Behind the Lens

The photo booth company helping Houstonians make memories one pose at a time

Photo booths have exploded in popularity, and having one at your event is almost a given nowadays. But it definitely makes a difference who you rent from, and not just in what types of machines they can provide.

PicMe Events believes in the power of moments. It’s not just about taking a picture or video — it’s about creating an experience that brings people together, sparks joy, and leaves lasting memories.

Hear a little bit more about the company, its founders, and what drives them to make every event unforgettable.

Meet the founders: Michael Vayner and Eric Reed

Behind PicMe Events are two dedicated co-founders who bring their unique talents and hearts to the business every single day.

Michael Vayner, the operations expert
Michael is the organizational backbone of PicMe Events, making sure everything runs smoothly before, during, and after each event. He ensures every detail aligns with their clients' visions and executes it to perfection.

His family is at the center of everything he does: his loving wife, Holly, and their two daughters, Leora and Eliana. In a beautiful turn of events, the couple is currently in the middle of adopting a 7-year-old girl, expanding their family and love even further.

Eric Reed, the creative visionary
Eric is the artistic soul of PicMe Events. With an eye for design, he crafts experiences that go beyond traditional photography. He brings a unique blend of creativity and precision to each event, infusing them with personalized details that reflect his clients' personalities and themes.

His family — wife Amy, twin daughters Keely and Kenzie, and son Conrad — inspires him daily and motivates him to put his heart into every event.

Their story: Resilience, passion, and growth
PicMe Events began in 2016 as a part-time project to make some extra income. But life had different plans, and the story of how it grew reflects the challenges and resilience that brought the company to where it is today.

In 2017, Michael’s corporate job was unexpectedly cut. A week later, Hurricane Harvey hit, devastating his family’s home and taking nearly everything. But amid the destruction, Michael managed to save the first piece of PicMe’s equipment — a Mirror Photo Booth — by placing it on the bed to keep it safe from the floodwaters. That small act of hope marked the start of something much bigger.

Later that year, just as things were starting to look up, all of PicMe’s equipment was stolen on Christmas Eve. It was a devastating blow. Yet instead of giving up, Vayner and Reed chose to start anew, reinvesting in new equipment and recommitting themselves to their mission. Since then, they’ve poured their hearts into building PicMe Events from the ground up, and today the business is thriving.

The "why" behind everything
"When we see the smiles on people’s faces, we know this work is worth every moment of hardship," says Vayner. "Each time we provide a photo or video experience, it’s a chance to bring a little more joy into someone’s life, to create memories that people can cherish forever. From weddings and birthdays to corporate events and holiday parties, our job is to help people celebrate and remember their special moments."

"Our families are a big part of this journey, and everything we do is driven by our passion for creating lasting happiness," adds Reed. "Whether it’s Michael’s expertise in operations or my flair for design, we both love using our skills to make people’s events truly special."

Today: Immersive, innovative, and always growing
Fast forward to today, and PicMe Events has grown into something even greater than the pair could have imagined back in 2016. It offers a range of cutting-edge, immersive experiences, from AI photo interactions to the “Bot Ross” AI Draw Bot, which brings a unique, creative touch to any event.

These innovative options allow the company to connect with clients in new ways and keep pushing the boundaries of what a photo booth experience can be.

"Our goal is to help our clients take their events to the next level, creating memories that guests will talk about for years," says Reed.

Discover the PicMe Events difference
"For us, PicMe Events is more than just a business — it’s our way of bringing joy, beauty, and connection to people’s lives," says Vayner. "We’ve faced challenges, but we’ve never lost sight of our purpose. When you choose PicMe Events, you’re not just getting a photo booth; you’re getting a family that’s passionate, resilient, and dedicated to making your event unforgettable."

Photo courtesy of PicMe Events

They offer more than just photo booths.

Come see what so many others have discovered—PicMe Events will elevate your event, adding that special touch that will have your guests talking about it long after the night is over. We’re here to make memories with you, one photo at a time.

PicMe Events is available throughout the Houston and Galveston areas, as well as Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio.

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welcome home, wes

Wes Anderson's Houston homecoming supports historic theater restoration

A fancy, eccentric-looking crowd showed up for the Wes Anderson Homecoming Soirée, held on Friday, July 17, at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts’s Zilkha Hall.

Fans of the Houston-born, Oscar-winning auteur paid hundreds of dollars to attend this benefit event. Guys dressed up like characters from The Royal Tenenbaums. Others wore red skull caps and low-top Adidas, like the characters from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Some people working the event even wore “Lobby Boy” hats, looking like the bellboy character from The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The people gathered for two reasons: 1) to get a chance to see Anderson in person; and 2) to raise money to renovate and restore the Garden Oaks Theater, a project spearheaded by local nonprofit Arthouse Houston. Top-tier “Founders Experience” ticketholders got a chance to meet Anderson onstage for pics. The St. John's School alum also received a proclamation from Mayor John Whitmire declaring it “Wes Anderson Day.”

After that, he and actor/fellow SJS alum Michael Maggart (who has appeared in several Anderson films) held a half-hour discussion where they reminisced about making Rushmore here in Houston, Anderson’s days working at the Bookstop on W. Alabama (now a Trader Joe’s), and how he and frequent collaborator Owen Wilson used to sneak into the River Oaks Theatre. (It involved pretending to lose a pair of glasses.)

Of course, the conversation shifted to Anderson coming back home to support the Garden Oaks project. “I always say you can't build an old building,” Anderson said. “First of all, I mean, a beautiful old place has history, and has people's experiences tied into it, and it has stories involved in it. And I think an old cinema — these things are kind of endangered all over the world, and it's not just an architectural thing. It's not even just a community thing. It's a sort of delivery system for something that’s, to me, deeply important to our country.

“It’s one thing we can access these things on all these devices,” he continued. “It's a different thing when you go to a place that's designed to help you share the experience of a movie together. It's such a powerful art form. And, anyway, for me, it's worth making a bit of an effort to try to save a place like the Garden Oaks.”

After the convo, he introduced the quintet of films he curated for the event. (Unfortunately the DCP file for his 2007 short Hotel Chevalier had some technical difficulties and was cut short.) “We wanted to do a screening here, and I don't have a new movie to show,” he said. “I don't have something hot off the presses. So, I thought I'd put together a little something that just was different from what anybody else will see. So it's a sort of mixture… This is just for Texas, this little collection.”

He eventually left the stage, leaving Arthouse Houston co-founder/director Maureen McNamara and Houston Public Media host Ernie Manouse to auction off perks & gifts and encourage the audience in helping revive another legendary, local movie palace. Among other items, attendees bid for treasures such as a special John Waters backstage VIP experience at his upcoming Christmas Show, dinner with John Cameron Mitchell, and a rare set of photo portraits of a young Anderson and friends, circa Bottle Rocket. Others paid $5,000 for select seats in the future theater and $5,000 to restore one foot of the venue's neon sign.

Photo by Alan Nguyen

Mayor John Whitmire declared Friday as Wes Anderson day in the director's honor.

So far, the effort has raised approximately $1.3 million of the $4 million required to begin the renovation project. The organization needs to raise $4 million by July 30 for the project to move forward. Those interested in securing naming rights will find more information here.

“River Oaks has 245 seats,” McNamara informed the crowd. “The Garden has over 700, and that is a place that we don't have in Houston. We have a need for that, for premieres, for performances in your life, for music, for a dynamic learning & exhibition space… So, we're building new on the shoulders of our history. I hope you guys will join us, and we need people to join us in a big way today.”

wes anderson garden oaks rushmore houston fundraisers

Behind the Lens

The photo booth company helping Houstonians make memories one pose at a time

welcome home, wes

Wes Anderson's Houston homecoming supports historic theater restoration

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