Olivia Culpo had a very specific game plan when it came to her wedding dress.
Excited to officially legally entwine herself with her teammate of five years, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, "I wanted something that felt as serious as that commitment," she explained to Vogue in a story published June 29, the same day she walked down the aisle to the athlete in Watch Hill, R.I.
So the former Miss Universe partnered with Dolce & Gabbana to dream up an original creation.
“I didn’t want it to exude sex in any way, shape, or form,” she explained of the long-sleeve crepe crew neck ball gown that she paired with a 16-foot lace veil and little makeup, even foregoing mascara. “I wanted it to feel effortless and as if it’s complimenting me, not overpowering me. There’s so much beauty and simplicity.”
With her and McCaffrey's "number one priority" to be wed in a church, she worked with the Italian design house to craft a gown with long sleeves, a crew neck and a drop waist that would elongate her torso. And she signed off on the brand's very first sketch.
Plus, a thorough search of the internet without finding anything similar only sweetened the deal for the 32-year-old.
“That’s what made me even more excited about this vision,” she explained. And the version she wore when swapping vows with the 28-year-old Stanford University alum "was exactly the same as the original sketch,” she revealed. “This is the first, last, and only wedding dress I tried on.”
As they say, when you know, you know.
And Culpo was confident her pick was a winner. “When I think about Christian," she explained, "and what he loves and the moments that he thinks that I’m most beautiful, it’s absolutely in something like this: timeless, covered, and elegant."
Other non-negotiables for the day—which saw her siblings and fellow Culpo Sisters stars Sophia Culpo and Aurora Culpo by her side—"Obviously my groom," Culpo joked to E! News in March. "He definitely has to be there."
Also a part of her lineup were some key party-starters.
"I love champagne, so I need to have a good champagne," Culpo added of her wish list. "I love tequila. Great food and then great friends and good energy. Just fun times."
The petal-strewn private jet to take them to their ceremony spot in her home state was just a bonus.
"Groom, family, great weather," Culpo detailed to E! of her necessary Xs and Os. "Actually, you know what? I'm going to leave the weather part out because whatever happens, happens."
Though the sun did appear to shine on their nuptials. As the pair hustle off into their future, relive every moment of their sweet, winning love story.
So Proud
Olivia Culpo showed some love to Christian McCaffrey after he broke Jerry Rice's franchise record for most consecutive games with a touchdown in October 2023.
Biggest Cheerleader
The former Miss Universe cheered on her man from the sidelines in September 2023.
Engaged!
The couple celebrated their engagement at a garden party in July 2023.
Before Easter 2023, Olivia and Christian booked an RV for a special spring break vacation.
Olivia marked her three-year anniversary in June 2022. She called Christian "the yin to my yang," writing, "you are the epitome of strength through humility. Thank you for being my rock and restoring my faith in love. You are everything I ever dreamed of and more."
Olivia and Christan have treated fans to a few PDA-filled social media posts during their relationship.
During a vacation to Mexico, Olivia and Christian turned up the heat with a beachside photo.
"3 years of NYE kisses with you," Olivia shared on Instagram when kicking off 2022. "Time flies @christianmccaffrey."
During Super Bowl weekend in 2020, Christian and Olivia attended AT&T TV's Super Saturday Night.
"To my beautiful woman," Christian wrote on Valentine's Day 2021. "1/10 from the free throw line, 10/10 in my heart."
"Tis' *almost* the season," Olivia wrote on Instagram before the 2021 NFL season kicked off.
"You are the hardest worker with the biggest heart," Olivia wrote on Instagram when celebrating their anniversary in June 2021. "Getting to see you work your butt off every single day to make your dreams come true has been such an inspiration to me and your sincerity in everything you do makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world."
Here's to many more memories on and off any football field.