Please help me! First Family Event Coming Soon

Hey guys, so I've been shooting for a short while. I have a gripped T1i that I play with. For the past two weeks I have been looking to upgrade equipment to start doing more photoshoots and getting my name out there. I currently only have whats in my sig. Well my buddy called me and says his mom really would like to pay me to do her mothers anniversary. Their whole family will be there and wants nice pictures. All I'd need to do would be take some individual family shots from all the siblings families and the lucky anniversary couple (55th anniversary). Its going to be indoors in a church banquet hall.

So I'm thinking this is my motiviation to add to my gear. I can't go crazy, I'm not made of money, but I'm probably going to need some sort of flash and a new lens. I've been looking at either a 70-200 F4L (this was going to be for my outdoor stuff) or a 24-105 L.

I'll have plenty of space indoors for these family portraits. The families won't be that big she says. Even the whole group together isn't that big. Please give me tips, this is my first gig for someone really. I'm nervous.

my most valuable piece of gear for these types of things is without a doubt the 580exII. best $400 i spent for banquet hall type shooting imo
especially for small groups, where you need a little dof anyway.

bigarchi wrote in post #10524126
my most valuable piece of gear for these types of things is without a doubt the 580exII. best $400 i spent for banquet hall type shooting imo
especially for small groups, where you need a little dof anyway.

Right,

I was planning on either a 580 or 430.

But what about the Lenses. My 18-55 and 55-250mm aren't going to cut it. I was going to bu a nicer L series anyways.

i chose to go with the 17-55 2.8 IS and am very happy i went that route personally. i rent the 24-105L often for weddings, my SS/assistant uses that as an all-in-one for the day on another body. and it takes great photos, but i haven't been able to talk myself into buying one as i really love/prefer the 17-55 more on crop cameras.

I agree with the 17-55 or a 24-70 2.8 L

+1 for the 580 and the 17-55. This is my workhorse outside and inside. Don't get hung up on the whole L thing. The 17-55 is awesomeness.

I would also suggest that if you aren't SURE, then rent.

Also, I'd be renting a backup body - you're going to feel like a real poop if something happens to your only body on such an occasion. I'd never attempt any important shooting without at least one backup body.