I'm in the UK and tonight I'm doing some online window shopping for a radio microphone set. My first wedding (unpaid) is coming up on Saturday and I must do a brilliant job. It has to be the best wedding film ever.

I will not be attaching a mic to any people at the wedding. I am wondering if those particular small microphones would pick up good enough sound if placed on the altar and on the head table. Recommendations please for something not too expensive - what do you use?

I use this - Sennheiser EW112P G2 Radio Mic Kit

It has worked just fine sitting on tables/alters etc for everything so far. Typically it gets hidden in a vase of flowers so not to be picked up on camera.

Note, I'm not advocating videogear in any way in this instance. They are merely the first hit from google for the mic.

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I'm not young enough to know everything!

Whichever mic you get, make sure it's compatable with your camera inputs and test, test, test the set up. The last thing you want is overloading the audio circuits, so go with manual settings and get very familiar with it.
Most operators place the radio mic transmitter in the grooms inside pocket and clip the mic to the cravat.
At our last wedding we were only allowed filming from the rear and at the back of a very long aisle. The other complication was a groom who didn't wish to wear a mic.
In this particular case I clipped the mic to a flower arrangement which was close to the ceremony and picked up the sound from there on channel 2 of the camera.
The sound picked up on channel 1, the camera mounted shotgun mic, was poor and echoey.
Best of luck on Saturday!

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I have enough money to last me the rest of my life -
If I don't buy anything

I use the same a Alan... Does a near perfect job when clipped to the groom. The bride is easily picked up when the saying her vows as 9/10 times she's facing him!

You should also think about a 2nd transmitter units to clip on the pulpit when readings are done.

Cheers

If you believe that good sound is more than half the battles in video (as we do) then get as many sources as you can afford. We shoot weddings professionally, use three Z1s and three or four radio mics with short guns covering whatever free channels remain plus an H4 with a couple of large condenser mics for the music (much better than minidisks which we used to use but getting the files into the computer from the H4 saves hours). The Plug on transmitter whch comes with some G2 kits is useful if any of your speakers has a pacemaker - they won't want to wear a radio mic - and the plug on can be shoved on a decent cardioid and a table mount.

Clip the radio mic and the transmitter pack to the same article of clothing - if the mic's clipped to the groom's cravat and the radio pack's in his jacket pocket and he takes his jacket off...... !

Sheltor is right about recording the bride and the vicar on the groom's mic because they're usually quiite close together. However, Registrars often have a table between them and the couple which makes separate mics justified. Separate mics for readers, singers etc always justified.

I've been making programmes professionaly for over 30 years and sound has always been the poor relation - old complaint from sound people but it's often true.