With wedding season coming back in full swing in just a few months (or even earlier for some of you!), I would love to share with you what’s in my camera bag and what other items I bring with me to my weddings. Leaving something at home is the worst feeling ever, so creating a checklist that you can use for each wedding is a must for me! If you don’t do this already, I highly recommend you do so. You won’t find yourself leaving anything behind… ever. I learned my lesson and came up with this exhaustive list of everything under the sun I might need for a wedding day!
Not only do I make this list, but I also have it to print off for every wedding. I have it in a Word document and literally check everything off the Friday before as I prepare for the wedding the next day. I used to not do this and once forgot the family picture list. Luckily, I had it on my phone from when the bride emailed me, but I didn’t have the paper copy to cross off as we went! I won’t ever forget the family picture list again!
I start packing up and organizing everything the Thursday and Friday before the wedding. The last thing I want to do is figure out I can’t find something or something isn’t working the night before or the morning of the wedding! I encourage you to start prepping your bags together at least two days before any wedding!
I hope that this list proves helpful for you!
Camera Bags
- main camera body
- backup camera body- make sure you have one! It doesn’t have to be the same version if you can’t afford two of the type you have, but make sure you have a back up!
- extra batteries- I have at least 4 total for each wedding
- battery charger- haven’t ever had to use it, but it’s helpful to have just in case
- lenses
- flash
- AA batteries for the flash
- my macro lens for my fun and awesome detail shots
- memory cards- I carry a handful of 32gb and then use a couple of 64gb in the additional slot of my camera as a backup
- reflector
- any rental equipment- sometimes we will rent an extra lens or often rent extra flashes and light stands for the reception
- business cards
- computer and charger
- blog business cards- I put these with my computer at the wedding when I show a preview slideshow. It says on the card “want to see more of the wedding? Make sure to visit the blog on Tuesday!” and it has a link to my blog
- wedding day timeline
- family picture outline
- paper with names with bridesmaids and groomsmen- I like to use their names during the day and try to memorize them beforehand, but I always like to have it with me to look over on the way. I often have Ben quiz me on the way!
- paper with names of vendors- same as the wedding party, I try and know who the vendors are before I make it to the wedding. Good vendor relationships can do you wonders in the industry!
- any signed agreements with the venue- most of the time, this is with a church. I always bring them just in case, though I’ve already had it taken care of with my bride
- emergency kit- feel free to check out my blog post about it! If you don’t have one, get one!
- card reader- my Mac has an SD slot, but I bring it just in case something happens. I would be sad if I couldn’t share my wedding day preview!
Extra Stuff I Bring
- water bottles
- snacks- granola bars, fruit, etc
- a nice brown hanger- I bring one in case the bride hasn’t brought one. They have these gorgeous dresses and then I don’t have anything but the hanger it came on from the alterations
- umbrella for me if it’s going to call for rain
- a set of clear umbrellas- I have six of these that I bring on rainy wedding days for the wedding party to use and for the bride and groom to use. They came in handy last fall when I had two back-to-back weddings with rain!
- external hard drive
- during the summer, I often bring an extra outfit and shoes! It gets hot in the south during the summer!
- deodorant and perfume- because let’s get real, you don’t want me stinky after shooting your mid-June outdoor wedding
- sunscreen- have to protect that skin, especially during the summer!
- phone and phone charger- I always have an extra phone charger in my car. We use it for GPS often to get to weddings
- sharpie marker- I use this to cross off family pictures as we complete them. I personally like a sharpie, because it’s big and covers up the names when I cross a line through it. Pens and pencils don’t create the same effect for me. I know, minute details, but it’s part of my system!
Is there anything else you have in your bag? I would love to hear from you and what you bring to the weddings you shoot!
