Ngl I was in the same boat with my SB-700 and that overheating warning is basically the worst sound in the world when you're trying to work a reception. I made the switch to the Godox V1-N Round Head Flash for Nikon a while back and honestly I couldn't be happier with how it handles long days. The Li-ion battery is a total game changer compared to juggling AA cells every two hours. Here is why it works so well for me:

• Recycle times are basically instant even after a hundred shots.
• The round head gives a much softer falloff which is great for library venues with weird shadows.
• No overheating issues even when I am firing away during the dance floor madness.
• It is way cheaper than the Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight which leaves money for a backup. Regarding the hot shoe... I've heard the rumors too but if you get the version with the quick-release lever it feels plenty sturdy on my D780. If you are really worried about the shoe tho you could look at the Godox V860III-N TTL Speedlight for Nikon too. It has a more traditional head but uses that same beastly battery. Seriously tho the V1 has changed my wedding game and saved me so much stress. You wont regret ditching the AAs for that lithium pack... it just works every single time.

^ This. Also, if you're worried about the V1 head but want that lithium battery speed, check the Godox V860III-N TTL Li-ion Flash for Nikon. It's got a traditional head and a physical TTL/M switch which is a lifesaver.

• Quick release lock is way sturdier now
• Recycles in 1.5 seconds
• Battery lasts all day Honestly, a used Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight is still a total tank. It handles heat way better than the 700 ever did and you can usually find them for a steal.

Just catching up on this thread... you might want to consider looking for a used Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight despite the cost. Technically it's the only model with an internal fan-cooled system designed to handle 100 consecutive full-power pops, which is exactly why your SB-700 is failing at receptions. If you're worried about Godox shoes being flimsy, I would suggest the Westcott FJ80 II M Universal Speedlight because the mounting bracket feels way more substantial. The recycle time on the V1 is fast because of the lithium battery, but the SB-5000 with a set of Panasonic Eneloop Pro AA Rechargeable Batteries is basically just as snappy for real-world wedding work. Quick tip: manually zoom the flash head to a wider setting like 24mm or 35mm. It lets the heat dissipate across the lens better than when it's zoomed in tight. Also, make sure to check your D780 settings so you aren't accidentally pushing the flash harder than needed in those dark library corners. I'm around if you need more data on the thermal recycle times for these units.

> Technically it is the only model with an internal fan-cooled system designed to handle 100 consecutive full-power pops @Reply #3 - good point! I spent way too much time looking at thermal data and recycle charts before my last purchase lol. If you cant swing the SB-5000 price tag, I have been super satisfied with the Nissin MG80 Pro Flash for Nikon. It is a total sleeper pick. It uses a quartz flash tube which handles heat way better than the standard glass ones in your 700. Check out the teardowns on FlashHavoc if you want the technical deep dive, but basically:

• It is incredibly heat resistant because of that quartz tube
• You can use Li-ion 14500 batteries for fast recycle or standard AAs in a pinch
• The build feels very solid and the shoe is metal I also looked at the Phottix Mitros+ TTL Transceiver Flash for Nikon and it works well for that tank-like feel.
• Pros: Built like the old Nikon gear and has a built-in radio transceiver
• Cons: It still uses AAs so it wont be as fast as the lithium units unless you buy a battery pack Honestly, the Nissin is probably your best bet for heavy wedding use without the Nikon price tag. Hope this gives you some more options to research before the Seattle gig! Let me know if you need more specs on these.

I would be really careful about switching entirely to a third-party ecosystem right before a big wedding like that. While the newer brands have cool features, the communication between the flash and the Nikon body isnt always 100 percent reliable compared to native lighting. I have seen way too many people have their TTL exposure jump around or the flash just fail to fire because the pins didnt line up perfectly on a third-party foot. If you're worried about the heat, you might want to consider looking up the thermal teardown reviews on sites like Flash Havoc or even checking the old threads on DPReview for specific duty cycle charts. They actually measure how many pops you get before the thermal cutoff kicks in. Also, keep in mind that shooting in HSS mode is usually what triggers those overheating warnings so fast. If you can keep your shutter speed under the sync speed, even your current gear might survive the reception a bit better. Just my two cents, but maybe rent the high-end Nikon stuff for the Seattle gig first to see if it actually fixes your workflow before dropping the cash.

To add to the point above: I think being cautious about third-party communication is smart, especially since I learned the hard way that not all sync signals are handled the same way under stress. A few years ago, I tried to solve my own recycle time issues by rigging up a custom high-voltage external power supply for my older speedlight. On paper, the technical specs were perfect... it reduced the recycle time from 3 seconds down to under one. The realization that the flash tube itself wasnt designed for that kind of rapid-fire heat dissipation hit me pretty fast tho. During a long event, the internal thermal fuse didnt just trip, it actually scorched the internal circuit board because the unit couldnt vent fast enough. It was a total mess and honestly pretty embarrassing when the smell of burning plastic started wafting around. I would suggest being very careful about trying to push any unit past its factory-rated thermal envelope. My current setup involves a bracket I modified to increase airflow, but its a clumsy fix. If you're looking at a heavy 8-hour day, the duty cycle is really the bottleneck. Make sure to test your timing during a full-load simulation before the Seattle wedding... you really dont want to find out about a component failure right when the cake is being cut.