Bride Whose Wedding Zendaya Witnessed Hints What Last Name She Signed on Marriage License (Exclusive)

Ashlyn RobinetteTue, March 17, 2026 at 4:26 PM UTC

0

Zendaya signing the marriage license; Alana Haim, Payton Whitmore, and ZendayaCredit: A24/Instagram -

Payton Whitmore and Kadeem Strickland wed at The Drama wedding chapel in Las Vegas on March 14

Zendaya was a surprise witness, even signing the marriage license

Whitmore hints to PEOPLE what last name Zendaya signed

Ever since Zendaya surprised Arizona-based couple Payton Whitmore and Kadeem Strickland by serving as a witness to their Las Vegas ceremony at The Drama wedding chapel on Saturday, March 14, the newlyweds have been hounded with one question: What last name did Zendaya sign on their marriage license?

"It's been absolutely insane," says Whitmore, who teased in a viral TikTok post, "I’m not tellin’ either!" but opened up to PEOPLE about the "crazy" situation.

Zendaya —who stars alongside Robert Pattinson in A24's romantic black comedy, The Drama — is rumored to have privately tied the knot with Tom Holland, following her longtime stylist Law Roach's wedding claim and her multiple outings wearing what appears to be a wedding band. Aware of all this marriage buzz at the time of her A24-sponsored wedding, Whitmore congratulated Zendaya too during the 20 minutes the actress spent with the couple and their loved ones after the ceremony.

"I was like, 'Congratulations to you too, girl. Like, I know you got a lot going on,' " Whitmore recalls to PEOPLE. "She was so sweet. She put her hands on her chest and was just like, 'Thank you so much.' "

Zendaya signing the marriage licenseCredit: ACES / BACKGRID;A24/Instagram

Whitmore, who grew up watching Zendaya on Disney Channel, says it was "such a surreal moment" when the Shake It Up alum popped through the doors while she was at the altar. Guests were also "freaking out." And no, she doesn't think that Zendaya or her costar Alana Haim (who performed a DJ set) stole the spotlight. She shares, "That was such an awesome and epic moment for everyone."

While Whitmore, 27, and Strickland, 29, never expected Zendaya, 29, to "full-on crash the wedding," they were even more shocked when she signed their marriage license. Of course, they also took a peek at Zendaya's full name.

"It's definitely gonna go in the frame for sure," Whitmore says. "I keep getting the question of 'Which last name did she sign?' So that one's been really kind of fun to kind of keep my lips locked on. I feel like we all now — me, Kadeem, Zendaya, and Tom Holland — are in on a little secret, so it's pretty fun."

Whether Zendaya signed as Zendaya Coleman, Zendaya Holland, or a hyphenated version remains a mystery. Whitmore predicts that "eventually the reveal will come out" once her marriage license and certificate become public record, but she doesn't want to spill the beans before then.

"I don't know if I'll ever say it. I don't know. I might let them do it. I think I want to stay off their business," she says. "I'm like, 'Girl, you pulled up to my wedding. Let me let me keep your business on the down low.' "

Advertisement

Zendaya reflected on Whitmore and Strickland's wedding during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, March 16.

"They did not know that I was going to be there, so I got to surprise them. Thankfully, they were happy about the surprise. I was like, 'Can you imagine you open up like, 'Uh, what are you doing here, girl?' But no, it went well and they are a beautiful couple."

Whitmore and Strickland met in college in 2019, where they were on the women's and men's basketball teams, respectively. Their friendship eventually blossomed into something more, resulting in them quarantining together during the COVID-19 pandemic. They then dated long distance for about a year until Strickland moved out to Arizona. Strickland popped the question in May 2025, so the two were engaged for less than a year before their Las Vegas wedding.

Earlier this month, Whitmore was working on a celebrity news segment for the Johnjay & Rich morning radio show when she came across A24's call for couple submissions. Knowing she "didn't want your typical traditional wedding" and would rather save money, she figured she'd apply "for the fun of it." The following week, she and Strickland were selected.

"We found out eight days before we came, so it was insane," Whitmore says.

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

From left to right: Alana Haim, Payton Whitmore, Kadeem Strickland, and ZendayaCredit: A24/Instagram

Strickland was initially hesitant because he worried the wedding "was too quick of a turnaround," but was eventually on board with the idea.

"We actually were planning on an October wedding, and we decided to scrap all those major plans, call our closest friends and family, and hop on some planes and get in some cars and get to Vegas," Whitmore explains.

Whitmore and Strickland are "still trying to decompress from the insanity of it all," so they have yet to plan their honeymoon. However, they're "really excited" to see The Drama, which hits theaters on Friday, April 3.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”