NEED TO KNOW
- Kat Graham and her husband, Bryant Wood, celebrated a second wedding on Aug. 8, two years after eloping at home with only their dogs as witnesses
- The nuptials took place in at Chalet Tournesol in California, with 120 guests in attendance
- “It was intimate and romantic in its own way,” Graham tells PEOPLE of their 2023 elopement, “but this time we wanted to celebrate our love surrounded by our family and friends”
Kat Graham and her husband, Bryant Wood, marked their second wedding anniversary by saying “I do” all over again.
The Vampire Diaries actress, 36, and Wood, a wellness instructor and motivational coach, hosted a wedding celebration at Chalet Tournesol, a private estate in Mountain Center, Calif., on Aug. 8, exactly two years after privately eloping at home with only their dogs as witnesses.
Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE ahead of The Knot‘s cover story about their summer wedding, Graham explained why they planned the larger event, which was attended by 120 guests.
“We really wanted to have a second wedding because, technically, it was our first real wedding. When we initially eloped, it was incredibly private — we had someone come to the house and marry us with only our dogs as witnesses,” she says. “It was intimate and romantic in its own way, but this time we wanted to celebrate our love surrounded by our family and friends.”
Graham tells PEOPLE the couple envisioned “a gathering with the people we love most — those who have truly witnessed our commitment and dedication to our marriage and the family we’re building.”
Adds Wood: “The next most important thing for me was the gamification and fun — the playfulness and joy.”
Bryant Wood and Kat Graham pose for ‘The Knot’ magazine.
The Knot
Their other top priority for the celebration? Irresistible food and special details that honored their respective cultures.
“I wanted incredible Italian dishes, pasta wheels, and moments that made people feel nurtured,” Graham says. “It was also really important that we brought in both of our cultural roots — African music because my family is from Liberia, West Africa, and Italian food to honor Bryant’s Sicilian heritage.”
Intent on delivering an unforgettable experience for their guests, the couple curated a series of unique “environments” at their venue — “each with its own atmosphere and music,” Wood shares.
For instance, when guests walked into the Japanese garden, where the reception was held, a sitar player, Ronobir Lahiri, performed hip-hop classics by Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls and others. During the ceremony, a four-piece string orchestra played songs such as Ratatouille and That’s Amore, which Wood says “hold special meaning for us and our families.”
Kat Graham and Bryant Wood at the N.Y.C. premiere of ‘Duplicity’ on March 18, 2025.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty
For the meal and the cake ceremony, a Native American ceremonialist, White Wolf, “played ancestral music and hymns to honor the land we were on,” Graham says. Later in the evening, the church pews were moved outside so the chapel could be transformed into a dance floor, with the groom’s close friend, DJ Spence, performing Afrobeat music.
In another fun detail, the wedding featured a “mini ranch” setup, complete with a mechanical bull for guests to ride. “We made a whole contest out of it with prizes. I won, of course,” says Wood, who is from Texas.
To honor Graham’s Jewish faith, the couple had their friend Rabbi Iggy — “also known as the ‘tatted rabbi’ ” — officiate their ceremony. “He’s deeply involved in humanitarian and recovery work, and having him guide our ceremony felt really meaningful,” Wood notes.
“And it was nice not to be the only Jew with tattoos at my own wedding,” jokes Graham, who is set to star as Diana Ross in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael.
Bryant Wood and Kat Graham.
Paras Griffin/Getty
The bride wore a custom Jean Paul Gaultier gown and headpiece featuring a rose accent. The groom sported an Indian couture look by designer Anamika Khanna.
Looking back on the summer celebration, Graham tells PEOPLE it was even better than a fairy tale.
“It felt earned,” she explains. “Every part of it represented the work we’ve done individually and together. We’ve built our community, our marriage and our lives with intention. That day was the culmination of all that purpose coming together.”
Wood declares that their California wedding was “the best day of my life.”
“It was the most fun and the most love I’ve ever experienced all at once,” he says.
Kat Graham and Bryant Wood attending a screening of ‘Duplicity’ in Atlanta on March 19, 2025.
Paras Griffin/Getty
Now, the couple is ready to jump into their next chapter together — one that “hopefully” includes “many, many babies,” Graham tells PEOPLE.
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She adds: “We’re so excited to expand our family and bring even more love into the world.”
In lieu of a honeymoon, the pair, who founded the wellness company Modern Nirvana together (along with business partner Frank Elaridi), planned a short staycation at home — “with no travel, surrounded by our 10 animals,” the Love in the Villa star says.
Reflecting on her love for Wood, Graham says he is “such a grounded, spiritual and loving husband.”
“I love being married to my best friend,” she adds. “Bryant has taught me so much about boundaries, kindness, and what family truly means.”
Wood admires Graham’s ability to “find meaning in the smallest, most ordinary moments.”
“She treats everyone as her equal and sees the world with a sense of wonder,” he says. “I love that no matter how small a surprise is, she lights up — because she didn’t grow up with that kind of love or celebration.”
“She’s the most fulfilled when she’s in service, through her humanitarian work or her art,” Wood notes. “She’s done incredible inner work, conquered her mind, and carries herself with purpose.”
