Any advice for a wedding?

[advance apologies for the long post]

My cousin is getting married in June and she has asked me to take some photos of the occassion.

Before anyone gets excited - no, I haven't overstretched myself and agreed to be the wedding photographer. She is having a very low-key affair and can't afford a professional anyway. Instead she has asked me and a couple of our uncles to take photos. One of my uncles has some serious "pro" gear and he is being tasked with capturing key moments and formal shots. He's done that before a few times.

She wants me to walk around and take informal shots of the guests and the party.

I'm planning on reading as much advice as I can find on the internet, but thought I'd ask for any specific advice from you lot in terms of equipment to take and tips for getting natural candid shots.

For equipment I can pick from:

GX20
K10d (IR converted)
18-55 kit lens
50-200 kit lens
Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5
Samsung 12-24 f4
Sigma 100-300 f4 (only for completeness, I wouldn't take this monster)
Pentax-A 100 f2.8
Pentax 43 f1.9 (on the way!)
Pentax 77 f1.8 (on the way!)
Metz 48
Decent tripod

My plan is to take the GX20, 43mm, 77mm, 12-24mm and Metz 48. Undecided on the 17-70mm and a tripod. Also tempted to take the k10d IR for some more interesting shots but my head tells me this is the wrong place to be experimenting...

I figure the 43mm and 77mm will be pretty low key and I'll draw less attention to myself. I'd try and avoid the flash outside for the same reason unless I need to fill in shadows.

Does that sound like a reasonable plan or would people suggest the flexibility of the 17-70 is more beneficial than the primes' image quality?

Any advice would be really welcome.

Cheers

WG

I'd take the 17-70 and 50-200 and the flash.

I'd take just the GX20, 18-55mm and 50-200mm, but that's for my style. Ken's suggestion is just as viable. Gareth has summed it up in a similar way.

Look for the candid opportunties that the official photographer won't have time for. Just circulate, keep your eyes open and your shutter firing and have fun.

I'll be controversial and say take the 12-24mm and the 77mm. And why not the 43mm in the other pocket. That way you can mop up the ultrawide shots and the candids that your uncle may well miss! You are not the primary tog so you can afford to fiddle with lenses a bit, but if you take too many it could detract from your enjoying the occasion.

I agree, the 77 and 12-24 would be good to have with you.

Enjoying the occasion is up there in terms of importance. Sound like there is a split in opinions between zoom flexibility and prime quality. Kind of where I was already sitting (on the fence).

I think I may favour the primes (can stick them in a pocket) and take along the 12-24 and maybe the 17-70 in a separate bag in case the primes don't work out.

WG

Informal shots are usually lovely when without flash and shallow DoF
Definitely don't bother with the tripod
(Though I used the 12-24 held high on a tripod to get a birds eye view of all the guests )
Have fun!!
Matt