What’s in My Camera Bag on a Wedding Day?

If you know me, you know I’m always happy to help. Throughout my career, other photographers were generous with their time and knowledge, and I try to pay that forward whenever I can. One of the questions I get asked most, especially by newer wedding photographers, is: What gear do you bring on a wedding day? The honest answer is: It depends. My kit isn’t one-size-fits-all, it shifts based on the day. Here’s how I think it through, and exactly what ends up in my bag.

How I Decide What to Pack

Before I pack a single lens, I run through a short checklist:

• How long will I be shooting?
• Is the day happening at one location or several?
• Am I shooting film, digital, or both?
• How much natural light (or darkness) should I expect?
• Do I want flash, constant lighting, or a mix?
• Is there room to get creative with creative film stocks or lighting gels?
• Will I need a 24mm for architectural shots?
• Is the day fast-moving enough that a 24-70mm zoom makes more sense than primes?

The answers to these determine everything else.

Why I Always Carry Two Cameras

I shoot with two prime lenses at once rather than one zoom, so I need two camera bodies to keep both focal lengths ready and switch between them instantly, no fumbling with lens changes mid-moment. Different lenses render a scene differently, and having two ready gives me more creative flexibility in the moment. It becomes even more essential when a couple wants both digital and film coverage: those formats require entirely different bodies, so shooting a hybrid wedding means carrying three cameras rather than two.

My Digital Kit

For a full digital wedding day, I carry:

• 2 Nikon Z6III bodies
• Nikkor 35mm f/1.4
• Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 or Nikkor 50mm f/1.2
• Dual camera strap
• Pelican Air case (single-location weddings) or ProMaster Cityscape 2.0 backpack (multi-location weddings)
• 2 extra memory cards
• 4-6 extra camera batteries

I shoot Nikon because I always have, and that familiarity matters when you need to react instantly. Practically, the Z6III also handles low light exceptionally well, and unlike a studio photographer, a wedding photographer can’t control the lighting. You have to be ready for whatever room, or however little sun, you’re handed.

I lean on primes because they’re sharper and let me shoot in lower light than most zooms allow. The 35mm is my go-to for a fast-moving wedding day since it doesn’t compress or distort a subject’s body the way a 24mm can, and it’s wide enough to capture a whole room as I move between spaces. The 85mm and 50mm both render subjects beautifully with soft, creamy backgrounds. The 85mm specifically gives portraits a more intimate feel without requiring me to physically crowd the subject.

Lighting the Ceremony and Portraits

• 1 Godox AD100Pro
• 1 Godox X1R-N TTL Wireless Flash Receiver
• 1 Godox V1 Pro
• Godox AK-R11 Flash Diffuser Dome
• 2 extra speedlight batteries

Reception Lighting

• 2 Godox AD200Pro
• 1 Godox X1R-N TTL Wireless Flash Receiver (the same one from above, only one is needed per day)
• 2 Soopho portable light stands (lightweight and reliable)
• 2-4 sandbags

My Film Kit

When a couple wants film coverage, I carry three cameras:

• 1 Nikon F5
• Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 or Sigma Art 85mm f/1.4
• 1 Fujifilm GA645zi (120 format)
• 1 Polaroid camera (for sneak peeks!)
• 8-16 extra AA batteries

Film choice: I shoot Kodak Portra 400 and 800 on almost every wedding (roughly 4-6 rolls an hour) because it flatters every skin tone and renders the truest-to-life color of any stock I’ve used. If a couple specifically requests something more creative, like Kodak Ektar 100 or Ilford Colorplus 400, I’ll shoot that instead, but Portra is the standard for a reason.

Film lighting:

• 2 Nikon Speedlight SB-800 AF
• 1 Godox X1R-N TTL Wireless Flash Receiver
• Godox AK-R11 Flash Diffuser Dome (yes, it works on Nikon film bodies too)
• 8 extra AA batteries

Reception lighting for film days matches the digital setup above: 2 Godox AD200Pro, light stands, and sandbags.

My “Just in Case” Backup Gear

Every backup piece in my bag exists for one reason: equipment failure, period. Most of the time, it’s not there for creative options, it’s insurance so a blown battery or a jammed shutter never means missing part of someone’s wedding day.

• Camera rain cover
• Fujifilm X100VI (digital backup, I’ve never had to use it, but I always carry it)
• Nikon F100 (film backup)

One Just for Fun

• NEEWER Basics RGB Photography Flashlight, for the occasional creative lighting moment
• ProMist lens filter (for nostalgic vibes)

A Note to New Photographers

Your kit doesn’t need to look like mine to be right. Mine grew out of my style (editorial-leaning, primes over zooms, a true adoration for film) and the fact that I can’t control a wedding day’s lighting or schedule the way a studio photographer can. Figure out how you like to shoot first, then let your gear follow. And if you ever want to talk gear, my DM’s always open.