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NFL star Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo officially tied the knot during a coastal wedding ceremony over the weekend.
The 28-year-old San Francisco 49ers player and the 32-year-old former Miss Universe pageant winner tied the knot on Saturday, June 29, in Culpo's home state of Rhode Island. The star-studded ceremony (attended by Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece and Denmark, Victoria's Secret model Devon Windsor and several NFL players) was held at Rhode Island's Watch Hill Chapel.
Culpo walked down the aisle in a modest white gown with long sleeves and a scoop neckline that covered the entire back, custom designed by Dolce & Gabbana. “I didn’t want it to exude sex in any way,” the model told Fashion about her wedding dress in an interview published Saturday.
Culpo described marriage as a “covenant” and wanted her wedding dress to reflect the importance of the occasion. “It’s the beginning of the rest of your life, and it’s the union and bond of two people forever,” Culpo said. “I wanted something that felt as serious as that commitment.”
The custom gown reportedly took months to design alongside the Italian fashion house. In addition to a 5-meter lace veil, the ball gown also featured a flowing skirt with a buttoned back and a low waist. “I wanted it to look effortless and to complement me, not overpower me,” Culpo explained. “There’s so much beauty and simplicity.”
When the Dolce & Gabbana atelier presented its sketch to Culpo, the former beauty pageant winner said it had absolutely no notes. “It was exactly the same as the original sketch,” she said. Fashion about the dress she eventually wore to her wedding. “This is the first, last and only wedding dress I ever tried on.”
She also opted for a minimal look, with no mascara, lip liner or eyebrow makeup, and wore her hair up with a middle part. However, Culpo included a touch of opulence in her wedding look with a pair of 15-carat De Beers diamond earrings.
Culpo explained that her decision to wear a modest wedding dress was inspired by her relationship with McCaffrey, which began when they sparked romance rumors in 2019. “When I think about Christian and what he loves and the moments where he thinks I’m the most beautiful, it’s absolutely something like this: timeless, draped and elegant,” she said.
As for the reception, which took place at Ocean House, a historic resort in Watch Hill, Culpo wore another Dolce & Gabbana design: a high-waisted, off-the-shoulder chiffon gown with a handmade silk flower at the neckline. The cocktail hour menu included champagne and lobster rolls, according to Fashionas guests were guided towards the dinner tent through a floral arch filled with roses, peonies and hydrangeas.
As her friends and family headed to the dance floor, Culpo changed into her third and final bridal outfit: a silk bodysuit with a fishnet miniskirt, both embellished with handmade organza flowers and accessorized with tulle gloves and a satin flower choker.
“Both Christian and I felt like our wedding weekend marked the beginning of our life together as a family,” Culpo added. “I wanted everything to be intimate, but also to embrace the seriousness of the moment.”
The couple announced their engagement on Instagram in April 2023. McCaffrey popped the question during a trip to Utah, and black-and-white photos showed the athlete getting down on one knee. Another image also showed Culpo's massive engagement ring, which featured a large oval diamond in the center of the epaulette stones.
Culpo supported her then-fiancé during his recent NFL season, which saw the 49ers compete against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 Super Bowl. In January, when McCaffrey’s team clinched its spot in the Super Bowl, Culpo took to Instagram to congratulate her partner on the accomplishment.
“You deserve everything, Christian,” she wrote in the caption of a video in which they are seen hugging each other on the field. “I love you so much.”
The running back's team lost to the Chiefs 22 to 25 during Super Bowl LVIII.
