DeVon Franklin, the renowned preacher, producer, and bestselling author, has officially tied the knot with celebrity fitness trainer Maria Castillo in a romantic and “deeply spiritual” lakeside ceremony at Casa Lago Beverly Hills on August 2, 2025. The couple’s nuptials, exclusively featured in People magazine, brought together a star-studded guest list.
Franklin and Castillo’s love story began roughly a year ago when they were introduced by a mutual friend and trainer, Mike Trusdale, who believed they were a perfect match. Trusdale arranged a brunch that sparked an instant connection, and the couple has been inseparable since. Their relationship went public in October 2024 at The Pink Awards in Georgia, followed by appearances at the Merge Awards Gala and the 2025 BET Awards.
Franklin proposed to Castillo a few months later, on December 27, 2024, during a romantic sunset photoshoot in Hawaii. “Finding Maria has been one of God’s greatest blessings in my life,” Franklin shared in an interview.
The newlyweds exchanged vows in a ceremony that People described as a “culinary fusion” of their cultures, blending Franklin’s African American roots with Castillo’s Dominican heritage. The wedding was meticulously planned to reflect their shared values and love story. “The vision was to create something that feels like us and brings our friends and family into our love story,” Franklin told People.
The guest list included celebrities like Kelly Rowland, Tim Witherspoon, LeToya Luckett, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Tyler Lepley, and more.
This is Franklin’s second marriage, following his highly publicized divorce from actress Meagan Good in 2022 after nearly a decade together. The former couple, who met on the set of Jumping the Broom in 2011.
Franklin, known for producing films like Miracles from Heaven and authoring bestsellers like The Wait, has been open about his healing journey post-divorce. In a conversation with Nick Cannon, he shared that the split shook his belief system but ultimately led to personal growth, paving the way for his relationship with Castillo, a rising star in the fitness world known for her Flawed & Fit program, which has trained A-listers like Angela Simmons among others.
