A fairytale at MSG: Swift-Kelce wedding set to take place

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding is slated to take place Friday at Madison Square Garden, where the couple’s closest friends and family — and several hundred more — will attend what is expected to be an elaborate event inside the iconic New York venue.

Many of the details surrounding the pending nuptials are still unknown, but a city permit obtained by The Associated Press shows that Friday’s wedding event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and could last until 4 a.m. the next morning.

A law enforcement official briefed on security plans had previously told the AP a smaller rehearsal dinner would be held Thursday night, and a tented area shielded guests from view as they were dropped off Thursday evening. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the events publicly.

The wedding is the latest development in the superstar singer and football player’s relationship, which has continued to thrill and fascinate millions around the world — particularly the Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base — for the past three years ever since the pair first started dating.

Key questions remain over how Swift and Kelce have transformed MSG into a wedding venue fit for a billionaire and the star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as who may perform and who will officiate. Trucks and crews have been going in and out of the venue for days, setting up tents and whisking massive materials inside, setting off more speculation about MSG’s makeover.

And while fans have seen Swift wear wedding dresses in plenty of music videos over the years, many also remain eager to see what looks she will unveil at the wedding.

Perhaps the biggest puzzle surrounds the selection of MSG. Swifties, commentators and the public have spent weeks debating the merits of the venue, some convincing themselves that it must be a smoke screen for the wedding to take place elsewhere. Others pointed to the arena’s lack of windows and robust security, which would provide a rare opportunity for privacy for one of the most public couples in the world — and crucially, add another layer of protection.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch has repeatedly declined to confirm that Swift and Kelce’s wedding would take place Friday at MSG but has said the department will have appropriate resources at each major event over the weekend, including at the venue. Still, police tried to get in on the fun Friday morning, posting a social media video of one of its chiefs standing outside MSG with a bullhorn tossing out a handful of not-so-veiled references to Swift tracks, at one point saying “this weather feels like a cruel summer,” flicking at her song “Cruel Summer.”

The wedding is taking place during a jam-packed weekend even by New York’s standards. It’s the July Fourth weekend, where the city will be partake in celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday. Separately, a parade of dozens of tall ships will take place on the Hudson River, and a World Cup game is scheduled in New Jersey. On top of everything, a massive heat wave is also coming to the northeast.

A full street closure will then go into effect near Madison Square Garden as crews erect multiple entrance and drive-through tents, according to the permit.

The following streets will be closed to car traffic starting at 1 p.m. on Friday:

• 7th Avenue between 30th and 34th streets
• West 33rd Street between 6th and 7th avenues
• West 32nd Street between 6th and 7th avenues
• West 31st Street between 6th and 7th avenues
• West 31st Street between 7th and 8th avenues

Areas around Madison Square Garden will also be closed to pedestrians at 1 p.m. on Friday:

• West side of 7th Avenue between 31st and 34th streets
• West 33rd Street between 7th and 8th avenues

There will be “managed” access to these streets beginning at 1 p.m., according to the NYPD:

• East side of 8th Avenue between 30th and 34th streets
• West 33rd Street between 6th and 7th avenues
• West 32nd Street between 6th and 7th avenues
• West 31st Street between 6th and 7th avenues

Cars are not allowed to park on West 33rd Street between 6th and 7th avenues as of 11:15 p.m. on Thursday. Vehicles could be towed if they aren’t removed, police said.

Anyone trying to access to Moynihan Train Hall and Penn Station is asked to use the entrances on the west side of 8th Avenue at 31st and 33rd streets, according to the NYPD. Police added there will be “managed” access to Penn Station at the northeast corner of 8th Avenue and 31st Street.

Earlier this week, Swift and Kelce donated $26 million to 20 local and national charities across the U.S. Many of the organizations were located in areas where the couple has deep ties, including Nashville, Tennessee; Los Angeles; Kansas City, Missouri; and New York.