First off, I have never used a Stabilizer system.
I think its time to take the next step.

I have a wedding this weekend on the beach and was thinking about renting one.

I just have been using my camera on a tripod as best I can to get smooth shots.

My questions are:

(1) Does it really take allot of practice to learn?

(2) Am I being realistic thinking I can just run and gun by renting one Friday night to use on Saturday?

(3) What would be the best one to learn on? Merlin or Glidecam?

My Camera: Sony AX2000/HXR-NX5U

Do you think I have the potential to ruin this wedding and should just forgot renting one?

Thank you for your time in this matter.

The Merlin costs $130.00 for the weekend.
The Glidecam costs $60.00 for the weekend.

John

By the way - this is the last wedding I did with no stabilizer....

Cesar & Claudia (Wedding Trailer) on Vimeo

Do yourself and your clients a favor and do not rent a stabilizer for this weekend. Learning to get good and useable shots with a stabilizer does take a lot of training and practice. You don't need the pressure of messing up a shot that you only get one chance of getting.

A stabilizer is a fine instrument and requires a specific skill set to use effectively.

An analogy might be to say that your friends need a guitar player to sit in this weekend. You can rent a Stratocaster or a Les Paul Custom guitar, but you've never played the guitar before. Do you think anyone is going to want to listen to the results? The same could be said of renting a stabilizer and thinking that an audience will enjoy the shots you get with it. It's simply not worth the risk.

Thank you Frank for being honest with me.

Any suggestions on what I can do to get my best "steady" shots with out a Merlin or Glidecam?

By the way - this is the last wedding I did with no stabilizer.

Lots of shaky footage there, but can't these be fixed in post? I think they can.

I second not using a stabilizer at the beach. If there is any wind, you'll be worse off than shooting handheld.

First off, I have never used a Stabilizer system.
I think its time to take the next step.

My questions are:

(1) Does it really take allot of practice to learn?

yes, I thought months, now i can say years

(2) Am I being realistic thinking I can just run and gun by renting one Friday night to use on Saturday?

like Frank said, do yourself, and most importantly your clients, a favour - don't

(3) What would be the best one to learn on? Merlin or Glidecam?

i'd say glidecam, it is easier to operate and gives you good starting point if later on you'll decide to go full rig

Do you think I have the potential to ruin this wedding and should just forgot renting one?

absolutely, you will thank for this advice when/if you'll try to fly it for the first time,
best!

Thank you everyone.

Advice well taken. Just gonna do my best on a Monopod for now.