If you question having a backup camera at a wedding...

[peterbj7]

I was at a wedding once (as a guest) when I saw the pro photographer looking very anxious. He'd left home without a memory card! And I know of several people on pre-arranged shoots (not weddings) who've turned up with flat batteries.

 

[Eco]

I think wedding photography leads to high blood pressure. I did one a month ago as a favor and hopefully it will be my last one. Even with two cameras, plenty of batteries, filters and tons of memory the stressing about something going wrong sort of took the fun out of it.

 

[RyanLilly]

Something very tacky to consider...think of all of the guests who have DSLR's. In a true "emergency" ask to borrow one of theirs and give them $100 or something (Gosh, can you imagine?!)

I'd probably be a Dick and add 2 zeros on that number, or at least as much as they are getting paid for the wedding, just to teach them a lesson, but I'm and evil person.

Really in a time when you can get a suitable backup for less than $500 there is no excuse.

 

[IgsEMT]

Call me lucky but I never had a back-up and never had a problem.

Then again I've never dropped a camera unless it was a question of the camera's life or mine... lol. Unlikely situation to happen at a wedding, I hope.

You just JINXed your self.
Murphy's Law is IN EFFECT

 

[jubb]

I don't do weddings cuz I don't have a second set of gear. Can't in good conscience go into one of the most important days of a clients life with 1 camera.