Pre-Party - Friday, August 15th (Completely Optional)

Wildwood Acres Resort

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Nat & Rylan's Wedding

Rylan Ruelli

Rylan grew up in Soquel and the Santa Cruz mountains. From a young age, Rylan has always been interested in sports and the outdoors. This continued throughout his high school years and into college, where his top priority became pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating from San Jose State, he started working as an Energy Engineer, focusing on creating a more sustainable future. Rylan enjoys hiking, backpacking, and spending time outdoors in his free time. Over the past year, he has discovered a new passion for film photography and enjoys capturing photos of their road trips, friends, family, and their animals.

Natalie Diaz

Natalie was born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA, to parents Fred and Eileen Diaz and grew up alongside her sister Madeline. Throughout childhood, Natalie was extremely energetic and used her competitiveness in a handful of different sports. Her passion led her to play collegiate basketball at Dominican University of California and then professionally overseas in Luxembourg. In her free time, Natalie loves to hike, play basketball, spend time with friends/family and their new cat, Michael, who adopted them a few months ago.

11 Years in the Making

Natalie and Rylan met in 2013 at Soquel High School, where they both played varsity basketball. The first time they spent together was at a Soquel High football game, where Rylan made a fool of himself in hopes of obtaining Natalie's attention. Once becoming friends, it was only a few short months before they went on their first date: sushi and a movie. After Rylan sang his favorite song with the voice of an angel, unknowingly a love song, Natalie was smitten. Thus, the love story had begun. [Natalie would like to note that Rylan wrote the "voice of an angel" and "smitten" part above] After high school, their relationship went long distance. Natalie moved to San Rafael for college, while Rylan stayed local for his studies. After graduation, Natalie had an opportunity to accomplish her lifelong dream of playing professional basketball overseas in Luxembourg and took it. Due to the COVID lockdowns, Natalie was forced to move back to California. Shortly after the lockdowns were removed, Rylan and Natalie took the inevitable leap and moved in together. After years of building their lives separately, they were starting their journey of building a life as one. Although Rylan always knew he would marry Natalie, he waited for the perfect moment. After months of planning the surprise alongside her best friend Alison and her boyfriend Tom, he finally popped the question in Monterey, California. Starting the trip with a visit to Natalie's favorite place in the world, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Rylan and Natalie made their way to the beach where they had spent years past. Natalie was seemingly distracted - throwing sticks as if they were spears - Rylan anxiously and awkwardly walking behind. Rylan finally built up the courage to repeat that long-rehearsed proposal. He could only get out a sentence or two before the waterworks started, but fortunately for him, she said, "YES!"

Our Story

Photos

Alison Harley

Laurel Donnenwirth

Charlie Boyle

Grace Harrison

Lauren Wood

Brandon Jansen

Bret Birney

Arturo Cerna

Brian Daley

Brayden Ruelli

Max Kauker

Wedding Party

What is the attire?

Are kids allowed?

We love your littles, but this is an adults-only event.

What is the weather like in Lafayette?

Lafayette can get a bit warm in August. You can expect low to mid-70s. The venue is outdoors and shaded, so you may need a light jacket.

When should I RSVP by?

Please RSVP for you and your party no later than July 16th, 2025.

Can I bring a +1?

Due to limited space, we are only able to accommodate the guests listed on the invitation

Can I RSVP online or do I have to mail in an RSVP card?

Please RSVP online. There is a QR code on your invitation that you can scan and RSVP. You can also click on "RSVP" on the website to indicate your attendance.

Q + A

Hotel AccommodationsWe’ve reserved a block of rooms at the Walnut Creek Marriott for our wedding guests. Special rates are available for those wishing to stay one or two nights (Friday, 8/15 and/or Saturday, 8/16). To guarantee your room at the special rate, please make your reservation by May 15th, 2025. *Overnight parking at the Marriott is $20/per night*

Walnut Creek Marriott

Alternate Option - Hilton Garden InnIf you prefer not to stay at the Walnut Creek Marriott, the&nbsp;Hilton Garden Inn Walnut Creek&nbsp;is conveniently located just across the street. While we haven’t secured a room block there, it is a great alternative option if you’re looking for another place to stay.

Hilton Garden Inn Walnut Creek

Accommodations

Things to Do

Registry

Transportation

For your convenience, a complimentary shuttle service will be available to transport guests to and from the Walnut Creek Marriott to Wildwood Acres. While parking is available on-site at Wildwood Acres, we strongly recommend utilizing the shuttle to avoid navigating the winding road leading to the venue. DetailsWedding Day (Saturday, August 16th): Our ceremony begins at 4:30 PM at Wildwood Acres in Lafayette. We’ll be providing transportation for all of our guests. Shuttles will depart the Walnut Creek Marriott at 3:30 PM, so please plan to be in the lobby by 3:15 PM to ensure an on-time departure. At the end of the night, return shuttles will leave Wildwood Acres at 10:00 PM and head back to the Marriott.

Friday, August 15th

Pre-Party - Friday, August 15th (Completely Optional):We’re kicking off the weekend with a casual pre-party at Headlands Brewing in Walnut Creek! Swing by around 6:30 PM to grab a drink, eat some food, and hang out with us before the big day. Headlands Brewing Address (1.4 miles from Walnut Creek Marriott) - 2999 Oak Road A, Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Itinerary

After Party - Bourbon Highway, Walnut Creek

After the wedding concludes, we will head to Bourbon Highway Bar &amp; Kitchen in Walnut Creek (0.8 miles from the Walnut Creek Marriott). It is located at 1677 North Main Street, Walnut Creek. Optional, but we would love to see you there! There will be karaoke, dancing, light snacks and drinks :)

Natalie & Rylan

Natalie & Rylan

Photos