Catholic Mass Ceremony

The Vineyards

Wedding Reception

Our Wedding

Nick and Char met in 2020 during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on a dating app called Hinge. At the time, both were beginning their careers as teachers—Nick as an elementary teacher at a private school, and Char as a middle school educational specialist while still completing her teaching credential program. They had both swiped through plenty of profiles without much luck, but after Nick sent a message, something about their conversation stood out. They took their time—chatting through the app, texting, FaceTiming, and even hanging out on their Animal Crossing islands before meeting in person. Their first date was one for the pandemic history books: an In-N-Out drive-thru in Porter Ranch. Wearing face masks, they ordered their meals and ate in their cars. They talked for hours, laughing and connecting in a way that felt easy and unexpected. It wasn’t fancy, but it was thoughtful, relaxed, and real—the beginning of something special. As their relationship grew, Nick and Char found common ground in the things they loved—anime, the music of Gen Hoshino and food. Nick introduced Char to Dropout Game Shows, which quickly became one of their favorite things to watch together. He also helped her explore the world of co-op games, turning gaming into something fun they could enjoy as a team. Nick still jokes that Char “tricked” him by claiming to be a hardcore gamer—but she insists she&nbsp;does&nbsp;play, just maybe not as often as he expected. Though they're opposites in many ways—Char the spirited extrovert, Nick the grounded introvert—they’ve always balanced each other with humor, patience, and a connection that keeps growing stronger. Nick proposed on Char’s 31st birthday—just one day after she lost her beloved dog, Chai. It had already been an emotional weekend filled with love and support from family and friends. On the day of her birthday, after running a muddy 5K, Char came home tired and unaware of the surprise waiting for her. While friends stalled her upstairs, loved ones lit candles and scattered rose petals downstairs. When Char came down the stairs, she found both families gathered, and Nick—wearing a purple shirt and tie—waiting in the center of it all. He smiled and simply asked, “Will you marry me?”Her answer? A jump, a yell, and no hesitation:“YEAH!!!”From virtual islands to purple-lit proposals, Nick and Char’s story has been built on kindness, quirks, and connection. They’re so excited to celebrate their next chapter—and even more excited to share it with you.

Char & Nick

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAR-tdNva-P/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAR-tdNva-P/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet</a> If you would like to see the proposal... Here's the video! (Thanks, Alyssa for filming! :) )

Our Story

Photos

Char's Bride Crew

Charlene and Jillianne "Jilly" Cuevas became best friends on the first day of freshman year at West Ranch High School—Jilly likes to say she "planned" their friendship. After overhearing a side conversation about Ouran High School Host Club, Jilly turned up her LG Chocolate phone so loud that Charlene came over and asked, "Is that Ouran High School Host Club?" That moment started a friendship filled with running first 5Ks together, traveling the world, making long-running "Mama Mia" videos, and navigating money decisions with Jilly’s trademark budget-savvy advice. Jilly has been a steady, adventurous, and endlessly supportive presence in Charlene’s life.

Jillianne "Jilly" Cuevas

Lyn Torio and Charlene met through Jilly, and their friendship felt effortless from the start. A true "girlie's girl," Lyn is always listening, always present, and endlessly supportive. They grew closer during the San Francisco 5Ks in 2023 (with a little nudge from Jilly), and Charlene treasures Lyn’s creativity, fun spirit, and steady loyalty. Lyn always has Charlene’s back and gently ensures her life decisions remain her own.

Lyn Torio

Amy has been friends with Charlene Rugayan since high school, but their bond deepened around 2013 when Amy discovered Charlenes Disney pass. Since then, “Char & Amy” moments pop up at any hour — spontaneous midnight trips to West Hollywood for karaoke, secret Downtown Disney shopping sprees (shh—don’t tell Nick), and ice cream runs whenever Charlene needs a pick-me-up. These two are delightfully trouble together, and Amy always knows how to make Charlene smile.

Amy Bautista

Alyssa (pronounced uh-lee-suh) met Charlene through Amy, and they clicked immediately—Alyssa’s fun, active personality made her a natural fit. She’s always down for anything, brings endless energy to every plan, and Charlene admires her dedication to helping children as a BCBA. There’s never a dull moment when these two hang out—more often than not it’s a lively trio with Amy.

Alyssa Necesito

Charlene and Alex have been close friends since Stevenson Ranch Elementary School — a timeless bond that never faded even as life changed. No matter how much time passes, their conversations pick up like they were never apart, full of catching up on new chapters and reminiscing about the good old days. Alex is a steady listener and trusted confidant who Charlene can always rely on.

Alex Magsarili

Mallory "Mal" Casey has been Charlene Rugayan’s best friend since 7th-grade Religious Education at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (OLPH). From Target runs and cheering Charlene on through the LA Marathon to helping her stay grounded through big life decisions, Mal keeps Charlene steady while always letting her be her silly self.

Mallory "Mal" Casey

Nick's Boys

Wedding Bouncers 

Roxanne Tangonan, Rachelle Belangue, Regina Belangue, Evelyn Exevea

Flower Girls

Zoë Del Rosario 

Kamille Queen 

Jada Tangonan

Noemi Mae Davis

Ring Bearers 

Lee Del Rosario

Jericho Tangonan

Wedding Party

Our wedding will be semi-formal. Guests are encouraged to wear cocktail or dressy attire such as suits, button-down shirts, cocktail dresses, or dressy separates. Most importantly, come ready to celebrate, eat, and dance with us!We also warmly welcome family and guests who would like to honor Filipino tradition by wearing a Barong Tagalog or Filipiniana attire as we celebrate the blending of our families and cultures.If you would like to match the colors of our wedding, we suggest wearing purple, grey, cream, and sage green.

Dress Code

Please navigate to the Dress Code section of this website.

RSVP

Here's the Google link just in case: <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQrD8MkTj5f_LjlfQutn311e-Pvp5p3NaUqVNVK85HJW5qTQ/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=113167948736422402602" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQrD8MkTj5f_LjlfQutn311e-Pvp5p3NaUqVNVK85HJW5qTQ/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=113167948736422402602</a>

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve reserved a room block at Courtyard by Marriott Ventura Simi Valley with a special group rate of $164.00 per night for the Lazzarini Rugayan Wedding (Thu, July 9 – Sat, July 11, 2026). Book online using the group link below: <a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1777568463503&amp;key=GRP&amp;app=resvlink&amp;_branch_match_id=1581314372507958935&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MtNLCrKzC8p0UvOz9UvSi3OyczLtgdK2ALZZSCOWmaKraG5ubmpmYWJmbGpgbFadmqlrXtQgFpdUWpaKlB3Xnp8UlF%2BeXFqka1zRlF%2BbioAXu4GDmAAAAA%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lazzarini/Rugayan Wedding @ Marriott Ventura Simi Valley</a> — the last day to book is Tuesday, June 9, 2026. A $75 early-departure fee applies. Courtyard Ventura Simi Valley is a 3-star hotel at 191 Cochran St with a 24-hour front desk and on-site restaurant; Hollywood Burbank Airport is about 29 miles away. If you have questions or need help with the reservation link, please contact us.

Courtyard by Marriott Ventura Simi Valley

Hotel

Things to Do

Gift List

Friday, July 10, 2026

Wedding Ceremony: 3:00PM - 4:00PM

Our wedding ceremony will be at St. Rose of Lima Church, 1305 Royal Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93065.

Explore the Vineyards 4:00 - 5:00

There will be 1 hour in between the ceremony, and the official start of the reception. Immediately following the ceremony, the bride and groom will take pictures inside and outside the church. During this time you may stick around, catch up with family, or you may make your way to The Vineyards at 2525 Stow St, Simi Valley, CA 93063. The Vineyards has a large, beautiful property you can explore.

Cocktail Hour 5:00 -6:00

Mingle with family, friends, and the newlyweds at this time! There will be unlimited domestic beer, wine, and champagne during the cocktail hour AND reception. Water, sodas, coffee, and tea will be available at this time, and during the reception.

Reception 6:00 - 10:00

Our reception will include a buffet style dinner, speeches, dancing, DJ games, and cake. The reception has a strict ending time of 10:00. There will be an announcement around 9:30.

Schedule

When Should I RSVP By?

Please RSVP by June 1st. We need enough time to inform our reception venue so they can plan for everyone's meals. RSVP'ing earlier is always helpful. If something changes with your plans, please let us know. Please mail back the postcard you received, or scan the QR code at the bottom of this page to RSVP.