Diane's eloquent singing reveals your loving sentiment through a musical expression of your love. The performance will be a treasured wedding memory to share with your family and friends.

Diane's pianist J.J. Saecker, is available as her accompanist, and plays all of the ceremony music needed including: the Prelude, Processionals, Solo accompaniment, Recessional, and Postlude music.

A portable piano keyboard, sound PA system & vocal mic is offered for wedding music at hotels, country clubs or outdoor locations without on-site pianos and sound systems. Eco-Friendly weddings can request our battery powered portable sound system PA and piano keyboard.

*Church Music Rules: Brides planning a Catholic Wedding Mass ceremony (and some others denominations- Episcopalian, Jewish, Lutheran) need to consult with the musical director of their location before selecting "outside" musicians. The location may require you to use their in-house musicians for the liturgical music in the ceremony and some approved music selections, but will also let a professional vocalist sing the wedding solos for the vocal Prelude, Gathering Hymn, Unity candle, Communion, and Blessing song. Diane offers her accompanist at a discount rate for these solos...

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It is common practice for the church to require that you utilize their "in house" musicians, and some may not allow you to bring in "outside" vendors. If the church or synagogue has a regular organist, you will probably pay for them whether you use them or not and this has to do with the union rules of the American Guild of organists agreement. A Church may require their organist and Cantor to perform the liturgy music in the ceremony( Responsorial Hymn, Gospel Acclamation, Eucharist liturgy songs), but will usually welcome an outside professional singer to perform approved wedding ceremony solos with prior approval. Diane has performed beautiful wedding solos for hundreds of ceremonies, and has many styles of approved songs to offer that you can select at her free consultation. The church will often have an "approved" list of musical song selections, so it's advised to ask about this approved music in advance, it will be a helpful guide at the consultation. Diane is happy to coordinate the music between the couple, musicians, and the officiant.

Message from Diane Martinson - Wedding Singer (click)

Thank you for reviewing my vocal music for your wedding. I consider it a great honor to be a part of your celebration.

Having performed and designed musical programs for a large number of Twin City wedding ceremonies and private events, I have gained the experience and "know-how" to assist you in creating the perfect musical ambience for your wedding day.

I draw on my training, and performance experience which includes hundreds of weddings, as well as concerts, musical stage shows, and choral ensembles, to bring you a concert quality performance.

You can select music from my song list or I'd be happy to learn your favorite special song. I offer a complimentary consultation to preview and select all the music needed.

I pride myself on delivering prompt personalized attention, providing many music options, and delivering remarkable music that people will talk about well after the ceremony. Music is my full time work, I am fully invested in making sure your music is exceptional.

The musicians of DMM,Inc. are tried and true professionals who I have known for many years. We have provided outstanding music for hundreds of weddings in the Minneapolis / St Paul area.

I love working with couples to create the perfect wedding music for their special day, it would be a privilege to be a part of your special day. I look forward to hearing from you,

Diane Martinson

Tell me about your wedding, let me know how I can assist you.

Estimate

Diane Martinson Music services are highly recommended by area wedding planners for exceptional talent, outstanding personal attention, and for consistently surpassing expectations for wedding music services. Diane makes the planning and performance of your wedding music a wonderful experience.

Send in the printable booking /deposit form to secure your date.

Diane offers many wonderful music choices (vocal and instrumental) and extra services to ensure you will be completely happy and excited about your ceremony music.

Her services include:

• Prompt personal correspondence in planning music for the ceremony
• Complimentary consultation to listen and choose ceremony music
• A contract encompassing all music services
• Singing on the day of the wedding ( and preparing a back up singer )
• Arranging for sound PA and equipment set up at the location (if needed)
• Arrival 45 minutes before the ceremony, and run through music rehearsal
• Special request music transcription and arrangements for her musicians
• Ongoing support leading up to the wedding day, (contacting the location)
• Coordinating her additional ceremony musicians; pianist / string trio etc. with the special musical arrangements
• Coordinating her musicians & bands for cocktail /dinner & reception music

A complimentary consultation to plan song placement and preview ceremony music options is provided 4 months before your wedding. It's best to have a copy of your ceremony outline from your officiant for our meeting.

You can get a head start in planning how many songs you need with Diane's Wedding Music Planner (PDF). It includes an example of the placement of music within the ceremony.

You may choose songs from Diane's vocal repertoire list or Diane will happily learn your special requests for a fee ($35-$50) depending on the particular song / music.

For special song requests, please provide a copy of piano/vocal sheet music, and/or a CD recording, or MP3 of the requested song for her to work from. This will help Diane to know if there is a need for a key change or any other music alterations.
If you can't locate sheet music for the song, Diane will find it and charge for the music per your request, or if music is not available anywhere, the song could be transcribed from a recording, she'll give you an fee quote. Be sure to send the recording / song request by 3 months before the wedding to avoid any additional fees.

Diane offers custom music arrangements of songs for voice, piano, strings, and harp. The simplicity of having one contact person to coordinate all the music and rehearsals for you, makes it easy and affordable to get the special music you want.

Music is said to be the universal language of love, it heightens the emotions and adds romance to your wedding ceremony. Vocal music is the difference between a nice wedding, and an exceptional wedding. An outstanding vocalist always heightens the romantic ambience in the ceremony, music evokes deep emotions, and the treasured experience is a wonderful gift to share with your guests.
"Where words leave off, falling short of the true height and depth of your emotion, the melody and lyric of beautiful vocal music completes the message." –Diane Martinson

First, obtain a ceremony outline from your place of worship or wedding officiant for the order and placement of music, ask if there are any music restrictions you should know about. Talking with the church music director will also let you know if an organist has automatically been reserved with your church rental. Listen to my song samples online for ideas, and I can help you select music that fits both your unique style, and the ceremony guidelines when we meet for your music consultation.

People will always love the classics (i.e. Ave Maria) as a part of their ceremony vocal music because they are timeless and elegant songs. Many couples also want modern songs because they hold special meaning, and would enhance the ceremony experience for them. I am happy to provide both options. My goal is to provide sensational music that reflects a couple's unique style, loving commitment and evokes a deep emotional connection for the bride, groom and their guests.

Yes, I sing with organists at churches, and wedding chapels with organs available to rent in the Twin City area. Contact the wedding coordinator /or office of the location and ask for their list of suggested organists. Their preferred organist will know that location's instrument best, if you are unable to secure their organist I can refer you to someone.
Locations with an organ available that are open to the public for wedding rental include: Fort Snelling Chapel, Northwestern College - Nazareth Chapel, and both Luther Seminary Chapels. I also sing at these wedding locations with my own pianist or string ensemble accompaniment, separate from the organist's music. I provide my vocal song accompanists, or all the music needed: instrumental prelude, processional, recessional and vocal selections, so it's not required that you hire an organist, but the instrument is available there for you.

*Most houses of worship employ a regular organist, and typically their services are automatically included(and charged)for weddings with the church / temple rental whether you use them or not. This is due to the organists union. The organist will usually want a meeting with you 4 months before the ceremony to set your instrumental selections for processional and recessional. I offer a consultation for the ceremony vocal music as well. If the organist would be unavailable on your wedding date and did not designate a substitute, then I could recommend an organist who can accompany me. Several brides have contacted me back, surprised to find out that there was indeed an organist (and cantor singer) automatically reserved for them, so I recommend that you double check with the wedding coordinator or music director at the location before hiring any outside musicians.

Couples have always been very pleased with my performances with their home church organist, however I am my own hardest critic, and I can guarantee my optimum performance when singing my song arrangements with my piano accompanist from Diane Martinson Music, Inc.
There is an exception - the location's organist works out great when it comes to accompanying me on traditional church hymns, and classical solos such as Ave Maria (Schubert), The Lord's Prayer (Malotte), On Eagle's Wings (Joncas) etc. The organist and I would be used to performing those selections in the standard keys, with many different church musicians. If you have a question regarding who should accompany a certain song, feel free to ask me for advice. I am happy to work with other musicians and if I can provide music to them from my existing repertoire I certainly will. I will contact them about the vocal selections before the ceremony. If you have picked out new music for me to sing with the organist, please send a copy to me 3 months before the wedding.

When determining if the home organist / pianist is the right musician to play for the vocal music you want, there are few things to consider. Some churches are not open to include outside musicians, but in most cases you will be permitted to hire a professional wedding vocalist and piano accompanist for special music in your ceremony. It's best to check with the wedding coordinator or music director for any restrictions. The Music director or officiant will most likely want to see the music selections we choose together for their final approval. Working with the home organist, and obtaining permission for my vocal solo music and /or accompanist insures that there won't be any sudden changes to the ceremony music close to the wedding. You'll be confident that you and your guests will enjoy the best possible music performance.

I can sing with your organist/pianist or with my regular pianist, and the best accompanist choice would depend on the music you select. The houses of worship have a set protocol for the wedding music, acceptable song content, music styles permitted, and if hiring outside musicians are allowed. You may need to pay for a church organist that has been automatically included with the rental, but usually you do not need to have them play for my songs. I also offer a Price Discount of $100 off my pianist's regular fee when he is accompanying me on my vocal solos only, (up to 3 solos). First ask the location wedding coordinator or your officiant for a ceremony outline that will guide you with music selection, placement of music in the ceremony, and make you aware of any song or musician restrictions. Couples find it's a time saver to know the location's wedding music guidelines early before spending time looking for a singer, and ceremony music. For example, often times couples are not aware that secular music (non-religious based) is only permitted in their church during the prelude, before the start of the church ceremony (the processional is widely accepted as the beginning of the wedding service). I offer many religious songs in different styles that are suitable within the ceremony (also secular music choices), and I will sing through several ceremony and vocal prelude song options for you at our music planning consultation.

I can offer the Price Discount for my pianist's regular fee when he is accompanying me on my vocal solos (accompaniment only, with or without other musicians). It may otherwise cost you that much to pay for extra rehearsals between new musicians. Having a good quality arrangement is especially important for special request songs since otherwise they can sound "square" even with excellent musicians. I can enhance the music to sound more like the recording you are used to by transposing sheet music into the key that best compliments the song, instruments, and my voice. I can arrange it to sound true to the original music. This is not usually offered by organists & string groups for vocalists.
Also, it is standard practice for unfamiliar wedding musicians to meet for only a run-through of the vocal songs a ½ hour before the prelude music begins. Note: Musicians do not typically attend the wedding rehearsal, because this time is reserved for the officiant. Rehearsals between musicians and vocalist (other than the wedding day run-through) will incur rehearsal fees. Generally we don't need to include extra rehearsals. As a reference wedding musicians commonly charge $50 per hour. Using my musicians and/or music arrangements from Diane Martinson Music, cuts down on any extra rehearsals, sheet music fees, the time coordinating musician schedules and making any unforseen music adjustments close to the ceremony. This results in superior music that allows for the best possible wedding performance.

Yes, I do sing with other string groups often, and couples are very pleased with my performance. The church hymns and classical solos (i.e. Ave Maria) are wonderful. The concern is -that the sheet music that other string ensembles have (or would buy for you) isn't typically arranged to include a vocalist, Meaning that the music is written for one instrument to play the melody line along with the singer, which doesn't leave room for the voice to shine. I arrange my music to compliment the voice and instrumentalists. If you can include my pianist (at discounted rate) to accompany my vocal solos along with the strings, then I could provide more choices and variety of styles of vocal wedding songs, less billed rehearsal time, and extraordinary ceremony music. I could provide accompaniment sheet music that I have for my (DMMI) piano and string trio etc., however, other quartets and woodwind groups may need to alter the music for their ensemble.
I do offer to write a music arrangement to fit the instrumentalists and my vocal line for a special request arrangement fee.
*Portable piano keyboard is available for locations without a piano.

I can also offer a Price Discount - $100 off on my pianist's regular fee when he is accompanying me on my vocal solos only (It may otherwise cost you that much to pay for extra rehearsals between new musicians). Having a good quality arrangement is especially important for special request songs because otherwise they can sound "square" even with excellent musicians. I can enhance the music arrangement to sound more like the recording you are used to, with music that best compliments the song style and my vocal melody. Often the sheet music is only available in a different key and instrumental arrangement than the one you are used to hearing. Together my musicians can arrange it to sound true to the original music. This is not usually offered by organists & string groups for vocalists, but I offer it for instrumentalists and my vocals.

Musicians do not typically attend the wedding rehearsal, because this time is reserved for the officiant. It is standard practice for wedding musicians to meet for a run-through of the vocal songs a ½ hour before the prelude music begins on the wedding day.
Other rehearsals between musicians and vocalist (other than the wedding day run-through) would incur rehearsal fees. Many wedding musicians charge $35 -$50 per hour. Using my musicians, and music arrangements from Diane Martinson Music, cuts down on any extra rehearsal fees needed for other musicians, including sending out music, the time coordinating their schedules, and making last minute music adjustments. I am happy to coordinate everything, this results in the best rate for clients, superior music that's polished, and that allows for the best possible wedding day music performance. *Added benefits: My accompanying instrumentalists will offer to add embellishment to your organist or string group and play along (when appropriate) on the processional and recessional music that they have in common.

Yes, I offer these musicians for ceremonies I am singing at, and I work with other harpists and soloists often. If you are looking for musicians without a vocalist then I will refer you to my recommended musicians.
For more wedding vocal music options, less rehearsal fees, and peak performances, consider hiring my accompanying instrumentalists, and/or piano accompanist. If you are providing the accompanying musicians for me to sing to, consider using a Diane Martinson Music, Inc. song arrangement.

Live music adds warmth and carries the romance of the ceremony on to the reception. The ceremony musicians can extend their playing time to include the reception at a discount rate. J.J. can add solo piano music to the receiving line / cocktail hour time, and Diane and JJ often transition to the cocktail hour and dinner providing background jazz music with their duo. You might also consider a smaller group trio or quartet for your cocktail hour and dinner. For the dance, a live band will entertain listening guests as well as dancing guests. Diane's bands primarily play wedding receptions and have a great variety of music to appeal to all ages.

"Hire Diane; From now on, I'll be recommending you, both on my web site and in person, as by far the *best* singer that couples could possibly get for a wedding!" —Rev. Tomkin Coleman mnweddingminister.com

"Their music was surely music to my wife's ears. She loved it, and was very pleased with my choice. I do have to say, they did a fantastic job. " —John

"Diane Martinson Wedding Music, On behalf of my husband Lowell and me, we want to thank you for the terrific job you and JJ both did - we received so many compliments that night on your singing and playing, and in fact we still get comments on how great you were. We certainly will keep you both in mind if someone asks for your wedding services. Thanks again and take care" —Analia H.

"Thank you so much for going through the hassle of transcribing both of those new song requests for us. You don't know how much that means to us to have you performing our music and we truly appreciate it. Thanks again for all of your dedication" —Trisha L.

"Everyone commented on how touching and beautiful the music was. ...I will never forget the wonderful ceremony that Aric and I had because of you." —Christy R.

Report on Angie's List- "Description: Diane Martinson coordinated music for my wedding and reception. She provided me with two groups of artists.
Member Comments: Booked a flute duo (wedding) and jazz group (reception). The artists were very talented, timely, and received many compliments from our guests. Diane is very experienced and asked us all the right questions in the planning stage. The artists knew exactly what to do." —Tom H.

more client Endorsements, Praise and Testimonials

" Diane Martinson Wedding Music, The music was so wonderful I could hardly speak, I still get choked up when I think of it. My daughter said they were selecting the ceremony music with you, your singing and music performed by your instruments was just perfect, it couldn't have been better. We were so very pleased! " —Jeanne King, mother of bride

"Hi Diane,I cannot tell you how excited my family was to share your singing with our guests at the service! Your ceremony music and cocktail hour with JJ on piano was just was we wanted. We are very thankful for all of your help in making our day special!" —Ashley Murray

"Diane, My friend who used your music service for their wedding said they were very pleased and impressed. I'm glad we got you booked for our wedding, we know that we are in good hands. Thanks," —Chad

"Diane is extremely professional and reliable. I listened to her vocals online and again in person. Once I decided to hire Diane, she took care of the rest. She showed up to rehearse on the wedding day, and she sounded exquisite during the ceremony!" —Happy Bride, Karen, (rated 5 out of 5 stars on Wedding Wire .com)