Just saw this and had to jump in! For your wedding, skip the budget cards and grab a Sony CEB-G Series 128GB CFexpress Type B. The write speeds are absolutely insane and it wont choke during high-pressure bursts like a slower card would. If you need a reliable backup for the second slot, the SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB UHS-II SDXC is fantastic and keeps up way better than the cheap ones. For that L-bracket port issue, I love the SmallRig L-Bracket for Nikon Z5 Z6 Z7 Z6II Z7II 2258 because it has a sliding side plate! You just pull it out to get easy access to your remote or USB-C power bank. If you want something that feels way more premium and solid, look at the Three Legged Thing Zelda Dedicated L-Bracket for Nikon Z Series. Its built like a tank and fits the Z6 II body perfectly without any wiggle. Definitely amazing picks for a rainy Portland shoot!

I really wanted to love the transition but honestly the extra costs are frustrating. For the L-bracket, dont waste money on the boutique brands... the SmallRig L-Bracket for Nikon Z5 Z6 Z6II Z7 Z7II 2258 is actually great because it has a sliding side plate so you can actually get to your cables. Unfortunately, CFexpress is just a huge money pit. I found the Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress B SE 512GB is usually the best value without being total junk like some of the no-name stuff I tried. A few other budget things to look at:

• SmallRig EN-EL15C USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery saves you some cash and lets you charge on the go.
• Op/Tech USA Rainsleeve 2-Pack is only like ten bucks and works fine for Portland drizzle. It feels like a lot to spend at once, but these should keep you under that 500 dollar limit.

Congrats on the upgrade. D750 was such a workhorse but mirrorless is definitely a learning curve... honestly the battery life shock is real. For your 500 dollar budget, dont overthink the cards too much. You dont need the ultra expensive cards to get the job done. I have been using the Delkin Devices 128GB Black CFexpress Type B for a while and its never missed a beat, plus it has great sustained write speeds for the buffer. For your backup slot, grab a Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB SDXC UHS-II... its a V60 card so it handles the Z6 II overflow fine for weddings without breaking the bank. Since you are worried about ports and L-brackets, I have tried many and the SmallRig L-Bracket for Nikon Z 6II / Z 7II 2947B is basically the standard for a reason. The side piece actually slides out so you can fit your cables in there while shooting vertically. Its saved me so many times on tripod setups. Since you are shooting in the Portland rain, maybe skip the official Nikon grip for now and just buy two more Nikon EN-EL15c Rechargeable Li-ion Battery units. You can also just charge via USB-C between sets if you have a PD power bank. In my experience, spending the leftover cash on a solid rain cover like the Peak Design Shell Camera Cover Medium is a much better move for a rainy wedding than a fancy cage you might not even need tho.