
Almost a year after announcing their engagement, Taylor Swift is all set to tie the knot with Kansas City Chiefs footballer Travis Kelce this weekend.
While the details of the long-awaited wedding have been kept under tight wraps, multiple outlets have reported several developments, related to the venue, guest list, and even the NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) — a part and parcel of every high-profile celebrity wedding.
Dubbed as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” the Madison Square Garden in New York City has a seating capacity of 20,000. Swift has a nostalgic connection to the stadium, having packed out the venue on several occasions, notably in 2011 during her Speak Now World Tour. She first performed at MSG in 2009, during her “Fearless” tour, and celebrated her 30th birthday at the arena 10 years later as part of iHeartRadio’s “Jingle Ball”.
Located above a busy mainline railway station, MSG is bang in the beating heart of tourist and commercial Manhattan. Security is expected to be tight for the weekend nuptials between Swift and Kelce. TMZ reports that National Guard troops have been spotted in the vicinity of the venue in recent days, a not uncommon sight under a state-level deployment to secure major venues and transit hubs in the Big Apple.
Swift and Kelce won’t be the first couple to tie the knot at The Garden. Funk and soul star Sly Stone and actor Kathy Silva got married at MSG back in 1974, bringing thousands of fans and guests with him. The MSG wedding reports have not been confirmed by either Taylor not Kelce. The arena’s calendar of upcoming events lists nothing from June 29-July 6.
Wedding planner Nicole Simeral has been spotted frequenting the neighbourhood, but she told AP that she’s been working on a wedding every weekend of June in that area, and not just Swift’s. She doubted Watch Hill would be practical for a wedding of that scale because of its limited luxury lodging.
Page Six reports that the guest list includes around 100 guests — family members and very close friends of the couple. While Kelce’s teammates are expected to attend, Swift’s guest list may include A-list Hollywood celebrities, including close friends Selena Gomez, Blake Lively, and her husband Ryan Reynolds. However, none of the guests have confirmed their attendance or even receiving an invite, thanks to the customary NDAs.
However, the said NDAs are said to be “all bark, no bite” as the guests aren’t liable to any monetary compensation in case they violate the NDAs. There’s also no consent forms to be filmed, so the couple isn’t expected to have struck a deal with a streaming platform or wedding channel for their wedding documentary.
Invitations have also reportedly gone out as phone calls, instead of physical invites, in order to avoid the venue and timings getting leaked. Much to their reported frustration, the guests have only been asked to save two dates — July 2 and July 3 — for the wedding in New York City. Even the venue and itinerary haven’t been communicated to them so far.
Prince William, a close friend of Swift, hinted a couple of months ago that he’s looking forward to receive the wedding invitation. “I’m hoping, and I’m sure there might be an invitation around, but we’ll see,” he said. However, People has now reported that neither him nor his wife Kate Middleton would be able to make it to the wedding.