GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

...and the 17-55's a great lens, made for the pro market before there was ever a full-frame digital Nikon body.
I have 2 of them at work.

frogcw321 Loc: Riverside

Thank you Chris. Will do

badriaticopo2 Loc: Kane County, Illinois

Your planned set up is great. You don't need any other lens as this will only complicate matters and slow you down. Use only the macro lens for the small things specifically during the wedding preparation. Your 2 D300 bodies should have slings so that you have them with you all the time. The heavier D300 with the 70-200 be slung around your neck to prevent it from falling and the other D300 with 17-55 on one shoulder. Grab the 70-200 set up for close ups and the D300 with 17-55 for wider shots. You will have everything covered. However, i suggest that you get a flash at least for the 17-55 but use only the flash when needed. When using flash, remember to give time for the flash to recharge before taking the next shot.

Take a lot of shots especially when taking group shots. Somebody else could be blinking. Before taking experimental shots like using very slow shutter speeds,using camera movement, etc, be sure to get safe shots first. Experimental shots are awesome if you are able to land it but if not, you will end up with unusable photos. As a 2nd shooter, i once shot a bride walking down the aisle using 1 sec shutter speed. Of my several shots, only 1 has the bride sharp and it was outstanding.

Enjoy and good luck.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

#1 Wedding Tip: Don't do it! Weddings are among the most difficult specializations for photographers. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event and there are almost no "do-overs", if you fail to get an important shot for some reason. You have to know your gear and be able to shoot fast, yet accurately to get any number of different specific shots within a very tight schedule. Almost always something goes wrong and you have to think on your feet, pivot and deal with it. Hiring a good, experienced pro is recommended (and makes a great wedding gift).

Of your lenses, one I see missing that nearly all wedding photographers use is a 24-70/2.8. Personally I think it's an even better portrait lens on a crop sensor camera such as yours, than on a full frame like many wedding photographers use.

On a crop camera, there likely won't be very much need for a 70-200mm.

17-55 would be great for some things, but really isn't long enough for a lot of things, nor wide enough for some others.

A macro lens can be useful, but many 24-70s are quite close focusing and might be used with a macro extension tube for things like ring shots, cake and bouquet details, centerpieces on tables at the reception, etc. Most of those things don't require anywhere close to the 1:1 magnification of a true macro lens.

Flashes and skill using them can be necessary for a lot of things, but might be prohibited or problematic at other times, such as during the ceremony itself.

When I shoot a wedding or similar, I take at least three cameas and at least two of every other critical item. If something is going to fail, it will do so at a wedding and backups are essential. You can't just say "I'll come re-shoot it tomorrow" or take time to run to a store and buy a replacement.

I'd never tackle a wedding without a lot of advance work... checking out the venue(s), talking with the family about what they want, their expectations, a conversation with the planner and clergy, etc. I always prepare a "shot list".

Before the event, it's in the hands of the planner. During the ceremony, the minister or priest or whoever is in charge. But a lot of the rest of the time the photographer needs to take charge and see that people are where they need to be to get the shots, and stay on a tight schedule (which never actually holds up).

I've never shot a wedding without at least one assistant. If a video is also wanted, two assistants minimum. Nor have I ever shot a wedding where there wasn't at least one "Uncle Bob" who has had a bit too much to drink and would like to assist because he knows everything about photography.

And I don't think I've ever shot a wedding where at least one thing hasn't gone disastrously wrong and had to be handled. Dropped or stepped on and broken gear, things that got lost in shipping, the wrong type of lighting gear delivered by a supplier,lost memory cards and film mishandled by processors, etc., etc., etc.

If I have scared you out of doing it... great!

If you still want to go for it, maybe this will help.

frogcw321 Loc: Riverside

Thank you for great sold advice. Have taken notes and started puting a game plan together. I'm thankful I will have 3 days at wedding site to get a good shot location list together. Nature is more my style but I'm starting to look forward to the challenge. Thanks a million

Leitz Loc: Solms

May I ask what it is about "Quote Reply" that you do not understand? We have no idea who you are replying to!

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Frog,
First, WELCOME. Let me introduce you to the wedding photography section go to http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/section_list.jsp, scroll down to the wedding photography section, and subscribe.

So far, most people have been helpful, but you will soon find that there are a TON of people on UHH, some that have never shot a wedding, that will take time to tell you why YOU shouldn't do it. In our section, we try to encourage each other. Is it a good idea to start out shooting with someone else? Absolutely, but that isn't always a reality.

Your first step is to get in touch with the official and see if you can use flash. If not, you will need to go to the location and do a LOT of test shots of the area. Download those shots, and check the noise levels. Your cameras and lenses are fine for the job, but there are noise issues that you will run into that we don't get as much with newer equipment. That being said, I shot weddings for years with D-70s, and D-200s, and people LOVED their wedding photos. Even if the official doesn't allow flash during the ceremony, they usually allow you to reenact the ring exchange, the kiss, etc, after the ceremony with flash, so you can salvage the photos that you couldn't get "during" The other good thing about that is, people will be watching the ceremony, not you, if you aren't running around trying to get the shots during the vows.

Once again, I'm happy to see that you didn't get slammed with negative comments about wedding photography. We are a weird bunch (you almost have to be, to love it enough to do it regularly) but mostly harmless :-)