Eric and Aileen Sohu.
“We went to the Philippines for my brother’s wedding and the photo booths are very popular there,” Aileen said. “A friend of Eric’s suggested that we bring the idea to the U.S., so we decided to give it a try.”
Eric did extensive research on how the photo booths operate and made their Wacky Pics Photo Booth from scratch. He purchased a laptop, photo editing software, a printer, a spotlight, and an SLR Nikon D5100 camera. Then he built the wooden booth itself, painted it bright red, and started taking it on the road.
The photos aren’t just the small black-and-white strips produced in booths in arcades and at miniature golf courses. A customized photo layout is made before the event, which typically includes a theme or motif, a photo of the guest of honor, and a caption. For a recent party, the Sohus created a photo layout that highlighted the birthday boy’s favorite “Sesame Street” characters.
The photo booth and a technician arrive at the event, bringing costumes and props for guests who want to dress up. Then the fun begins. Guests can pose alone, in groups, or with the guest of honor, and the photos are printed out in just a few minutes. Customers also receive a DVD of all the prints, as well as access to an online photo gallery.
Aileen does the marketing for the business, while Eric takes care of the technical end of things. When asked about plans for the future, Aileen said, “If the idea of Wacky Party Pics Photo Booth clicks, we would like to expand and build more booths.”
The cost is $250 for the first hour, with an additional $100 charge for each extra hour.
For more information and to see samples of the party pics, visit wackypartypics.spruz.com or contact Aileen at 268-4787 or 268-9441.
Highlights
• Santa Maria’s Riverbench Vineyard and Winery announced it would be ringing in 2012 with a new winemaker, Clarissa Nagy.
Nagy brings 17 years of experience in the wine industry to her new job. After receiving a degree in food science from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Nagy started out as a lab technician at Edna Valley Vineyards. She moved on to become research assistant winemaker at Byron Winery in Los Olivos, and later became assistant winemaker and vineyard supervisor at Longoria Winery. She’s been making wine for Bonaccorsi Wine Company in Santa Barbara since 2006.
At Riverbench, Nagy succeeds pioneering winemaker Chuck Ortman, who announced his retirement at the end of the 2011 vintage.
Riverbench Vineyard and Winery specializes in producing Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, and has a tasting room at 6020 Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Maria.
For more information, visit riverbench.com or call 937-8340.
• Locals will be able to learn more about the current operations at Vandenberg Air Force Base during a luncheon at the base’s Pacific Coast Club on Jan. 25.
Guest speaker Col. Nina Amagno, the incoming commander of the base’s 30th Space Wing, will give a review of the past year and a projection of what’s to come in 2012.
The cost is $18, and attendees must register with their drivers’ license and birthdate by Jan. 18 at santamariachambernews.com to guarantee base access. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. on the day of the event; the luncheon starts at noon.
For more information, call Marcy Lariz at 925-2403, Ext. 816, or e-mail marcy@santamaria.com.
Biz Spotlight was written by Intern Pamella Wood. Highlights were compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Jan 12-19, 2012.