Weddings - At night?

[NedM]

So I'm tasked with photographing a wedding in March.

The reception will be held outdoors and begin roughly around 6pm.
Where I live, sunset is usually at 5pm.

I know there will be some lighting to keep the area lit but not enough for me to work with.

What can I do to be fully prepared for this reception or at least know enough to photograph decent photos?

(External flashes, settings, etc..?)

Should I use an external flash with a small softbox or maybe keep it off camera w/ an umbrella?
Use a high ISO or what kind of camera settings am I looking at here? (I own a 600D)
Any tips?

Thanks guys!

 

[Derrel]

Sounds like a job for a speedlight mounted on a flash bracket, the old-school way. After sunset outdoors, flash is kind of "a thing", you know. Most old-line professionals are familiar with using a "real" flash bracket, from a company like Stroboframe, to get the flash up high, so the shadows fall down-and-behind, and redeye is not a problem because the flash is elevated.

The old formula from Herbert Keppler at Modern Photography magazine is that for each inch above the lens axis, the flash gives 72 inches (AKA six feet) of distance without creating red-eye. Therefore, four inches of elevation above the lens gives 24 feet that will be red-eye-free.

 

[Bossy]

If you don't know, you shouldn't be shooting weddings.

 

[TheFantasticG]

If you're not going to be helpful, you shouldn't be commenting.

Lol

You must be new to the internet.

Anyway, perhaps he thought he was being helpful.

What body are you using? Glass? Are they adequate for that type of situation? Because if you're using, say a Nikon D4 with a Nikon 85 1.8G or a D3s with a 70-200 2.8 I don't think you'd need a flash... But I'm not sure I would tackle that Job with anything less and not have flashes out and about.