The dreaded first wedding...

[TheKingInYellow]

So, I've been shooting portraits seriously for about six months now building my portfolio and starting my small side business, and the inevitable 'friend of a friend needs a wedding photographer on short notice' email just landed in my inbox.

There is a bit of a twist though, the couple are both special needs, and are having an incredibly small and intimate wedding with just family, no church, no reception. They really aren't spending any money on this, so the wedding pictures would be a gift from the Bride's sister. That's a little extra pressure, but the bridge and groom have no expectations about the pictures and It should be an incredibly wonderful wedding to attend.

I'm set up well for equipment:

7D
17-55 f/2.8 IS USM
70-200 f/2.8L IS USM
580EX II

Two questions that I have. In an intimate setting, small wedding setting, I can't imagine using the 70-200 very often. I'll certainly bring it, but I'm debating whether or not I would use it enough to bring a second body. I have my old XSi that I was going to sell, but I'm debating keeping it as a backup and having both lenses ready on the spot (70-200 on the XSi most likely).

Secondly, I am wondering about the use of flash here. I was thinking about getting a Lumiquest SBIII to use with the flash on-camera for close shots, and fill for outdoor. I don't have a bracket, but I can bring my pocket wizards and a light stand with umbrella if it would do a significantly better job, but that might be a little too much gear given the shooting environment.

This seems to be the ideal first wedding to shoot. There are some challenges certainly, but I feel up to them. I'm reading as much as I can in advance and have about three weeks to prepare for it. Answers to my above questions, and any other advice would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

[candleman]

..well.. keeping the back-up XTi is a good step.
i have done a few wedidngs (4) with only the D80.. and my D300s is arriving this week. so the D80 is going to stay as a back-up

i dont see the need for any special flash attachments.. just bounce off the roof..... provided its white of course

i'd use the wide angle on the 7D and the 70-200 on the Xti ...and keep it on your neck.

if you do formals outside,
i use one off cmaera flash+softbox with an assistant to lug it around and hold it in the wind.
but i'm a flash junkie

thats just what i would do

all the best.

[JF808]

hey if your not bouncing the flash, then off camera is the only way to go