Global pop star Taylor Swift (36) and NFL star Travis Kelce (36) are drawing intense public attention as reports emerge that they will hold their wedding this week at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in the heart of New York City.

Multiple U.S. media outlets, including The New York Times (NYT), the Associated Press (AP), and Bloomberg, reported detailed circumstances on July 1 (local time) suggesting the wedding will take place this weekend, citing various sources.

According to an internal New York Police Department document obtained by the NYT titled "Taylor Swift Wedding at MSG," the wedding-related events will be held entirely in private over two days.

Officials stated that the wedding events will begin on the evening of July 2 with a rehearsal dinner for approximately 100 guests at the Infosys Theater within MSG.

The main ceremony on July 3 will open with a cocktail reception in the 6th-floor central concourse, followed by the main event in the arena at 5:30 p.m.

The reception, which begins at 6:30 p.m., is reportedly scheduled to continue until 2:00 a.m. the following day.

Plans are in place for the 1,000 guests to be dropped off at large tents to minimize public exposure, with approximately 500 vehicles expected to pass through the area.

Swift’s side has reportedly also applied for permits to control the roads surrounding MSG.

As the transformation of the arena into a lavish wedding venue is required, there are projections that it will be an ultra-luxurious event costing tens of billions of won.

A high-end wedding planner who requested anonymity estimated to CNN that the wedding costs could reach between 15 million and 20 million USD (approximately 23.3 billion to 31.1 billion KRW).

While MSG, which is also the home arena for the NBA’s New York Knicks, is not typically considered a wedding venue, it is evaluated as a suitable location due to its capacity to accommodate large crowds and its structure with few windows, which helps minimize external exposure.

In fact, famous funk singer Sly Stone held a large wedding there in 1974, and over 2,000 couples held a joint wedding ceremony in 1982 officiated by Unification Church leader Moon Sun-myung.

Foreign media analyzed that MSG could become a symbolic venue for the couple's union, as it is a stage where Swift has performed eight times in the past, and it aligns with Kelce’s background as a famous sports star.

The wedding date also adds weight to the possibility, given that Swift has frequently hosted lavish parties around U.S. Independence Day (July 4).

With the wedding appearing imminent, the scene is bustling with activity.

The AP reported that work crews were seen unloading equipment from trucks outside MSG this week, and a large carpet was briefly rolled out in front of one entrance before being immediately removed.

A former high-ranking New York police official told the NYT, comparing the influence of Swift’s fandom to the peak eras of The Beatles or Michael Jackson, that hundreds of police officers would be needed to maintain crowd safety in addition to the private security hired by Swift.

New York City Mayor Jumaane Williams stated during a briefing that day, "A permit application has been filed for a 'large-scale event' to be held at MSG."

Mayor Williams added, "We are fully prepared," and "There is nothing else to share."

Swift and Kelce made their relationship official in 2023, and news of their engagement was reported last year.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)