Holiday Party Ideas Employees Actually Use: A Greenville Planner’s Guide
Guide · Greenville, SC · By Jack Robert · Updated October 2026
In short
The best employee holiday party ideas are the ones people still use in January: a current headshot, photos of the people who were recognized, a team photo and a recap worth sharing. In Greenville, Jack Robert Photo's event headshot booth photographs up to 40 people an hour per station, from $7,500 for a half day (up to 160 guests) to $10,150 for a full day (up to 320). Photo coverage of the party itself is $525 an hour with Jack Robert, or $275 an hour with an associate photographer for a smaller office party, each with a 2-hour minimum.
The one day everyone is dressed up and in one room
For most of the year, getting a whole company photographed means chasing calendars. One department is free on Tuesday, sales is on the road, and the new hires never make it onto the website. The holiday party fixes that for one night: everyone is in the same room, dressed better than usual and in no rush to leave.
That makes it the best night of the year to give people something they'll keep. The food and the playlist are forgotten by January. A good headshot, a photo of someone's award and a team photo on the careers page are still working in June.
Five things employees actually keep
After the party, these are the things that get saved, posted and asked for. Plan for them and the photography earns its budget long after the decorations come down. The same list works for any employee appreciation event, not just the December party.
1. A headshot they'll actually use
Plenty of LinkedIn photos are cropped from a wedding or taken in a parked car. A professional headshot station at the party updates everyone at once, so the company directory, the team page and email signatures finally match. People line up for it because it's for them, not just for the company.
2. Photos of the people being recognized
If the evening includes awards, years-of-service milestones or a thank-you from the CEO, someone will want that moment in a frame. Those photos go into the newsletter, onto the intranet and onto the winner's desk. They only exist if a photographer is in position when the name is read out.
3. A team photo
The party is often the only time a full department is together. Ten minutes in a good spot gets you a team photo for the website, the recruiting page and next year's invitation.
4. A recap to share
A dozen good candids become a LinkedIn post, a recruiting slide and a thank-you email to staff. They show candidates what working at the company actually looks like, which a job ad can't.
5. One gallery everyone can find
Phone photos end up scattered across dozens of camera rolls. One shared gallery puts the night in one place, so people can find themselves, download their favorites and stop asking who has the picture of the toast.
The headshot station: what it costs and how many people it covers
The event headshot booth is a small professional studio set up in a corner of the venue. Guests step up between drinks and dinner, get a directed headshot and go back to the party. Each station photographs up to 40 people an hour, and the booth is run by Jack Robert and his team.
| Booth | Covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Half day | Up to 4 hours · up to 160 guests | $7,500 |
| Full day | Up to 8 hours · up to 320 guests | $10,150 |
| Two stations | Up to 80 people an hour · half day / full day | $13,000 / $20,150 |
Prices current as of October 2026.
Up to three stations can run at once; a third station is quoted per event.
To size it, divide your headcount by 40. That's roughly how many hours one station needs. Up to 160 guests fits a half day. Above that, you have two choices: a full day if the booth can run through the afternoon and evening, or two stations if everyone arrives at once.
Photographing the party itself
The booth handles headshots. For awards, speeches, candids and the team photo, add event photography coverage: $525 an hour with a 2-hour minimum, so $1,050 covers the two hours that matter most. At most parties that's the arrival rush and the program, when awards are handed out and someone says thank you. For a smaller office party, an associate photographer from the Jack Robert Photo team is $275 an hour with the same 2-hour minimum ($550). Coverage includes 10–15 edited photos the same night, ready to post.
Send the photographer your run-of-show ahead of time: who speaks, which awards, which teams need a group photo. A one-page shot list means nobody important gets missed.
A ready-to-send email to staff
People use the booth more when they know it's coming. Copy this, fill in the brackets and send it a week or two before the party.
Subject: Get a professional headshot at the holiday party
Hi everyone,
At this year's holiday party on [date] at [venue], we'll have a professional headshot station from [start time] to [end time], run by Jack Robert Photo. It's quick, and you'll leave with a current headshot for LinkedIn, your email signature and the company directory.
A few tips:
- Wear what you'd wear to meet an important client. Solid colors photograph best.
- Stop by early in the evening, before a line builds.
- If you usually wear glasses, wear them.
[If you've booked event coverage:] A photographer will also be covering the evening, so expect candids and a team photo.
See you there,
[Your name]
Timing: December dates fill first
Most company parties land in the same few weeks, so December dates fill first. Book the photographer as soon as the date and venue are set; a 50% non-refundable retainer (up to $1,000) holds your date.
When you ask for a quote, have these ready:
- The date, the venue, and the start and end times
- Expected headcount, which decides half day, full day or two stations
- Any awards or speeches, and roughly when they happen
- Where the booth can go: a corner near the bar or the entrance, out of the main walkway
Frequently asked questions
How much does a headshot booth for a holiday party cost in Greenville, SC?
A half-day Event Headshot Booth is $7,500 for up to 4 hours and up to 160 guests. A full day is $10,150 for up to 8 hours and up to 320 guests. Two stations are $13,000 for a half day or $20,150 for a full day, and each station photographs up to 40 people an hour.
Can you photograph the party itself, not just headshots?
Yes. Event photography coverage is $525 an hour with Jack Robert or $275 an hour with an associate photographer for a smaller office party, each with a 2-hour minimum. It can run alongside the headshot booth to cover awards, speeches, candids and team photos, and you get 10–15 edited photos the same night.
How far ahead should we book a December holiday party?
As soon as the date and venue are set. December dates fill first, and a 50% non-refundable retainer (up to $1,000) holds your date.
Planning a holiday party in Greenville?
Send the date, the venue and your headcount, and you'll get a quote for the booth, the coverage or both.
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