Hugh Grant has been spotted as guests began to arrive ahead of Taylor Swift’s rumoured wedding to Travis Kelce in New York City. The pop superstar and the NFL player are expected to tie the knot on Friday inside Madison Square Garden, which has been the epicentre of extensive and lavish preparations over the last few days.
Guest Arrivals and Security Presence
Black SUVs were seen pulling up to white tents stationed outside the venue, whilst Bridget Jones actor Grant was pictured wearing a black suit with a bow tie walking towards the arena. Crowds of fans and members of the media have gathered outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of stars entering the glittering event as uniformed police officers stood by and police vehicles drove past.
Photos from inside the arena show decor made up of peach coloured roses, while exterior aerial shots show the venue was lit up with pink lights. Rumoured guests include singer Selena Gomez, actors Lena Dunham and Bradley Cooper and his girlfriend supermodel Gigi Hadid. The Haim sisters – Este, Danielle and Alana – are also expected to attend alongside singers Ed Sheeran and Suki Waterhouse, as well as several of Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammates. The Knicks’ starting five, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, have also reportedly been invited, following their historic NBA championship victory a few weeks ago.
Charitable Donations and Dolly Parton’s Response
Ahead of the wedding, the pair donated 26 million dollars (£19.4 million) to 20 charities including nine food banks, an animal cruelty organisation, seven educational programmes, and three children’s hospitals. Dolly Parton jokingly asked Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce if she can have their firstborn child as she thanked them for their pre-wedding donation to her charity. Parton’s Imagination Library, which was set up under the 80-year-old’s charitable Dolly Foundation, posts free books to children every month from birth until they are five years old.
Wedding Details and Timeline
After months of speculation about where the couple – who got engaged in August last year – would get married, a law enforcement official briefed on the security plans told the Associated Press the couple would host a smaller rehearsal dinner on Thursday evening before getting married at the arena the next evening. However, the Daily Mail reported that a private wedding ceremony would take place at the arena on Thursday evening, with a lavish party to follow on Friday. The event will also be taking place over the fourth of July weekend, which marks 250 years of US independence. Over the years, Swift has regularly celebrated the July 4 holiday by hosting large parties.
Although the couple have not publicly confirmed any details about their wedding, crews have been seen unloading equipment from trucks outside Madison Square Garden, including a large carpet. New York police commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference on Wednesday that the department was tracking an event at the New York arena. New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, also confirmed that a permit was filed for a large event. “We are fully prepared. There isn’t anything to share beyond that,” he said.
Swift and Kelce, both 36, announced their engagement in a joint Instagram post, which read: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” Their romance began in 2023 after Kelce publicly announced on his podcast that he was interested in Swift, which she later said was a “wild, romantic gesture”.
