On Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the gorgeous Casa Lago Beverly Hills, producer and actor DeVon Franklin and fitness coach Maria Castillo tied the knot in a beautiful lakeside celebration in front of the Los Angeles skyline. The ceremony was officiated by Pastor Toure Roberts. It was planned and designed by Nicole Dohrman of Dreams in Detail. White flowers by Butterfly Florals lined the curved aisle and adorned the altar. Soul food and Dominican eats were on the menu thanks to Annie’s Soul Delicious and Chef Vic Ramos. And a who’s who of stars and good friends of the couple were on hand to help them honor their love: Kelly Rowland, Franklin’s Divorced Sistas co-star LeToya Luckett, singer Major., Pastor Michael Todd of Transformation Church, and more. It was a beautiful gathering filled with love, laughter, and plenty of joy.
A few days before the big day, I got to ask the couple about what was to come and their journey to “I do.” It all started when they were introduced around Easter 2024 by his friend and former fitness trainer, Mike Trusdale. Working in the same business as Maria, Mike connected the two. “He sent me Maria’s IG profile and asked, ‘What do you think of her?’ I said, ‘Well, she’s stunning,'” DeVon shares. “And he said, ‘She thinks the same thing about you.’ I said, ‘Oh really?'”
After the two chatted on the phone about Maria, including her strong Christian, Southern values, and her interest in him, Mike encouraged him not to wait too long to make a move. “So, I flew back to L.A. on the morning of Easter 2024. I went home, changed, and then Mike, Maria, his mother, and I all got together for Easter brunch. That was our first meeting. Then, Maria and I went on our first date about a week later, and we’ve been together ever since.”
The two realized they were meant to be because they felt the same way when in each other’s company—at peace. “There was no striving, no pretending, just a sense of safety and being fully seen,” Maria tells us.
“She is love,” DeVon adds. “She is, to me, the personification of love.”
For the film producer, author, speaker, and burgeoning actor, Maria was more than worth taking the leap back into marriage for. Following his high-profile divorce in 2022, he poured himself into preparing for the next chapter, including by focusing on really getting to know who he is and what he wants and needs.
“I’d say I show up more as my true self now, because I know myself better,” he says. “I’ve done the inner work, and that’s allowed me to bring more of who I am into this relationship. One of the biggest lessons from the past was understanding self-love, and going on that journey has given me the tools to show up as a more loving, present, and whole partner.”
And for both parties, leaning on their faith has created the foundation necessary to walk into their union with the peace they’ve embraced. “Faith shapes everything for us,” DeVon says. “We truly believe God brought us together. When we reflect on all that we each went through, individually, and the timing of our meeting, it really feels like divine timing.”
“We pray together, we seek God for guidance, and we’ve learned that love rooted in Christ is patient, selfless, and enduring,” Maria says. “Our faith reminds us that marriage is a covenant, not just a celebration, and that we’re building something sacred.”
Check out the ways in which the couple honored that covenant, with help from those who love them most, in this week’s Bridal Bliss.
“He told me all about her, how amazing she is, that she’s from the Dominican Republic but was raised in South Carolina, that she’s a Christian with strong Southern values, and all these things,” DeVon recalls of his introduction to Maria through friend Mike Trusdale. “He mentioned that she had brought me up to him too, and he really believed we’d hit it off. He also urged me not to wait. He said, ‘Man, she’s not going to be on the market long. You better move quick.’”
“What made him unforgettable was his consistency, his intentionality, and the way he honored me from the start,” Maria says of DeVon. “He carried strength with humility, and his pursuit of me mirrored the kind of love I had prayed for.”
The ceremony, in Beverly Hills at Casa Lago, was a lakeside moment. Violinist Jeremy Green played the bride in. The aisle, brought to life by Dreams in Detail, was adorned with white florals. And guests, from famous folks to close friends and family, were on hand in support.
Maria wore a gown and veil from designer Galia Lahav. She’s pictured being led down the aisle by her father. “When you know, you know,” DeVon noted of realizing she was his person. “Peace. That’s the biggest indicator. There’s just a deep peace in your spirit when you’ve found the right person.”
“Early in our relationship, Maria had just come out of something very difficult and was in a healing season. She expressed to me that she was concerned because of where she was emotionally about getting involved before fully healing. And I told her, ‘I don’t believe God brought me into your life to hurt you. Maybe I’m meant to be part of your healing journey,’” says the groom. “That took a lot of faith on her part to lean into. And over the course of our relationship, she’s seen that to be true. Everyone heals in their own time and way, but having the right love and support during that process makes all the difference. Faith has been our foundation since day one. We’re both Christian, we both love the Lord, and we seek God’s hand in every step of our journey together.”
“Faith is the foundation of everything for us,” Maria adds. “Individually, it keeps us grounded and accountable. Together, it gives our relationship purpose beyond ourselves.”
“I’m looking forward to being her husband, that’s exciting,” DeVon shares. “Just doing life together. I look forward to the quiet days at home, watching TV, doing regular things that husbands and wives get to do.”
Pastor Michael Todd and wife Natalie were on hand, in coordinating pink, to see the pair become one.
Singer and actress Kelly Rowland also enjoyed the festivities of the day, looking gorgeous as always.
“What I’m looking forward to most in married life is being his helpmate and safe space as he chases his God-given dreams,” Maria says. “I can’t wait to be the one who prays with him, cheers him on, and holds him steady when things get hard.”
The happy couple make their big entrance at the reception, a space filled with more of their stunning white floral arrangements, from ceiling to floor. (And a lovely cake from Butter Cake Shoppe!)
The couple are pictured with their friend, “Why I Love You” crooner Major.
DeVon’s Divorced Sistas co-star LeToya Luckett and her husband Taleo Coles, wearing complementary champagne shades, were all smiles alongside the new Mr. and Mrs.
“Our lives are very full, which is a blessing, so I really look forward to those peaceful, simple moments. And if you ask Maria what she’s most excited about, I’m pretty sure she’ll say finally getting a dog, she’s been waiting on that!” DeVon says. “But for me, it’s being her husband, starting this next chapter. Marriage isn’t the finish line; it’s the starting line. And I’m so excited we get to start this journey together and see where God takes us.”
“I’m excited to be a witness to his life — not just the highlight moments, but all of it. The quiet mornings, the little routines, the unexpected turns, and the big wins,” adds Maria. “Doing life side by side, from the most ordinary days to the most extraordinary ones, is the part I cherish most.”
Vendors
Photographer: Andrew Bayda
Wedding Planner and Designer: Nicole Dohrman of Dreams in Detail
Officiant: Pastor Touré Roberts
Catering: Annie’s Soul Delicious
Violist: Jeremy Green
Event Rentals: Event City LA and Town and Country Event Rentals
Florals: Butterfly Floral
Videographer: Love Story Films
Bride’s MUA: Haley Marie
Bridal Hair: Clarese Creates
Groom’s Barber: Goose the Barber of Legends Barbershop