Olivia Culpo’s Sisters Weren’t Shocked by Wedding Dress Hate (Exclusive)
Olivia Culpo’s two sisters will always come to her defense, even if they don’t believe there’s anything to defend in the first place.
While speaking to PEOPLE about their partnership with Thorne, Aurora, 35, and Sophia Culpo, 27, looked back on their middle sister’s June wedding to NFL star Christian McCaffrey, 28, this past June. The sisters-of-the-bride also recalled some of the unexpected fashion criticism that followed her Rhode Island nuptials.
On her big day, Olivia, 32, wore a conservative, long-sleeve Dolce & Gabbana wedding dress, because as she told Vogue ahead of their wedding, she “didn’t want it to exude sex in any way, shape or form.” Social media users were quick to tear the look apart and voice their harsh opinions and judgments, eventually prompting the bride and groom to personally respond.
Months later, Olivia’s older and younger sisters tell PEOPLE that they were equally outraged by the mean-spirited comments, though they’re all too aware of the hurtful words some sling at public figures online.
“Social media can be so toxic, and I do think people will say anything for views. They’ll use any language to start a controversy just for their own personal gain,” says Sophia. “To do it on someone’s wedding day, I think that’s really tasteless.”
Agreeing with her little sibling, Aurora adds, “I think for anybody to comment on anybody’s personal choice in a wedding dress is just pretty absurd.”
The mom of two continued to recall how the family was more “taken aback” by “the audacity” of Olivia’s haters than anything else.
“I wish I could say I was surprised, but people love to ruin a beautiful moment,” says Aurora.
In addition to their strongest shows of sisterly solidarity, Sophia and Aurora also told PEOPLE about how they can focus on their individual needs and still support each other simultaneously. Partnering with Thorne, the Culpos are able to curate their own wellness plans by taking the brand’s health tests and selecting vitamins and supplements to suit their situations.
Sophia tells PEOPLE she’s dealt with autoimmune issues, so gut health was her top when she embarked on her wellness journey. Since finding supplements that “really helped to heal the inflammation and the damage in my gut,” Sophia says she’s been able to explore new means of improving herself.
“I’m at a point where I feel healthy, and I’m just maintaining that wellness,” the former nutritional student explains. “I am getting a little bit older, so I guess healthy aging is a new thing that I’ve been peppering into all my supplements.”
And as Sophia enters a new era of her well-being and begins to think about her health progression, she’s tapped Thorne’s Advanced Nutrients supplements and the support of her eldest sister, who has a few more years of managing aging as it relates to wellness.
Aurora says she prioritizes “keeping my brain sharp and my body as energized as possible.” She takes one of her favorite Thorne products, the 5-HTP capsules, right before bed give her a serotonin boost that promotes restful sleep. “That contributes to a healthy, happy brain,” says the Barely Filtered podcast host, who shares son Remi, 6, and daughter Soleil, 4, with ex-husband Michael “Mikey” Bortone.
“I don’t really have an option to not be sharp,” adds Aurora. “I’m a single mom, so there’s a lot of juggling that I have to do. And if I don’t remember something, no one’s going to remember it for me. I just feel like the stakes are pretty high, and I need to keep my brain in tip-top condition.”