An optical assembly includes an optical ferrule including a light redirecting member configured to receive light from an optical waveguide along a first direction and redirect the light along a different second direction, the redirected light exiting the optical ferrule at an exit location on a mating surface of the optical ferrule, and a cradle with a mating surface and configured to hold and align the optical ferrule to an optical component, wherein the mating surface of the optical ferrule and the mating surface of the cradle are held together by a magnetic attraction between opposing magnetic elements, wherein the optical ferrule and the cradle, but not the opposing elements, physically contact each other.