Where do you put your bag during a wedding?

[LadyShutterBug]

during the before and ceremony, it goes either where the bride is getting ready, or some other place designated by the church coordinator. i also have an assistant who is paid to keep up with equipment. she is a second shooter sometimes (during ceremony if we're allowed to traverse the sanctuary... during bouquet and garter throws), but her primary function is equipment manager/gogetter. she has a day job. she just accompanies me on bigger assignments for extra money.

during the reception, there is almost always a place at the site where we can stash the backup and extra equipment. sometimes it's in the catering manager's office, sometimesit's in a closet somewhere. very seldom is it actually "out" where the reception is being held.

[CobyPhoto]

This probably doesn't happen all that often, but I am not taking a chance:

I have a friend in the guild that set his equipment down to get something to eat, turned his back, only a few seconds...they cleaned him out. Took it and were gone out the door before he knew it. They had to be watching him. I use some of the locations listed, but I have my bags in SIGHT during the wedding and reception now.

I am not losing all the equipment I have...some of it can't be replaced very easily.

CJ

[AndrewCCM]

Originally Posted by stacyreeves

I'm with Holly. Back pew for the ceremony, DJ booth for the reception.

Same here...

I also bought this little gizmo that I can attach to my bags... If moved, an alarm goes off.. has a little remote (got it at Frys for like $12). Works very well. Unfortunately, I have been a bit chicken that I (or someone else) might accidentally set it off during ceremony..thus I haven't used it.. HEHE...

[Daniel Bates]

I can just see the wedding coordinator tripping over it... and setting off the alarm... during the kiss... !

[AndrewCCM]

HAHAHA!! Maybe I will start using it!!!

[Daniel Bates]

That's probably an accurate picture of what would happen, too.

[bondarnes]

I have a pretty large (as in Humongous) bag and I keep it pretty close to where I am. Usually I or my assistant can see it. Before and during the wedding it is probably at the back of the church. At the reception I usually put it near the cake tables or with the DJ, but never close to the door. Had a freind who lost his backup gear when a perp came into the reception waited till the photographer was way across the room and told the hotel coordinator, "I'm with the photographer and I'm supposed to take this bag back to the studio." But a habit I started back when we were using glass plates was that the exposed and unexposed media never leave my body. I have replacement cost insurance and can replace gear, but if they get my images, shame on me.
I like the alarm idea, but would turn it off during the ceremony just like I do my cell phone.

[ndsimm]

Front pew for the ceremony/formals
near the DJ for the reception.....

[adirty1]

pac-safe 40 bucks best money i spent. works great on vactions too. It only take some one a second to snatch your bag...or worse just take a lens from the bag and you wont know it till much later.

[Daniel Bates]

Their DuffelSafe has a photography insert too... well, it's not available yet. link

[iCe]

Interesting. If it were my wedding I would hope that she was standing at the altar with me