Where do you put your bag during a wedding?

[jmoore01]

I've seen many posts lauding insurance and warning against EVER leaving your equipment unattended in your vehicle for any period of time. So as a budding wedding photographer, I must ask other seasoned wedding photogs:

"Where do you put your bag during a wedding assignment?"

Certainly, the most important/expensive gear that you brought is on your person, but surely there is other equipment brought, but not carried. If only have this concern, perhaps I need to re-examine my wedding assignment packing list.

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Jeff,

It's interesting that you mention this. I've never had a problem with it before but I think I may start paying more attention to my extra gear from now on. During the ceremony, I ususally put my bag under the front row pew/bench on the far outside. It's not in the way there and you'd have to be really ballsy to go all the way to the front of the church, grab the bag, and walk past everyone in the church with it on the way out... and I'm sure I'd see my bag being caried out.

- Wil

[Cope]

At my daughter's wedding reception, the pro left his under a table with the wedding gifts. he works this country club a lot, and I guess his experience told him the bag was safe. During the wedding it was in the narthex, but was being watched by 6 ushers.

[saber]

Hello Jeff,

I just put all the necessary equipment in my backpack and walk around with it on my back. Not the easiest way, but the safest one. I'm insured for theft but still I am very careful. All I need is a couple of lenses, the flash and some batteries. Not to hard to carry around.

/Frank

[adirty1]

I have 98 percent of my gear that I use all the time on my Lowepro Street shooter belt system. I can carry two cameras on with with a 200 2.8 IS and another body with a 16-35 and my 580's all ready to go. I do carry my back pack with other little party favors if needed. I bought a pac-safe for the back back and lock the pack up to a pew or some fixture out of the way of everyone.

ever since i helped shoot a wedding with a good friend of mine and he had his whole bag taken I will never leave my great un protected at a wedding. I used to stuff it under a table or under a pew but no more.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by Cope

At my daughter's wedding reception, the pro left his under a table with the wedding gifts. he works this country club a lot, and I guess his experience told him the bag was safe. During the wedding it was in the narthex, but was being watched by 6 ushers.

This is exactly where I put my bag (as long as the gift table isn't isolated in a hallway or something).

Most days now I wear a belt system with what I need and fore go the bag altogether.

_/oe

[jmoore01]

adirty1,

I'm trying to quell my paranoia, and your pac-safe might be the ticket.

[Steelsun]

Another good place is in the Bride's suite/ready-room/changing-room.

There have been instances where thieves will target wedding photogs on busy wedding weekends to look for unattended stuff.

[Holly]

We carry all of our camera bodies on us, with the most used lenses of course. The rest of the gear stays in the bag in various places:
Bridal prep room during preparations (I usually don't leave the room)
Locked in the bridal prep room during the ceremony, or with Jesus at the back of the church (that first pew is a good idea though, we're going to have to steal it!!)
At the reception, we usually stash our bags behind the DJ's setup. Every DJ we have ever worked with has been perfectly fine with the idea, and since they are there all night, the bags are safe. One of us is usually with the stuff anyway at some point in the reception, downloading CF cards as we fill them and making backups.
We also carry insurance just in case any of the above fail.

[stacyreeves]

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

[OversighT]

Another vote for the back of the church and the DJ booth. I know that putting the bag at the back of the church isn't the safest, but it allows me access without bothering many people if I need to change a lense or something.


T.

[dab94]

Originally Posted by Joe_Lorenzini

Most days now I wear a belt system with what I need and fore go the bag altogether.

_/oe

Ditto. No way am I leaving my bag anywhere I can't see it, so it usually is in the trunk of my car. I carry everything I need on me.

[Elsaspet]

We carry much of it on us, but special lenses, extra batteries etc, go under the DJ table. The DJ never leaves that table, so you pretty much know it's all ok.

[brad]

Bridal prep room is a good choice before and during ceremony.. with the DJ or under the gift table is another good one during reception.

At the wedding I worked in April, the wedding coordinator from the country club had us put it in a storage room that was blocked off by one of the catering tables.. the server at that table kept unauthorized people away from the door.

[LoungeLizard]

I make Holly carry both bags all the time. Heck, I even gave her a "Frequent Carrier Card" so that I can log whenever she does that to prove to her insurance that she works out.

I also keep the bags away from Abel who has a BIG bag thing going on. I read somewhere that he actually emptied out a few bags and ran off with the bags - leaving the gear on the floor.

(Sorry guys, it's been one of those months this week and I'm having a "great" day!)