Photo provided by Ann Marie McConaghy, owner and operator of Smiley Ann’s Photo Van, drives her 1978 Volkswagen bus that she converted into a mobile photo booth.
ST. CLAIRSVILLE – In October 2021, Ann Marie McConaghy was at a dead end.
Having just graduated from Wheeling University, she was trying to figure out what her future would hold. One day, while driving her father, Drew McConaghy, to the airport, he asked her what her next step in life would be. She remembers telling him about her passion to one day own her own business.
When she told him about her dream, she half expected him to think she was crazy, but instead he helped her figure out what kind of business she would like to start.
“I have always been obsessed with Volkswagen buses since I was little,” she said. “So I said, ‘I want to buy a Volkswagen bus,’ and I thought it would be a shot in the dark because he would say, ‘You’re crazy.’ But he’s just as crazy as I am, so he said, ‘Let’s do it.'”
After much research, she found the perfect bus to start her business in. McConaghy and her father traveled to Elkhart, Indiana in November 2021 to purchase a 1978 Volkswagen bus she found on Facebook Marketplace.
After purchasing the bus, McConaghy set about converting it to fit her vision of the perfect mobile photo booth. After the bus was converted to McConaghy’s satisfaction, she founded Smiley Ann’s Photo Van – a mobile photo booth that can be rented for a variety of events such as graduation parties, weddings, corporate events, festivals, senior photos, or any other event. Although McConaghy takes most of the photos herself when she is booked for senior photos, she says she does not take the photos herself.
“A lot of people contact me for graduation photos, but I don’t take the graduation photos myself. You have to hire a photographer to come and take your photos because I’m not a professional photographer.” said McConaghy.
When booked for other events, she takes the photos herself and can text them to clients within minutes of them being taken. When booked, Smiley Ann’s photo van acts as a one-stop shop.
“I bring the van and have lots of fun little props. It’s basically just a mobile photo booth.” said McConaghy.
She added that her sister Mary Kathryn McConaghy-Peklinsky’s wedding in July 2023 was a test run of sorts for the business, with her best friend Lindsey Hardy helping her work through any issues to ensure everything went smoothly. After the wedding, McConaghy said, the business began to expand.
“After my sister’s wedding, business really took off. I was fully booked all summer and am almost fully booked until the end of November,” she said.
Last weekend, Smiley Ann’s photo van went to the Mountaineer BrewFest and Oglebay’s Board Benefit, which McConaghy said was a huge success. When talking about what keeps her passionate about the business, McConaghy said she loves making people smile, even when she’s telling them to smile for a photo.
“I love seeing smiles on people’s faces and I love making people happy and capturing memories,” she said.
In addition to the props, McConaghy offers different setups and decorations for each season.
“If you book me in the summer, you get a summer setup, but if you book me in the fall, you get a fall setup and if you book me in the winter, you get a Christmas setup.” she said.
For more information or to contact Smiley Ann’s Photo Van, visit smileyannsphotovan.com to view the various options and packages the company offers.
