Photo provided Ann Marie McConaghy, owner and operator of Smiley Ann’s Photo Van, drives her 1978 Volkswagen bus that she customized to become a mobile photo booth.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — In October 2021, Ann Marie McConaghy was at an impasse.

Having recently graduated from Wheeling University, she was trying to figure out what her future would look like. One day while she was driving her father Drew McConaghy to the airport, he asked her what her next step in life was going to be. She recalls telling him about her passion to one day operate her own business.

When she told him her dream, she said she half expected him to think she was crazy. Instead, he helped her brainstorm about what type of business she would like to start.

“I’ve always been obsessed with Volkswagen buses ever since I was little,” she said. “So I was like, ‘I want to buy a Volkswagen bus,’ and I thought it was a shot in the dark because he was going to be like, ‘You’re crazy.’ But he’s just as crazy as I am, so he was like, ‘Lets do it.'”

After much research, she found the perfect bus to create her business. McConaghy and her father traveled to Elkhart, Indiana, in November 2021 to purchase a 1978 Volkswagen bus that she found on Facebook Marketplace.

After purchasing the bus, McConaghy went to work remodeling it to match her vision of the perfect mobile photo booth. Once the bus was remodeled to McConaghy’s satisfaction, she started Smiley Ann’s Photo Van – a traveling photo booth that can be rented for a variety of events such as graduation parties, weddings, corporate events, festivals, senior pictures or any other type of event. Although McConaghy does take most of the pictures when hired, she said that she does not do the pictures when she is booked for senior photos.

“I have a lot of people reach out to me about senior pictures, but I personally don’t take the senior pictures. You’ll have to hire a photographer to come and take your pictures because I’m not a professional photographer,” McConaghy said.

When booked for any other events, she takes the pictures herself and is able to text them to customers within minutes of taking them. When booked, Smiley Ann’s Photo Van operates as a one-stop shop.

“I’ll bring the van, and I have a bunch of fun little props. Essentially it’s just a mobile photo booth,” McConaghy said.

She added that the test run of sorts for the business was her sister Mary Kathryn McConaghy- Peklinsky’s wedding in July 2023, where her best friend Lindsey Hardy helped her sort out any kinks to ensure smooth sailing. After the wedding, McConaghy said, the business began to expand.

“After my sister’s wedding, the business really took off. I’ve been booked all summer, and I’m booked almost until the end of November,” she said.

Last weekend, Smiley Ann’s Photo Van rolled its way to both Mountaineer BrewFest and Oglebay’s Board Benefit, which McConaghy said was a huge success. When speaking about what keeps her passionate about the business, McConaghy said she loves making people smile, even if it’s when she’s telling them to smile for a picture.

“I love seeing a smile on people’s faces, and I love making people happy and capturing memories,” she said.

In addition to props, McConaghy offers different setups and decor for each season.

“If you book me in the summer, you’d get a summer setup, but if you book me in the fall you’d get a fall setup and if you book me in the winter you’d get a Christmassy setup,” she said.

For more information or to contact Smiley Ann’s Photo Van, visit smileyannsphotovan.com to view the several different options and packages the business offers.