Screens display a message referencing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce outside Madison Square Garden in New York on July 3.Adam Gray/Reuters
It’s official: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married. Swift’s longtime publicist, Tree Paine, confirmed the event happened on July 3, along with scant details regarding the big day, including who officiated and which designer the bride and groom tapped for their wedding day looks. But social media gave plenty of clues as to who was in attendance at the star-studded affair, what they ate and why the couple chose the enormous Madison Square Garden arena as their venue. Here’s everything you need to know.
The basics
The power couple tied the knot at Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 3, with none other than comedian Adam Sandler officiating the ceremony. The couple opted to forgo formal wedding parties, choosing instead to have only Swift’s brother, Austin Swift, serve as her man of honour, and Kelce’s brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center, Jason, as best man. According to Swift’s publicist, the bride and groom’s looks were created by Christian Dior – helmed by creative director Jonathan Anderson – and accessorized with Cartier jewelry and Christian Louboutin shoes, though no official pictures have been released.
The venue
Aerial view of Madison Square Garden in New York.Evan Agostini/The Associated Press
In the days leading up to the big event, fans and spectators questioned the couple’s choice of venue, even positing that the Madison Square Garden setup could be a smoke screen devised to distract from a different, perhaps more private wedding location. The arena did end up hosting the nuptials, but still some wondered: why Madison Square Garden?
“Arenas have made both of their careers. I think it’s probably a place where they both feel pretty comfortable,” said celebrity wedding planner Michelle Rago in an interview with The Globe. Her New York-based firm, Michelle Rago Destinations, was tapped to carry out the Palm Beach, Fla., marriage of Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz.
“It was also a smart choice from a security perspective. Once you’re inside MSG, it’s basically like a spaceship. Plus, it’s a massive arena with a huge amount of floor space, incredible sound and technological capabilities and lots of special, tucked-away areas that the general public doesn’t get to access.”
“You could build Central Park in there if you wanted to. There are no limitations.”
Photos have yet to emerge of how, exactly, the 19,500-seat venue with soaring 150-foot ceilings was transformed into a suitable space for a wedding. But images of delivery trucks dropping off equipment including drapery, a mirror ball, lighting, greenery and foliage, and more all gave credence to the notion that the wedding was garden party-themed to match the setting of the couple’s proposal (and perhaps it’s no coincidence it ties into the name of the venue itself).
Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, from friendship bracelets to wedding rings
The guest list
Throngs of celebrities descended upon The Big Apple ahead of the event, which was said to have officially kicked off with a wedding ceremony at 5:30 p.m. on July 3, followed by a reception and other festivities. (The rehearsal dinner took place the day prior, at MSG’s Infosys Theater, according to the New York Times.) In attendance were some 1,000 of the pop star and football player’s friends and colleagues, including singers Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, Sombr, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Jennifer Lopez, Benson Boone and Camila Cabello.
British actor Hugh Grant and Swedish producer Anna Elisabet Eberstein arrive at Madison Square Garden on July 3.KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images
Actors Reese Witherspoon, Dakota Johnson, Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke, Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, Zoe Kravitz (sans Harry Styles) and Bradley Cooper were also in attendance, as were models Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss. National Football League players from teams including the New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks and of course, the Kansas City Chiefs, such as Kareem Hunt, Cooper Kupp and Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, were present as well.
Singer Benson Boone arrives at Madison Square Garden on July 3, wearing oversized shades and formal attire.Brendan McDermid/Reuters
A few Canadians even made it on the invite list, as hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Calgary-born singer-songwriter Tate McRae also appeared to have attended the wedding.
What was on the wedding menu?
Everything from lobster to Krispy Kreme donuts was said to have been consumed inside MSG during the wedding, but the official menu hasn’t been confirmed. Given the venue, Ms. Rago said “comfort food done well” would have been fitting. “Apparently they both love street food and a good drive-thru, so it could have been a black tie dinner with items like southern fried chicken, pan-fried gravy and the best champagne – that sort of thing.”
Were there any musical performances?
Stevie Nicks performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York on March 29, 2019.Evan Agostini/The Associated Press
Guests reported that music legend Stevie Nicks delivered a special performance during the wedding. Swift and Nicks have a special history: the duo performed together at the 2010 edition of the Grammy Awards (singing both “You Belong With Me” and “Rhiannon”), and Nicks even penned a poem that was included in vinyl editions of Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department album. Paul McCartney was also rumoured to have performed.
Related: Why is everyone so fascinated with Taylor Swift’s wedding?
What did Taylor Swift’s dress look like?
No official photos have emerged yet of the bride’s Dior gown, but it’s possible she could have worn multiple bridal looks throughout the day. “Most brides have three to four looks, including an outfit worn during the day for hair and makeup, a gown, a second look maybe midway through the reception and then a final late-night dress,” Ms. Rago said.
Were there any wedding favours for the guests?
Images of guests carrying dark-coloured rectangular boxes with the letters “TT” monogrammed on the front (and tucked inside a heart emblem) began circulating after the event, though there have been no confirmed reports as to what, exactly, was inside. One guess? A similarly designed handkerchief. Singer Patrick Droney posted an image of a white lace textile embroidered with the couple’s wedding logo along with the date of the event, the location and a lyric from Swift’s song “Blank Space.”
Are there any images from inside the venue?
Some attendees have posted photos on a carpeted staircase, Met Gala-style, but details on how MSG was transformed for the ceremony and reception are scarce.
That could be due to a no-phones policy that was said to have been instated for all wedding guests. “People don’t like being separated from their devices, but when a no-phones policy is done effectively, it changes things and people start to pay attention in a different way,” said Ms. Rago, who has carried out similar privacy policies for past events.
With files from The Associated Press and Reuters.