James Taylor Says He Was Invited to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding but Didn’t Go for This Reason

NEED TO KNOW

• James Taylor revealed he skipped Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding to perform at his annual Tanglewood concert

• Swift was named after Taylor, and the two first met at a benefit event about 15-16 years ago

• Swift and Kelce’s star-studded wedding at Madison Square Garden included 1,000 guests and officiant Adam Sandler

James Taylor did not attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s wedding.

During his annual Independence Day weekend show with his All-Star Band at the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., Taylor told the crowd that he was invited — but ultimately didn’t go.

“You know, Kim and I were invited to a wedding at Madison Square Garden tonight,” Taylor, 78, said, referring to Swift and Kelce’s star-studded wedding, according to The Berkshire Eagle.

Then, he wished the newlyweds well and hoped for “happiness and smooth sailing.”

Taylor and Swift have a unique connection, as Swift once revealed she was named after him. In a 2024 interview with USA Today, Taylor recalled meeting Swift for the first time about “15-16 years ago.”

“We did a benefit for [the Candie’s Foundation], an organization that tries to help with teenage pregnancy, and it was interesting,” he said of Swift, 36. “We were both there with guitars and played a couple of songs. I was performing with my wife and may have had a friend of ours playing cello and Taylor was there just playing by herself.”

“She was just a teen,” the singer said. “She told me she had listened to my music a lot and that her folks had named her with me in mind.”

Meanwhile, in “Begin Again” — which is the closing track on her 2012 album Red — Swift mentions him in the lyrics.

The pop star and the NFL star tied the knot on Friday, July 3, at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The arena’s interior hosted roughly 1,000 guests, which included officiantAdam Sandler.

Reese Witherspoon, Emma Stone and Paul Rudd were just a few of the stars seen leaving the venue. A rehearsal dinner was held the night before — and close friends like Lena Dunham, Jack Antonoff, Abigail Anderson and more were spotted arriving.

Swift and Kelce announced their engagement in a joint Instagram post shared on Aug. 26, 2025, which included several photos from the enchanting garden proposal. In the photos, Kelce was down on one knee and they embraced each other after he popped the question.

“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married 🧨,” Swift captioned the post.

Read the original article on People