Why Olivia Culpo Chose a Modest Wedding Gown: ‘I Didn’t Want to Exude Sex in Any Way’

The former Miss Universe wore a custom Dolce & Gabbana gown featuring a crew neck and long sleeves for her June 29 wedding to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey

Olivia Culpo is opening up about her choice to wear a modest gown on her wedding day.

In an interview with Vogue published on Saturday, June 29 — the same day as her Rhode Island nuptials to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey — the former Miss Universe, 32, reflected on her choice to wear a full-coverage gown when she walked down the aisle.

“I didn’t want it to exude sex in any way, shape or form,” Culpo said of her Dolce & Gabbana crepe ball gown, which featured a crew neck, long sleeves and buttons down the back.

“I wanted it to feel effortless and as if it’s complementing me, not overpowering me. There’s so much beauty and simplicity,” she added of the gown, which she paired with a 16-foot-long lace veil, as well as minimal makeup.

“When I think about Christian 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,” she added.

The model also opened up to Vogue about the process of designing her gown, which was heavily influenced by the couple’s decision to get married in a church in the coastal Westerly neighborhood of Watch Hill. Although Culpo had visions of long sleeves and a more modest look, she said she couldn’t find exactly what she wanted online — which only inspired her more.

That’s what made me even more excited about this vision,” she told the magazine.

Culpo worked with a Dolce & Gabbana designer to sketch out her dream dress, and the look came together on their first try.

“It was exactly the same as the original sketch,” she told Vogue. “This is the first, last and only wedding dress I tried on.”

Culpo and her now-husband have shared lots of fashionable moments in the days leading up to their wedding. On Wednesday, June 26, McCaffrey, 28, shared an Instagram post with a series of photos alongside his then-fiancée outside a courthouse.

Several of the shots showed McCaffrey in a light-colored suit, a white T-shirt and a pair of brown leather shoes, while Culpo wore a white button-down blouse with cap sleeves and a pleated midi-length white skirt. In one photo, she completed her chic look with a wide-brimmed hat featuring a floral piece and in another, she sported a short veil attached to a white headband.

The couple announced their engagement in April 2023, sharing photos from their Utah vacation proposal in a joint Instagram post at the time. One photo offered a glimpse of Culpo’s ring, which features a large oval diamond and epaulette side stones.

Culpo told PEOPLE at the time that she was “so excited” about the engagement. “It’s been the thrill of a lifetime, honestly,” she said of saying “yes” to McCaffrey.