Outdoor Night Time Wedding Advice

Ok, its been a long time since I've done a wedding. I've been avoiding them, but I'll be taking pictures for a co-workers daughter this Saturday. They aren't too concerned about the photography and just thought it would be nice if I took pictures. The weddings is in the backyard of a historical building that is right near the town hall parking lot at 7pm so they will have parking lot lights off in the distance providing some light and they are planning to have candles and possibly some Lowes worklights. They will have about 80 chairs setup and the bride and groom will be on a small landscaped rise in front of the crowd.

I'll be taking pics while it is still light outside but during the ceremony what should I do. I could bring 2 high powered strobes on softboxes or umbrellas or beauty dishes and put them at the back of the chairs on either corner or I could just put my speed light with a ringflash adapter for something simple that works well. I don't want to be to disrupting during the ceremony. I have 85mm 1.2 for low lighting with ray flash fill or enough strobe power to make everyone get a tan.

All advice appreciated.

Have you got a pic of the location by any chance? or you able to draw a diagram. ta

I'd ask the couple how they want their images to turn out (well exposed and fully strobed or ambient lit and noisy as hell). Two different looks. Even if you use a high ISO and the lowest shutter speed possible to bring in some of the mood of the ambient lighting (although I'm not sure parking lot lights and Lowes bulbs on stands provide much of a mood!!), you're still going to have to fill it with a little flash if you want your subjects to show up. Now that I think about it, with the existing lighting you've described, I don't think there's any way you could ovredo it by providing your own light(s).

Just shot my daughters wedding (Had a photographer there, but I couldnt help but shoot dozens of photos just because that's what I do) and the lighting was next to nothing.

Candle light at best for most of the night. Total nightmare and the flash totally only gave a little bit of light dues to 30' tall ceilings in the venue.

I'd bring a flash for fill and depending on what body you're using, I was shooting most of the night @ ISO1600 or ISO3200 and just figured I'd deal with the grain

Good Luck