135mm (primes) vs. 70-200mm for wedding?

Although 70-200mm has a stellar reputation, I was curious if other photographers have chosen prime lenses like the 135mm for weddings to shed lens lens weight. Have any of you made primes work for this, whether 135mm, another prime, or combination of primes. Is the lack of zoom too limiting? Is the 70-200mm indispensable? Or can some someone learn wedding shooting with primes effectively?

The 24-70 and 70-200 were my goto lenses in the few weddings I have done, and for every portraiture shoot. I used to also have a very fast prime like 1.4 50, but right now I am in between primes.

I used the 35 f2, 100L and 135L on my last wedding. Loved it.

3 primes on 3 bodies would be the way I'd shoot prime weddings.

35/85/135 combo

FarmerTed1971 wrote in post #18456754
I used the 35 f2, 100L and 135L on my last wedding. Loved it.

I love my 135mm and have used it a lot for portraits mostly. When you shot that last wedding, did you carry two bodies on or near you at the same time, or did you just switch lenses as needed?

Talley wrote in post #18456775
3 primes on 3 bodies would be the way I'd shoot prime weddings.

35/85/135 combo

I'd be interested to hear your plan to manage or carry the 3 bodies with 3 primes.

At the moment, I have a Spiderpro holster. It hadn't crossed my mind, but if I ordered an extra mount plate, that would enable a body on each side and one in hand. If all 3 lenses were primes and I didn't use battery grips, the weight may be reasonable.

Yes, two bodies. 35 f2 on the 7D2 and the 135L on the 6D.
I don't like switching lenses much.

I would have an assistant to pass my gear to and direct what I need

Talley wrote in post #18456790
I would have an assistant to pass my gear to and direct what I need

I'll be your assistant. I'll take really good care of your 5D4 and 200L. Yeah, that's it. Pass them to me. Yeah, that's the ticket. Pass me camera....

70-200mm on 1 body,
primes (35mm, 85mm, 100mm macro, etc) for another body

there are three camps in general:

the 24-70mm, 70-200mm duet camp

the (35mm, 85mm, etc) primes camp

the hybrid camp

you forgot the disposable camp. Slam about $200 worth of disposables on the tables and let the people take the photos lol.

its a new trend nowadays....

Love that trend. I go straight to the bathroom and drop a load then take a photo lol

I'm tired of all the weight... I'm going to sell everything and shoot bird photos with my iPhone. <eg> (evil grin)

I'm going to be the unofficial second shooter at my best friend's wedding this Saturday. I have my gear cart so I'll have three cameras set up and ready to use. I have to scope out the venue on Friday so I'll know which lenses I'm going to use. I'll stay out of the professional photographers way (the bride's brother in law) so I'll be using longer zooms, I suspect.

Jeff of fox and pine marten fame suggested I take my 70-300L along. I'm glad he said something as I don't have room in my camera bags for it. I'll stow it in a suitcase. I know how to shoot birds.... photographing people? not my strong suit. I am sort of looking forward to the challenge, though and since no one really expects any results from me, there will only be the pressure I put on myself.

I'll throw out another (related) question. Given the choice in a smaller venue, you can use two bodies and two lenses. The bodies would be 1 full frame and 1 crop. Options: 35 mm L, 85 mm L, 135 mm L, 24-70 mm L II, 70-200 mm L II. What lenses do you pick to go on which camera?

If you can only take 2 lenses, then 24-70 II on the crop and 135L on the FF. This provides a 24mm through 216mm equivalent FOV between the two bodies (considering you can switch the lenses around). In a small venue, that should be sufficient, I would think.