Handheld Flash Vs Shoemounted

When shooting a party, or a wedding, or something, what do you think one would be better off doing? Holding the flash with one hand and the camera in the other, or would you rather shoot with two hands by mounting the flash on the camera?

What is this bracket business I'm hearing about? It seems very useful. Would this be the best option? What is a good, cheap option?

I always need at least one hand for my drink. So that rules out carrying a flash in one hand.

Regarding this bracket business, you get a couple of things from a flash bracket or camera rotating bracket. One is that you can move the camera between landscape and portrait orientations and keep the flash above the camera (instead of to the side where you might get weird shadows), and most brackets let you move the flash a little farther away from the camera than if it was mounted on the hotshoe, often producing more interesting light. There are a number of favorites, as far as brackets go. I'm sure people will chime in with their favorites. I happen to have a Newton camera rotating bracket, but there are a bunch of good ones out there.

If I were you, drink in one hand, camera in two hands, flash in the farthest away hand, four hands left over for whatever.

sdipirro wrote in post #11936276
I always need at least one hand for my drink. So that rules out carrying a flash in one hand.

This.

Flash bracket/cupholder/batt​erypack holder/umbrella mount. Yes, I think I shall build one....