Sistas Star Branden Wellington Marries Batwoman Actress Meagan Tandy in Elegant California Wedding (Exclusive)

Branden Wellington and Meagan Tandy said “I do” with mountain views!

The Sistas star and the Batwoman actress got married on Sunday, Sept. 1, at a 22-acre event space nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains in Lytle Creek, Calif. They were joined by 175 guests for a weekend-long celebration full of fun festivities.

“We initially set out to create a small, intimate ceremony with our family and very close friends. But as we were in the planning process, it turned out to become more of a three-day celebration with the wedding as the culmination of the weekend,” Meagan tells PEOPLE.

The events kicked off with a welcome party on Friday night at Big Al’s Bowling Alley, where the couple and their loved ones enjoyed some bowling and a barbecue buffet. The next day, Branden and Meagan planned a “him & her”-themed day, where guests could join the bride for a scenic hike to a waterfall at the base of Mount Baldy, or accompany the groom for a indoor K1 go-kart racing.

That night, the couple hosted their rehearsal dinner at PV’s Prime Grill & Tequila with their wedding party and immediate family members. Meagan’s father, Fred Tandy, gave a champagne toast with Perduret, a sparkling honey wine from Pearson Brothers Winery. “Perduret means ‘to endure,’ and we thought that would be a good ode to toast to as every marriage is built on endurance,” Branden notes.

On Sunday, the wedding unfolded at sunset. The couple chose venue in Lytle Creek because they share a love for the outdoors and saw the picturesque venue as “an opportunity to create a romantic oasis and literally dance the night away under the stars,” Meagan says.

“Having the mountains as our backdrop sealed the deal,” the Teen Wolf star adds.

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Complementing their wedding color palette of black and white with accents of gold, Meagan and Branden asked their guests to wear formal, all-black attire. “We wanted to create a black-tie formal elegant vibe where our guests felt like they were a part of something classy and exclusive,” the former Miss USA contestant explains.

Event design firm Striking Elegance helped transform the venue into the couple’s dream wedding space.

While the venue offers all-inclusive wedding packages — and therefore took care of handling most of the vendors — it was Meagan who oversaw the many small details that made the event unique to her and Branden, using the skills she’s honed planning her annual Girl Talk Conference.

Branden, who has a background in voiceover, pitched in by using his audio engineering knowledge to create special song mash-ups for the wedding. “When we first started dating, there were a few songs from Daniel Caesar and Childish Gambino that narrated our love story. We found ways to incorporate those songs into the ceremony so that we had an even more personal nod to our journey together,” he tells PEOPLE.

Branden’s father, Timothy Wellington Sr., who is a minister in Indianapolis, officiated the ceremony, which incorporated Christian traditions including communion. The bride and groom read handwritten letters to each other before reciting traditional vows and exchanging rings from Peter Pheng Young of IntaGems & Diamonds.

Meagan wore four different custom Sherri Hill bridal looks. The groom and the groomsmen were styled by Al Wright from Al’s Modern Clothing & Shoes in Indianapolis. Alterations for both the women’s and men’s attire was overseen by Brently Pearson from Stitch On The Go.

The music-loving couple created “a whole playlist” for their wedding, kicking off with “Family Reunion” by The O’Jays as Timothy took his place at the altar. The groom and the wedding party walked in to an instrumental version of “Get You” by Daniel Caesar, which was a nod to Branden and Meagan’s first date.

Then, the bride made her walk down the aisle to “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar (featuring H.E.R.). After the couple was declared husband and wife, “Summertime Magic” by Childish Gambino played.

Following the reception, the newlyweds and their guests enjoyed a three-course plated dinner with entrées including classic alfredo chicken, grilled mushroom flank steak with Merlot sauce, and butternut squash ravioli with vegetables. The menu also featured a Granny Smith salad, scalloped potatoes, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and fresh-cut green beans with almond slices.

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The couple chose a three-tier wedding cake with three decadent flavors: banana spice cake with Bavarian cream, yellow cake with strawberry buttercream and strawberry cake with salted caramel buttercream.

For Branden and Meagan’s first dance, Loren Wilkerson performed a mash-up of “Blessed” by Daniel Caesar and “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. “The lyrics to both of these songs really encompass our journey together. On one hand, it’s a beautiful wonder that we found each other and on the other hand, we know we both have our own imperfections and mess — but we’re incredibly blessed to have each other’s love,” Meagan says.

The couple had Ashley Mayer Tocchet, a friend from Dancing with the Stars, choreograph a waltz for them to perform. “We wanted to do something that felt elegant and timeless,” the bride adds.

Branden fondly recalls the rehearsals for the waltz, which he says offered “a place where we were able to escape for a moment and find joy and laughter together” amid the stress of wedding planning.

After the couple’s first dance, violist Brigham Welch performed a solo of “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. Meagan also shared a Motown funk self-choreographed dance with her dad, and Branden danced with his mom, Lisa Dickerson.

To help get the party started, Meagan’s brother, Chris Tandy — who is the owner of Diversity Sounds DJ Services — provided the musical vibes, led by DjBSelecta on the turntables and emcee duties. DJ Creelz also did a special set.

Meagan and Branden’s love story first began in 2017, when they met in Atlanta while Meagan was filming the TV show Survivor’s Remorse. The pair squeezed in a date — miniature golfing, followed by a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden — before Branden flew back to New York City to film the final season of Orange Is the New Black. They made their relationship official in 2018, and five years later, Branden popped the question to Meagan on Christmas Day in 2023.

Now that she and Branden have tied the knot, Meagan tells PEOPLE she is excited to “share life’s journey with someone special.”

“I grew up in a loving family that deeply shaped who I am today,” she says. “For me, life has always been about connection, and I never saw it as something to navigate alone.”

For Branden, marriage represents a “rite of passage” into manhood and fatherhood. “I’ll be the sixth generation married in my family, so it’s something I’ve looked forward to for a while,” the actor tells PEOPLE. “I’m fueled by knowledge and most looking forward to learning new ways to love the same person for a lifetime.”