Move over, Uncle Sam. America’s 250th birthday is playing second fiddle to a “Love Story” for the ages.
Pop culture’s worst-kept secret is (unofficially) underway, and a city permit obtained by the Associated Press has seemingly offered up details of the wedding between Taylor Swift and her fiancé, Travis Kelce, at Madison Square Garden in New York City this Independence Day weekend.
Here’s what we know as guests arrive at the venue and fans flock to be close to the action.
What we learned from the permit
The permit, for a “Special Event at MSG,” was approved by New York City’s permitting office on Wednesday night, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Celebrations at the storied midtown arena began at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday with a 100-guest “pre-party celebration” running until 9:30 p.m. Officials said this was an intimate rehearsal dinner, according to the AP.
The main event is now underway. Doors opened at 3 p.m. for a 5 p.m. kickoff, with the festivities running until 4 a.m., according to the permit. Some 1,000 guests are permitted to attend, records showed.
A-list friends of the couple were spotted near the venue on Thursday, including Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff and writer and actor Lena Dunham. A Chevrolet Suburban SUV, which Reuters reported was transporting Swift, was also seen on Thursday at MSG.
Ed Sheeran, Bradley Cooper and Adam Sandler were photographed at or near the Garden, which was surrounded by barricades and police. Other expected guests include Selena Gomez, who posted an Instagram video of herself in the back of a car wearing a black evening gown on Thursday, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, Zoe Kravitz.
On Friday, guests began arriving through the drive-through tent shortly after doors opened at 3 p.m., with Swift and Kelce themselves believed to have used an underground VIP entrance to stay out of public view. Actress Dakota Johnson, model Gigi Hadid and actor Bradley Cooper were among those photographed arriving in the late afternoon, along with sports broadcaster Charissa Thompson and Swift’s longtime publicist Tree Paine.
How does Taylor Swift throw a wedding in the middle of New York?
Organizing a wedding just moments from Times Square and directly above the nation’s busiest rail hub requires meticulous planning, strict city permits and airtight security.
In recent days, the streets around MSG have been busy with workers unloading food and scenery into the concert venue.
Access to Penn Station, which sits directly below the arena, has been restricted and midtown traffic rerouted to accommodate the event.
A full closure of West 31st Street between 7th and 8th Avenues began early Friday, according to records. Production crews used the arena’s loading docks to erect a 180-foot drive-through tent to shield arriving guests from public view.
The strict timeline has closed the street long after the event’s 4 a.m. Saturday conclusion. Load-out operations and tent teardown are set to continue through the loading docks until Saturday evening, according to the permit.
MSG will have to move quickly to take everything down ahead of a planned Jon Bon Jovi gig at the venue on July 7.
What city officials have said
The NYPD has so far declined to comment on the purpose of the street closures. However, they did post a video on Friday of Deputy Chief Timothy Beaudette shouting the names of Swift tracks into a megaphone from outside the venue.
Speaking to reporters on June 30, mayor Mamdani made a winking reference to the wedding, which was taking place during a record-breaking heat wave.
“My recommendation to all New Yorkers is to stay inside and stay cool,” he said. “And if you happen to be getting married at Madison Square Garden, you will be staying inside and you will be staying cool. And I think it’s a good example to set for the city at large.”
At a June 15 briefing on preparations for the World Cup, Mamdani included the wedding on a list of events happening in New York City this weekend, saying: “We know it coincides with July 4, America 250, Taylor Swift’s wedding — all happening at the same time — and we are so excited to welcome the world here.”
Police commissioner Jessica Tisch declined to address the nuptials directly, but noted “an event that we are tracking at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.” In a briefing about the security for the holiday weekend, she told reporters that the NYPD would have a detail in place, adding: “I am not going to go into more specifics on that at this time.”
What remains unconfirmed
A lot! Despite being the most famous soon-to-be-newlyweds on the planet, neither Kelce nor Swift has publicly addressed the rumors. Representatives for the couple declined to comment on the nuptials, including the date, the guest list or the location.
Kelce did, however, get in on the fun on Instagram, reacting with a series of laughing emojis to a fake, AI-generated image of Swift and Kelce getting hitched posted by comedian Bert Kreischer, with the caption, “The moment @jason.kelce called me over to the bar for a shot.”
The celebrity.land’s Page Six reported that the couple was in fact already married, having exchanged vows in front of a “tiny group of loved ones.” Swift’s private jet was recently spotted in Nashville, where she moved as a teenager to pursue a career in country music. However, Swift’s publicist has not commented on the rumors and no other major news outlet has been able to confirm or deny them to date.
Instead, a spokesperson for Swift confirmed a massive wave of charitable giving this week, with the couple donating $26 million to various organizations across the country. The nonprofits included food banks, arts education charities and pediatric cancer programs. Dolly Parton, whose Imagination Library was among the recipients of $2 million from the couple, thanked Swift and Kelce Friday in a video posted to Instagram.
The couple has not yet revealed performers and entertainment at the event (some reports indicate Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw are due to perform), the members of Swift’s bridal squad – and, of course, the white dress.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
