Taylor Swift and her American football-player fiancé Travis Kelce have kicked off rumoured wedding celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
High-profile friends of the couple, from actress Lena Dunham to frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, were spotted Thursday evening in formal attire. Aerial footage showed a stream of black SUVs pulling up to the venue with guests dropped off under a white canopy tent. Media speculation has dubbed the event both a pre-party and possible rehearsal dinner.
Around 100 people were expected at the event on Thursday, ahead of a much larger celebration on Friday boasting up to 1,000 guests at the arena. Throughout the day, police and camera crews monitored the scene, with TMZ firing up a live feed of one of the Garden's loading bays.
A permit for the events on Thursday and Friday obtained by the Associated Press said about 100 guests would start arriving around 17:30 ET for a "pre-party night", which would go until 22:30 ET. VIPs like Swift and Kelce planned to use underground entry for added privacy.
Fans gathered outside despite temperatures topping 100°F (37°C). "I'm here to see the alleged wedding," said Swift fan Ryan Weng, "because I've been loving her for more than 15 years." Fellow fan Rusty Carbaug, a pilot, donned a Kansas-themed T-shirt in honour of Kelce, adding: "The right man for her is whoever she chooses."
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has coyly alluded to the wedding chatter. City officials confirmed to the BBC that somebody applied for street closure permits, but did not reveal whom. The holiday weekend coincides with America's 250th birthday and the World Cup.
Paparazzi captured images of Jack Antonoff sporting a tux, while his sister Rachel Antonoff wore a bubblegum-pink dress. Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews was seen in a silver sparkly gown, and Swift's publicist Tree Paine wore a light blue dress. US tabloid Page Six reported Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid had also arrived.