How to catch the words 'Yes I want'

[Zab]

Hi!
My cousin is getting married in May and she wants me to shoot her wedding. I'm wondering how to record the sound loud and clear, specially when they speak in the church. I have a very good mic, a sennheiser, but it's a dynamic one... and it can't be attached to the cam because of its shape.
Do you think does it worth buying a directional and condenser one?
Do you think that the mic of the cam will be enough with the levels of the cam set at the maximum?
I have also thought to give the sennheiser to the priest as a news reporter! ;-)
What do you think?
Zab

[PrestonH]

Dynamic mics are fairly useless in video production. In your situation you could try putting a decent wireless on the priest (or even the groom). If they're all standing close enough together it should pick up adequately. Use a seperate mic on the camera, other channel.

[Elvis]

Wireless on the groom is the way to go .And the on camera mic as a back-up. Or a shotgun on a stand as close as you can get it Wired into the other channel. Keep it off the camera just in case you want to pan somewhere. 8)

[Jive]

Yup, wireless on the groom. Easier to hide than on the bride :).

Also, sometimes the priest uses a mic when talking so everyone can hear. You also might want to jack into the mixer board this mic is going to as a backup.

[PurposeDriven]

I've done quite a few weddings and what we have done works well. Yes, mic the groom with a Lav. Then you get to omnis off either side for ambient noise. Then a shotgun pointed at the alter. You may will most likely need a mixer, we have a few camera with enough xlr inputs to go around, but if you can have someone mixing it up while its going on, its primo. Just another option, ya may not have all of that.