A 24–70 that opens to f/2.8, bounce flash for the reception, and a fast prime when the ceremony bans flash. Protect the files before you buy a second body.
One zoom that covers the room, and a flash you can bounce. That is the wedding day workhorse pair.
Weddings are walk-around work. 24mm gets the aisle and the room; 70mm gets the toast and the first dance. f/2.8 is the stop that still works under mixed reception light without living at ISO 12800. A 24–70 f/4 plus a fast 50mm is the budget split.
What to look for: Constant f/2.8, reliable autofocus in dim light, a lock so it does not creep on a strap.
Receptions, speeches, and dark halls need bounce flash. On-camera, pointed at a ceiling with a small diffuser, is how working wedding shooters still light a room without looking like a paparazzi burst.
What to look for: TTL for your brand, a tilting head, and a small dome or mini-softbox. Godox TT685-class is the usual honest pick.
Skip it if: every wedding you shoot is outdoor daylight only and you never enter a dim hall. Rare.
Quiet glass for the ceremony. Then protect the files.
Ceremonies often ban flash. A 35mm or 50mm f/1.8 stays quiet, opens wide in church light, and lets you work closer without a loud zoom rack. On APS-C, a 23–35mm equivalent is the sweet spot.
What to look for: f/1.8 or faster, silent AF if your body supports it, light enough to hang on a second strap.
You cannot miss the first kiss because the battery died, and you cannot lose the only card. Two batteries in the jacket; two cards in the body if it has dual slots (overflow or mirrored backup).
What to look for: Genuine-spec batteries and two fast 128GB cards. Format in-camera the morning of.
Reach for the aisle. A second body is a luxury until the core kit is boringly reliable.
Aisle reactions, unposed ceremony moments from the back, and compressed couple portraits. Rent it for the first few weddings before you buy.
What to look for: f/2.8 if you can; f/4 is fine outdoors. Steady AF and a tripod collar if you ever park it on a monopod.
Skip it if: you are still renting the 24–70. Finish the core kit first.
Not for your first wedding. Dual cards (or backing up between segments) protect the day. A second body saves lens changes during the ceremony — add it after you have flash, a fast prime, and spare batteries dialed in.
Ask the officiant. Many ceremonies ban flash; that is why a fast prime and a quiet shutter matter. Receptions are almost always bounce-flash territory.
Start with a 24–70 f/2.8 for the whole day. Add a 35 or 50 for dim ceremony light and a quieter presence. A 70–200 is nice for aisle moments once the core kit is covered.
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