Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce married on Friday in New York at a spectacular wedding attended by a galaxy of fashion-draped A-list celebrities, capping off a union that has sparked frenzy around the world.
Excitement has surrounded America’s “royal wedding,” which will take place over the United States’ 250th birthday weekend amidst a record-breaking heat wave, a near-total news blackout, and a security lockdown traditionally reserved for heads of state.
Taylor Swift and Kelce kept their wedding plans at Madison Square Garden under wraps, requiring guests to sign non-disclosure agreements.
However, the singer’s publicist, Tree Paine, broke the silence late Friday, detailing a luxurious and intimate ceremony without revealing the exact date of the wedding.
“Taylor and Travis did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen. Instead, her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor, and Jason Kelce was Travis’s Best Man,” she said in a statement.
“The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler,” Paine added.
She stated that Christian Dior Haute Couture crafted the couple’s wedding looks, while Christian Louboutin custom made their shoes. Swift wore Cartier jewelry.
Shortly before the announcement, a large screen outside the Garden displayed the phrase “JUST&T MARRIED!” (T&T for Taylor and Travis).
Ahead of Friday’s big event, a crowd of Swifties, as the megastar’s admirers are known, shouted and sung her songs outside the arena as a line of black SUVs dropped off visitors.
“I grew up with her music, and I’m really excited to get to be in New York today for her wedding day,” Mayan Menahem, 31, told AFP in Manhattan.
However, heavy rain and a severe thunderstorm warning Friday night sent many of the fans who had gathered outside Madison Square Garden to catch a peek of the glitterati home.
Approximately 1,000 guests, who were reportedly prohibited from carrying phones, were slated to attend the secret wedding.
Model Gigi Hadid, actors Hugh Grant, Bradley Cooper, and Dakota Johnson, as well as pop stars Benson Boone and Camila Cabello, all attended the event.
The Empire State Building said that it would have a “light blue sparkle” to commemorate the wedding.
The main event followed a rehearsal dinner for 100 invited guests at Madison Square Garden late Thursday.
According to entertainment sources, Taylor Swift and Kelce gave guests black velvet boxes etched with the couple’s initials, which appeared to contain a diamond-encrusted champagne flute.
Friday’s party apparently began with cocktails in the mid-afternoon, followed by a reception that lasted until late at night.
According to Page Six, Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw were scheduled to play, with Ed Sheeran also speculated to take the stage.
Ahead of the wedding, Swifties visited New York City locales featured in their idol’s lyrics, such as the Bus Stop Cafe in the West Village.
“She is the biggest thing in America — like, she is our royalty, she is our queen, she is everything,” said Alyssa Heinen, 24, from Manhattan. “It feels like a royal wedding to us.”
To commemorate the event, Swift’s spokesman said the pair contributed $26 million to several US organizations, including those in New York and Kansas City.
Swift’s marriage to Kelce follows a number of high-profile failed relationships, including that with British actor Joe Alwyn and singers John Mayer and Harry Styles, all of which served as inspiration for her music.
Last August, she announced her engagement to the muscular, bearded Kelce in an Instagram post titled “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
The 14-time Grammy winner is coming off a successful year, which included the release of her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a new song on the “Toy Story 5” soundtrack.
Kelce, a tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs, has signed on for his 14th season in the NFL. He also co-hosts the popular podcast “New Heights” with his brother Jason.
