REVIEWS | LIGHTING EQUIPMENT I USE AT WEDDINGS
In this blog post I discuss the lighting equipment I use on a wedding day
I don’t add artificial light on a wedding day except for three moments — the first dance, the disco, and the sparkler exit.
I’m not the kind of photographer who’ll set up flashes or video lights during the speeches, and certainly not during the ceremony. I prefer to work with the available light whenever possible.
Here’s the lighting gear I use at weddings (though not at every wedding):
Aputure 60x – My go-to for lighting the couple’s first dance, used only when there’s enough space.
Profoto A1x – My flashgun of choice, reserved solely for the dance floor.
Lume Cube Panel Go – My pocket-sized LED, perfect for the cake cut and sparkler exit.
Aputure Amaran – A backup to the Aputure 60x lights.
APUTURE 60x FOR WEDDINGS
The Aputure 60x was a game-changer for me. I went from using flashguns for the first dance to using constant lights — and after nearly 100 weddings with the 60x, I can confidently say I’ll never go back.
For years, my first dance lighting setup consisted of two flashguns — one placed near the DJ lights and another directly opposite. It worked well until 2019, when a Godox flash issue caused both flashes to fail during a first dance. I had to quickly switch to ambient light. The images still worked, but it got me thinking about moving away from flashguns altogether.
In 2020, Aputure released the 60d (daylight balanced) and the 60x (bi-colour). After struggling to find a constant light that would give me the look and reliability I wanted, I finally ordered two Aputure 60x units. They’ve been my go-to first dance lighting setup ever since — and I haven’t looked back.
The Aputure 60x lights can be powered either via mains or with V-mount batteries. I’ve personally never plugged them into the wall — they’ve always run flawlessly on a set of Neewer V-mount batteries.
One of my favourite features (shared with the 60d) is the adjustable beam. With a quick turn of the dial, you can go from a tight spotlight to a wide flood beam. This is incredibly useful at weddings, letting me tailor the light to the size and shape of the venue space.
Power control is simple and flexible:
Adjust directly on the light via the LCD panel, or
Use the Sidus Link App to control power remotely from your phone — perfect when the lights are already set up and I want to switch them on only when needed.
I often get asked why I bother lighting the first dance. The answer is simple: control. Most weddings rely on the DJ or band’s lighting, which can be unpredictable (and sometimes disastrous). Over the years, I’ve lost too many otherwise beautiful colour images because a deep blue spotlight made the bride look like a smurf at the exact moment I pressed the shutter. With my own lighting, I decide how the couple is lit, ensuring the moment looks as good as it feels.
Yes, the Aputure 60x might be overkill for the 10 minutes I use it during a wedding day — but it’s powerful, battery-friendly, adjustable, app-controlled, and most importantly, rock-solid reliable. They’ve never flickered, failed, or cut out mid-shot. If you take one thing away from this review, it’s this: reliability matters far more than cost.
APUTURE 60x PRODUCT IMAGES
PROFOTO A1X FOR WEDDINGS
I’ve owned the Profoto A1x since its release in May 2019, and it’s the only flash brand — aside from Sony — that I trust to work 100% of the time.
Before switching, I was using Godox as my go-to flash brand. While it got the job done most of the time, there was always a hint of unreliability. The turning point came at a wedding in early May 2019, when my flashes stopped working right before the couple’s first dance. That was the moment I knew I needed to invest in a more dependable system.
Since then, the Profoto A1x has been my only flash. I use it exclusively on the dance floor, mounted on my Sony A1 in manual mode — and it’s never missed a beat.
Yes, the Profoto brand is expensive compared to Godox, but it’s 100% worth the money. On a wedding day, you simply can’t risk using gear that’s temperamental or that might fail at the exact moment you need it.
One of the things I love most about the Profoto A1x for Sony—other than its rock-solid reliability—is its simple, intuitive design.
Switching modes is effortless: just slide the physical switch on the side to go from Manual to TTL—no digging through menus, no faffing about.
The menu system is clean and straightforward: hit the centre button and you’re met with large, clearly labelled options using proper terminology. It’s exactly how menus should be.
Battery life is excellent: Profoto claims 450 full-power flashes, but since I rarely go above power 3 or 4 (full power is 10), one battery can easily last 4–5 weddings before needing a charge.
Like most flashes, it can control other Profoto units, but I don’t use that feature.
If you’re looking for a flash for your Sony Alpha system, I can’t recommend the Profoto A1x highly enough—or the newer A10 (which is essentially the same but with added Bluetooth).
Update - August 2025 - Still using the Profoto A1x, still never missed a flash when it’s needed, and still running on the same battery I bought it with back in 2019. Buy it once, and you’re set for years.
PROFOTO A1x PRODUCT IMAGES
LUME CUBE PANEL GO FOR WEDDINGS
The Lumecube Panel Go (also known as the RGB Panel Go) is a small, pocket-sized LED light that has become a permanent part of my wedding kit. I’ve been using it for about 12 months now, and it’s on me 100% of the time during a wedding day.
It’s roughly the size of an iPhone, yet it packs a surprising punch—1500 lux at 0.5m—and holds enough charge for around 90 minutes at full power (though I rarely need to run it that high). Most of the time, it’s used for subtle fill when natural light isn’t enough and I don’t want the power—or look—of a flash.
For me, the Lumecube Panel Go is a go-to for two moments in particular:
Cake cut – If the cake table is tucked into a dark corner, I set the Panel Go to about 50% power, hold it in my left hand, and raise it to give a soft, directional light on the couple.
Sparkler exit – Perfect for adding that bit of controlled, flattering light without overpowering the atmosphere.
It’s simple, portable, reliable, and far less intrusive than a flash—just a small light that makes a big difference.
The sparkler exit is the other time I’ll use the Lumecube. Just like with the cake cut, I hold the Panel in my left hand, crank the power to 100%, and aim it at the couple as they walk towards me. I prefer this approach over using a flash—there’s no wall or ceiling to bounce from, so a flash would have to fire directly at them, which can easily create that harsh, “deer in the headlights” look. The Lumecube’s constant, softer light keeps things natural while still giving me full control.
APUTURE AMARAN 60x FOR WEDDINGS
The Amaran 60x is the smaller sibling to my Aputure 60x lights and a new addition for 2023. I mainly keep it as a backup in case one of my main Aputure 60x units fails during a wedding, or as a potential third light for my first dance lighting set-up.
It’s a bi-colour light, powered by the same V-mount batteries as the Aputure 60x, and can be controlled through the same Sidus Link App. Despite its compact size and lightweight build, it packs an impressive punch.
Unlike the Aputure 60x, you can’t adjust the beam on the Amaran 60x—but for a backup or third light, that’s a minor trade-off.
I’ll update this post with images if I end up using it as a third light at weddings in 2023.
