Inside Cassie Ventura’s Intimate, Black-Tie Backyard Wedding in Malibu (2024)

Recording artist, actress, and model Cassie Ventura, known simply as Cassie, met wellness consultant Alex Fine, unsurprisingly, at the gym. Right from the beginning, they talked about marriage, but soon after they started dating, they discovered the happy news that she was pregnant with a baby girl. “We decided to plan a wedding for this past summer after debating between getting married before or after the baby came,” Cassie, who is due in December, explains. Ultimately, they decided on before. And when it came to the official engagement, she adds, “I knew that Alex was designing a ring, but I honestly wasn’t expecting a super elaborate proposal because we already had the wedding date set, but he planned such a beautiful experience for me. I was so surprised!”

The day of the proposal, Cassie had plans to meet Alex, who was on location with the Compton Cowboys. “He told me to come ready because we were driving straight to dinner to celebrate my birthday early that night as my family was coming into town,” she remembers. “I was running a little late, so he called me to check in.” Cassie pulled up just before the sun went down, and Compton Cowboys leader Randy Savvy came out front to welcome her with flowers. “At that point, I got so nervous, but was also really excited.”

She walked around back and heard Stevie Wonder playing over the speakers. “The first thing I saw was the guys on their horses waving at me,” she says. “I looked up and saw our initials tied up above them, then Alex came around on his horse. When he got down on one knee, everything just stopped. I felt like I lost my sense of hearing; I just saw his mouth moving, and he said ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you.’” From there, Alex took Cassie to Playa del Rey, where the couple’s friends Shane and Trista had set up dinner and a bonfire on the beach. “I will never forget how special Alex made me feel that night,” Cassie says.

Since the proposal was right before the wedding, planning quickly commenced. They knew from the start that they wanted to keep it intimate, and they stuck to that. There were 14 guests total—all close family. “We wanted a simple venue with a beautiful view that felt warm and romantic,” Cassie says. “We wanted the aesthetic to reflect how comfortable and content we feel with each other.” They worked with event planner Melissa Andre to coordinate everything in just two weeks.

“Melissa was a magician with the planning,” Cassie says. “Being that I was seven months pregnant, it wasn’t easy finding a dress in such a short time frame, so I worked with my stylists and friends Marni Senofonte and Deonte Nash to create a custom look with our tailor Arturo and his daughter Christina from Rancho Tailors.”

A few days after picking the wedding date, Cassie spent a week and a half getting the dress made. “I spent one afternoon with Deo and Marni going through inspiration and during that time we settled on a silhouette and fabrication,” she explains. She wanted the dress to feel romantic but comfortable for what she describes as her “intimate backyard wedding.” They did billowy, off-the-shoulder sleeves for romance and a high slit for movement. “When it came to this moment in my life, I knew that [it was] the easier the better for me,” she says.“We chose to create the lace veil to give it a touch of the classic.” She then paired it all with Jimmy Choo shoes and simple studs. The groom wore Musika styled by Paris Libby, while all of the male guests were in black tuxes and the women were asked to wear cream.

The ceremony was performed by close friend and director Peter Berg, the man behind the hit series Friday Night Lights. The bride carried a bouquet with both of her grandmother’s rings tied into it, and walked down the aisle to Kina Grannis, “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” The couple wrote their own vows, and recited them while standing in a lush floral semi-circle lined with candles, as the sun set on Malibu in the background. “I felt really relaxed during the ceremony,” Cassie says. “As soon as I saw Alex, any nerves that I did have went away, and I just couldn’t stop smiling.”

At the reception, Melissa designed a centerpiece with hundreds of candles melting into one another, and situated it atop the long dining table. “Since we didn’t use a traditional wedding venue, she was able to create a one-of-a-kind centerpiece,” Cassie explains. Melissa strung gorgeous lights between the trees with the goal of making the space feel like a hidden oasis. “It was dramatic, subtle, magical, and tranquil all at the same time. She knows my style and I love her taste so I could just sit back and enjoy my wedding wonderland.” The newlyweds did their first dance to “Tennessee Whiskey” and after an evening of celebrating with family and friends, they ordered a heart-shaped pizza to top it all off.