In my experience, buying a used Canon EOS R6 20.1MP is the way to go. I grabbed mine last year for my first wedding and it's worked perfectly.

Watch out for gray market scams, but I would suggest checking Canon refurbished... you might snag a Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera Body within budget if youre quick!

Just catching up on this thread and honestly its super disappointing how the original R6 just vanished from retail. Canon usually pulls this move where they phase out the older model immediately so youre forced into the Mark II, even if the upgrades are mostly just minor sensor bumps and autofocus tweaks. I moved over from the 5D line too and the build quality on these mirrorless bodies is just not as good as expected compared to the old tanks. Everything feels a bit more plasticky and hollow now. Speaking of stuff not being built like it used to, I had issues with my carrying gear lately too. I picked up a Lowepro ProTactic BP 450 AW II thinking it would last forever like my old bags, but the zippers are already starting to catch and the stitching looks stressed after only a few months of heavy use. I miss when you could buy a piece of gear once and not worry about it for a decade. anyway hope you find a body before that wedding but yeah the market is definitely frustrating right now.

Saw your post earlier and yeah, its honestly super frustrating how the original R6 just vanished from the shelves. I was in the same boat last year trying to snag one for a backup. I had issues with the Mark I overheating during long ceremonies, so I was hoping the price on the Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera would tank for Black Friday, but it feels like Canon is being really stingy this year. Unfortunately, that Mark II is staying firm around $2k because there isnt much competition at that price point with those specs. I struggled with the same budget issue and ended up having to rethink the whole setup. If you cant find a deal on the body alone, sometimes the kit with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM Lens actually goes on sale for less than the body plus a separate lens, which is weird, but Ive seen it happen. Also, dont forget you'll need the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R which adds another $100. I tried a third-party adapter once to save cash and it was a total disaster... the autofocus kept hunting during a processional. Never again. If the R6 II is still too high, maybe look at a used Canon EOS R6 20.1MP Mirrorless Camera from a reputable place like MPB or KEH? They usually have a warranty and you'll definitely stay under budget. It's a bummer the new deals are so lackluster lately tho. Good luck with the wedding, those December shoots are stressful enough without gear drama.

tbh the tech jump from a 5d to mirrorless is just insane. i remember trying to hack my old 5dii firmware back in the day just to get better bitrates... those were the days! honestly i think i heard a rumor that some local shops are doing secret trade-in bonuses this week if you bring in old dslr gear. not 100% sure but iirc my buddy snagged a deal that way because it wasnt listed on their site! the ibis on these new bodies is just amazing, i love being able to shoot handheld at crazy slow shutter speeds. i kinda suspect the stock issues are just artificial to drive up prices before the actual holiday... maybe im just being paranoid tho lol. definitely check smaller regional stores that dont have huge web presences, you never know what they have hiding in the back!

Late to the thread but honestly searching for deals is the worst part of the hobby. I remember last year my cousin was in a total panic trying to find a specific body for his sisters wedding because his old camera started acting up and just refused to focus. He spent like three weeks refreshing every single tab on his laptop and even tried calling local shops to see if they had any floor models they wanted to get rid of... basically ended up getting so stressed out he accidentally ordered a lens cap for the wrong system instead of the actual body. It was a whole mess and we still laugh about it at dinner. Luckily I am super happy with my current setup and it hasnt missed a beat for me yet, which is such a relief when things get busy. Reliability is basically everything when you have a big gig coming up. Some people just have better luck with the timing than others i guess!

Seconded!