Wendy2 Loc: California

I would not do it. May I suggest that you help them find a pro and tag along with your own camera as a second shooter. You will learn a lot and you might even get some shots the pro misses!!

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

As soon as the word "settings" is used. I know that person is not ready. If you were even half ready, you would not ask that question.

But here is one:1/125 @ f4.0, ISO 800. That one will work somewhere.

But if you are going to do it in spite of all the warnings, BE SURE you have multiples of EVERYTHING. Two camera bodies, two flashes, multiple batteries, and plenty of alcohol.

It is certainly possible you could do a fantastic job. We all know that with an infinite number of monkeys and an infinite number of typewriters, ONE of them is bound to write Romeo and Juliet.

Same odds. ;-)

I will refrain from the comments I really want to make and just wish you either good luck or good judgment.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

I saw the Heading and had to comment.
Then saw I was following the last comment from Captainc and knew I could save words.
Only comment to add is that IF you decide to 'give it a go', remember that your friends are going to be looking at
your work and showing friends and family for many years to come.
Stuff up and it may be an everlasting embarrassment.
Cheers

Big Stopper Loc: London

I bought this book recently, not because I wanted to do wedding photography but I wanted to use my Canon Speedlite more efficiently. I suggest you get yourself a copy if you do not already own it as well written and easy to follow. Good luck

On-Camera Flash Techniques for Wedding and Portrait Photography by Neil van Niekerk (9 Oct 2009)

cockney greg Loc: London E17

First off welcome here Jcor. You will find loads of advice in the search section at the top of the page. Only thing I wanted to say was if it is a registry office wedding, you won't be allowed to shoot them signing, so you have to fake that shot once the registry has been removed.(At least you do in GB)

mickeys Loc: Fort Wayne, IN

if you do it. please find some friends to practice shooting out side or where ever your doing the shoot. practice, practice. good luck

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Not sure how much time you have, but the best advise I could give you is talk with the couple and know and understand every event of the day and timing. Also what is important to them in terms of who and what to capture. Then go to the church and or the reception site and practice. Then go to the rehearsal and practice. Through this process your settings and lens selection will become clear. Probably 125, F4, and 800 ISO :).

Oh, and a second shooter will increase your odds of getting the best angles and moments.

Camerabuff Loc: Liverpool UK

As long as the couple are happy with you doing the shoot just enjoy yourself try and get them to relax, use your common sense. We all had to start somewhere.

dwightdills Loc: Charlotte, Tn.

When this post started I popped some popcorn and got a cup of coffee, I knew it was going to be a long one.

Poison Ivey Loc: Mtn Brook, AL

TwinDad gave you good URL of past Wedding subjects...hope one of the subjects has list of Must-Do shots at any wedding. If not, Google or Bing "Wedding Photos List." Your Helper should have list in hand reminding of Shots you should take. This occasion is very Important for the Bride!

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

You've just received very good advice above. You already have the equipment to do the job, but if you have to ask what settings to use then, IMHO, you are not prepared to photograph a wedding. I agree that wedding photography is one of the hardest jobs to photograph because of the fast action,dealing with multiple personalities, and having to get it right the first time.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

So far very little advise just gloom and doom. Some bad advise too. Two gave the setting as :But here is one:1/125 @ f4.0, ISO 800." Did they not read it was going to be in the Sunshine. To me when someone asks a friend to do a Wedding their whole budget is less than what a Pro would charge. With today's camera she could put it on Auto and get good exposures. (perhaps that is what she should do) They should know in advance that she is not Monti Zucker (super star of Wedding Photogrphers) and the shots will be more like snapshoots than pro picturs. If she makes a list, has a helper to round up people, makes sure in advance that people will cooparate, checks her shots as she takes them she will get pictures that will be happy memiories. If everything goes south there will be many their with point and shoot and phone cameras that can perserve the memiories. Just My Not So Humble Openion. - Dave

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

JCor,

I'm not a pro and even though I've been "messing around" with photography since the early 50's, I would not even consider being "the" wedding photographer--too much potential for disaster at a friends wedding; it is a specialty, and most of the photos can not be re-shot. There is a well known saying: "No good deed goes unpunished"! That said, I'm going to offer some suggestions: they may be worth just what you pay for them!

One do you have a non-pro friend who is an experienced photographer who has done weddings & might be able to do it, even if for some short money? You could give that as a wedding present.

If you decide to undertake the project, look at some friends' recent albums and see what is "in vogue" and being shot at weddings these days so you have a starting list of the shots you need.

PRACTICE taking some outside shots at similar distances an at enough after 3 PM to replicate the lighting conditions.

If you do get someone else to do the "Album shots" take your camera anyway; frequently some of the best candid wedding shots come from the amateurs with cameras--the pro can only be in one place at a time. The guests get a different view of the same part of the event. One of the photos I took at my daughter's wedding is considered the best of the day of the couple alone.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Here is list of 50 "must have" shots:
http://digital-photography-school.com/50-must-have-wedding-photography-shots

There are a lot more on-line if you search.
My list is at work.

I've been following Neil Van NieKerk lately.
He has some books that look good- as mentioned before.
Some good stuff- maybe a bit advanced but interesting:
http://neilvn.com/tangents/about/
Look to the right of this page for more tips:
http://neilvn.com/tangents/about/store/

Wilson and others have mentioned a helper to help wrangle people- really important! The stronger the personality the better...up to a point.

As you can see, there are a lot of opinions here- some good, some....well, not so informed. Bounce flash? Uhh, it's outside- nothing to bounce off of. Defuser? Only bombs have those. Diffusers don't work unless you are in a tight area, again, for the light to bounce off of. You are just wasting light outside. Use direct on a bracket or at least a LightScoop, Lumiquest, or even a softbox. Relative size softens. The supplied cap is useless when you are outside. After the "required" groups shots, my favorite kinds to shoot are tight candid shots of guests enjoying themselves, interaction between guests, usually taken with a long lens like the 70-200. Kids? make sure you shoot them at their level, for their perspective. Lately, the trend is to shoot with "Dutch angles" where the camera is not square to the horizon. If the like it that way, shoot it that way- even though you may not like it. These are the unexpected shots the B&G love...assuming you don't get a lot of shots of an unwelcome relative.

Mr. Brownstar Loc: Idaho

Use the Auto Setting if you are not comfortable using Manual or any of the other pre-programed settings in-camera. Also, SHOOT in RAW, Let me say again RAW! RAW+L would be ideal. This way, if later the couple wanted the pictures to be touched up in Post (Light Room, Photoshop etc..) and they will be able to print big prints of any of those pictures. You have a nice camera and lens (Stick with the 24-105). Flash is a whole other monster. If you get your flash off your camera or bounce the flash when inside a building, it will very increase the quality of your photos. All this, of course requires practice and education by reading books, taking classes, workshops etc. I say with your set up and your friends needing some help because on a budget, I am sure they will be pleased to have you do it. We had a cousin take our wedding photos and they were decent, but nowhere near what they could have been but hey, we are married now 6yrs with 3 kids 5yrs and under so the photos are really of no concern now. Maybe later they will be but the only qualms we will have with the photos is that we sure wish we looked like that again!