Shotgun, Archos, On-Board Mic
 

I am preparing to shoot my first wedding and have the following at my disposal to capture the audio:

DVC30 (sans XLR Adapter) On-boad mic
Archos Av500 hard disk recorder (with built in mic or line-in)
Rode Video Mic

The way I see it I have two configurations for capturing ceremony audio

1) Attach my Rode to the DVC30 and place my Archos near \ on the altar.

or

2) Record sound from my DVC30´s on-board mic and plug my Rode into my Archos and leave near \ on the alter.

The Archos can record in WAV format, the built in mic is pretty sensitive.

What would you go for?

I hate to say it since it is not on your list, but there is no substitute for a lav mic on the groom. Mic type and placement is more important to audio quality than brand or model. A $500 wireless lav system will do a better job in this situation than a $2000 shotgun. The ability to monitor your audio is also important and you can't do that with a remote recording deck. A shotgun placed on the altar is not a bad idea for a backup, but it won't really suffice to get clear audio during the vows. Sometimes, brides get nervous and speak very softly and won't record on anything but a closely placed lavalier. The reason it works for the groom is that the bride faces the groom and practically speaks into the mic. The preacher usually speaks loudly, so a lav a few feet away is no problem.

Thanks Marcus, I was afraid someone was going to say that!