Cordiano Winery Wedding | Taylor & TJ
Cordiano Winery Wedding
Cordiano Winery is a freaking GEM of a venue in San Diego, CA and might be SD’s best kept secret. Taylor and TJ’s wedding was one of my favorites. Working with these two was incredible - these high school sweethearts are just about two of the sweetest humans you will ever meet and I loved getting to know them. Their wedding day was filled with a ridiculous amount of joy and happy tears and watching this couple celebrate brought me more joy than I can explain.
Cordiano Winery is absolutely breathtaking - it’s hard to describe with words. But you feel like you’re tucked up in the mountains in our own little corner of the world with the beautiful California hills surrounding you from all directions. I love that you’re indoors but you feel like you’re outdoors with the windows surrounding you in all directions - this venue is a photographers dreeeeam. This place is the most gorgeous location to watch the sunset with the most delicious glass of wine (talk about a vibe!). And once the sunsets the twinkle lights reflect off the windows in all directions and you just feel like you’re under the stars. GAH. I want another wedding here, can you tell?! * drools * Also working with Kimberly from Sisti & Co. was a dream come true - she’s a creative mastermind and just wait until you see these details! * more drools *
Tell me about how you met and a bit of your story!
High School Sweethearts! It all started back in their Junior year of High School. We spent so much time together and quickly became best friends. Oddly enough, our friends were suspicious that there was something going on between us. Before we knew it, we started falling for each other and became an item in the perfect “rom-com, best friends fall madly in love with each other” fashion.
We were attached at the hip ever since, attending the same college in Florida, moving in with each other, and even adding 2 pups to the picture! After graduating, and moving back to Massachusetts for a year, we took on the next big chapter of our lives, moving across the country to sunny San Diego.
What did you love about your wedding location(s)/venue(s)?
When we sought out to find a wedding venue, it was all about the vibe. We wanted to find a location that felt unique to us, had a romantic aura, was somewhere that friends and family would undoubtedly enjoy and get a feel for California, and that we could get down on the dance floor at. Taylor is all about the details, so the view, the lights, the wood accents, big windows, and the most amazing planner Kimberly Sisti sealed the deal for her! However, what sealed the deal for TJ was when we went to the restaurant at the winery and tried the food. After a few bites, we knew we found something special!
What memory from your wedding do you remember the most strongly? What part of the day had the most effect on you or your relationship?
Obviously, there’s a lot of anxiety leading up to the big moment where you see each other on the big day. Some people wait for the aisle and some people do the first look. We decided to do the first look and it was everything we expected and more. We had an idea of what we might feel at that moment but in reality, it was way more. We were both shaking with excitement and immediately burst into happy tears. Sharing that moment together, just the two of us… it was easily the most emotional part of our day. We can’t help but to reminisce through the beautiful photos and relive how we felt that day!
Funniest (or best) moment on your wedding day? Tell me all about it!
It’s hard pulling off a genuine surprise when you’re planning a wedding together and you see every little detail that goes into it. But Taylor managed to surprise TJ with a gelato cart, something he never saw coming. Pure happiness is him with a cup of mint chocolate chip gelato in the middle of the dance floor, just grooving.
Did you have a favorite part of wedding planning?
I think the best part of wedding planning isn’t actually in the planning itself. It's in the interaction with your wedding party that makes it all okay. The people in our party were our absolute best friends, the people we feel closest with and trust the most. So every chance we got to share a moment of the process with them, they made it feel extra special!
Was it hard selecting vendors you love? Anything about the vendor process you want to share?
We’re both creatively driven, so it was really a matter of inspiration and feeling that the vendor was right for us by sitting down with them and having a conversation. We took our time looking for our DJ, Photographer, and Planner making sure everyone was just right for us. All of them 1000% exceeded our expectations! Kimberly gave us the wedding of our dreams, Kami delivered us the most amazing photos and kept us so calm on the wedding day, and Joe kept us dancing and singing all night!
Where did you go on your honeymoon? Why did you choose it?
We chose Bali for our honeymoon. We’re very excited to go on a trip together!
What advice would you give to future couples who are getting married?
Every time you plan something big leading up to your wedding, do it with a drink or app in hand. It doesn’t have to be exactly that, but it's important to put yourself in a state of mind where you can laugh and have a little fun with it. If you take it too seriously, the stress of it all can easily take over. Wedding planning can be fun, and it leads to one of the most special days of your life, so it’s best to enjoy it as it comes!!
Vendors!
Photography: Kami Olavarria
Venue: Cordiano Winery
Planning, design, florals, and cake: Sisti & Co
Hair + Makeup: Elwynn + Cass
Videographer: Palov Bobek
Music: Joe Cardillo
Dress: Willowby
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
Groom + Groomsmen Suites: Friar Tux
