ReceptionThis is what the couple has been planning for the last year and a half. The ceremony is nice but come on man, the party.
Once again, get here an hour early if possible. Our typical reception formality setup is a wide DSLR, a tight DSLR, and a GoPro and/or a third DSLR for emotional reactions - people cheering during the grand entrance, crying during dances, and so forth. We also have two video lights to properly light the dance floor (and the grand entrance approach if it's not well lit) and an audio recorder to plug into the DJ/band's system for clear audio during the entrance, dances and toasts.
Talk with the band leader or DJ to find out where everybody is entering from and what they're doing, and prepare your cameras and lights accordingly. If you have a preferred spot for people to stand during toasts, let them know so they can let the toast-givers know where to stand.
Though there's a lot of formalities during the reception, the formula of wide/tight/reaction works great throughout. Wide shot of the dance floor with people in the background for dances and a tight shot on the dancing couple; wide shot of the couple (plus speaker if they're there) during toasts with a tight shot on the speaker. Bouquet/Gater toss, um, you're sorta on your own. for tosses get a closeup on the tosser (snrk, sorry) and a wide shot of the ladies/men catching (srk, can't help it, I swear I'm a professional here), and for garter retrieval/placing, more First Look style, each camera pointed at one of the subjects.
Again, preparation is key. If you have a team, know before the shoot who has which role. When you get to the location, use your hour of prep time to set up not just the first dance but go over with your team where everything will be, who's responsible for moving cameras and lights. Have a method of communicating with your team: something unexpected happens and the assistant looks at the lead videographer. The lead points to the assistant, then holds up one finger, signifying 1 shot, or close-up on the speaker, during the toast because the speaker didn't move where they were told and the assistant, who was going to get a wide shot, is in a better location for the tight shot. You know, for example. Having agreed-upon nonverbal communication (as well as radios with earpieces) can help your team move smoothly.
After formalities are done, you're in open dancing. Shoot stuff with whatever gear you've got. No need to two-shoot unless an impromptu event breaks out (or if like at my wedding, we told the team we wanted continuous, multi-angle video rolling on "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" because it's kind of a thing with my wife's family). Snipe people's dancing, happy faces with a tight lens on a tripod; smoothly move through the dance floor with a wide lens on a GlideCam; get cool stuff. Flex your creative muscles.
Get ring shots if you haven't done so already. If the photographer does night photography, tag along.
Chances are you won't leave by your end time. If you're set to leave at 10:30, you probably won't be out of there until 11, even if you had your assistant start packing up non-essential gear at 10.