Exclusive: Inside DeVon Franklin And Mario Castillo's Star-Studded Wedding In Beverly Hills - 360WiSE®

Exclusive: Inside DeVon Franklin And Maria Castillo's Star-Studded Wedding In Beverly Hills

Andrew Bayda/@andrew_bayla

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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.”

Andrew Bayda/@andrew_bayla

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.