What to know about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have kept their wedding plans largely private since the couple announced their engagement in August.

But a flood of reports and a trail of hints have left fans speculating about what’s in store for the anticipated celebration, which some have dubbed an American royal wedding.

While neither the pop star nor the Kansas City Chiefs tight end have publicly confirmed their plans, public records and permits, as well as comments from city officials, have indicated that the couple could be hosting a private, two-day event in New York.

The wedding celebration is expected to take place at Madison Square Garden this week, according to CNN. Parts of Midtown Manhattan have been transformed in preparation, with heightened police activity and street closures in anticipation of crowds of people hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous couple.

According to an internal police planning memo obtained by the New York Post, 130 police officers will be on patrol in the areas surrounding Madison Square Garden for an event described as a celebration of Swift’s wedding to Kelce.

The couple invited 100 guests to a private rehearsal dinner at the Infosys Theater, located inside Madison Square Garden, which will begin Thursday at 6 p.m. EDT.

There is also a cocktail party planned for Friday afternoon with more than 1,000 guests expected to attend, according to reports. The party will run through 4 a.m. Saturday.

Portions of West 31st and West 33rd streets, which surround the arena, are expected to close during the celebrations, according to the memo.

Both events will have a strict no-phone policy for guests and anyone inside the venue, including vendors and security, ABC reported.

At a news conference discussing New York City’s preparations for the Fourth of July weekend, the city’s police commissioner confirmed that there was “an event that we are tracking at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.”

“The NYPD will of course have a detail in place, but I’m not going to go into more specifics at this time,” said police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who stood alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D).

While Madison Square Garden may seem like an over-the-top choice for a wedding venue, the 820,000 square-foot arena does offer several advantages, including air conditioning to provide relief during the city’s sweltering summer heat and its hottest weekend so far this year.

“We know that these temperatures are arriving during what should be a week of celebration, gathering and outdoor fun,” Mamdani said at the press conference. “My recommendation to all New Yorkers is to stay inside and stay cool.”

“If you happen to be getting married at Madison Square Garden, you will be staying inside and you will be staying cool,” he continued.

The extensive security measures and security preparations have sparked some political backlash in New York over the anticipated costs to taxpayers surrounding the event.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) on Thursday argued Swift and Kelce should reimburse the city for the cost of police protection, saying taxpayers should not be “on the hook” for it.

“Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce should reimburse NYPD for the 130 officers needed per day to keep their multi-million dollar, thousand person wedding at MSG safe,” Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, wrote on social media.

“Our officers are already working overtime for 4th of July festivities & NYC taxpayers should NOT be on the hook,” she added.

Swift and Kelce donated $26 million to 20 charities, including some based in New York, ahead of their wedding, according to The Associated Press.

The guest list is expected to include a mix of A-list celebrities, musicians, athletes and close friends and family of the couple. The Times reported that some members of Kelce’s football team have already booked hotel rooms in Manhattan ahead of the festivities.

Swift and Kelce first linked in 2023 after the NFL star attended one of the singer’s “The Eras Tour” shows in Kansas City. He later revealed that he wanted to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number.

The pair made their relationship public later that year after rumors swirled of a possible romance as Swift became a regular at Chiefs games and Kelce began appearing at more of her concerts.

The couple announced their engagement in late August after two years of dating in a post on Instagram captioned: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

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Nicole Malliotakis

Taylor Swift

Zohran Mamdani

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