Here's The Scene Outside Madison Square Garden As Swift-Kelce Wedding Looms

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Topline

On a sweltering day in New York City, workers and police officers are busy setting up the iconic Madison Square Garden venue to host the wedding ceremony between billionaire pop star Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, which is expected to take place this weekend.

Police set up barricades outside Madison Square Garden on Thursday. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Outside of Madison Square Garden, located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, police officers are putting up fences around the venue and workers are constructing tents, photos show.

Labels on trucks that have been spotted at the venue have offered clues about what they’re carrying: One truck was labeled “event carpet” (PageSix published video footage of workers unfurling a red carpet outside the venue), while the equipment inside some of the trucks contained labels that read, “Garden Party.”

Much of the actual equipment being unloaded from the numerous trucks that have rolled up to the Garden has been kept under wraps, though, blocked from view by tarps.

Signs that read “No Parking Friday” are pasted around the arena, where streets are expected to close this weekend.

The wedding has also sparked a media frenzy, with plenty of reporters and cameras stationed outside the arena (The New York Times alone said it is tasking two dozen reporters and editors to cover the wedding, which it says is comparable to the size of its teams that cover events like the Oscars).

Workers set up tents outside Madison Square Garden. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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Various trucks have arrived at the venue with equipment. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)

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Signs on nearby streets warn there is no parking on Friday. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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The wedding has sparked a media frenzy. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)

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Barricades stand in front of the entrance to the venue. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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What Do We Know About The Swift-Kelce Wedding?

Not much, aside from the location. Swift and Kelce are planning a “pre party celebration” on Thursday evening followed by a wedding ceremony on Saturday, according to city permits obtained by the Associated Press. But Swift and Kelce themselves haven’t confirmed any details about the wedding, and potential guests have been largely tight-lipped. Several streets bordering the venue are expected to be closed, according to permits Swift filed, the New York Times reported. Swift, who began dating Kelce in 2023 while she embarked on the Eras Tour, announced in August the couple had gotten engaged.

big number

$20 million. That is, at least, how much the Swift-Kelce wedding could cost, according to Forbes estimates. Plenty of expenses—including hiring a luxury wedding planner, decor and security—could easily push the total bill into the eight-figure realm. Luxury event planner Lindsey Landman told Forbes the cost of hiring such a planner could cost at least $5 million. New York City wedding planner Sonal Shah estimated flower costs alone could total $3 million, and other decor, including chandeliers, lighting and temporary stages, could cost another $3 million. Landman estimated bar and catering costs could top $1 million, with photography totaling another $300,000. Shah said it is “almost expected” Swift and Kelce would foot the hotel bill for their guests, which she estimated could total $1.2 million. Joseph Sordi, CEO of Strategic Security Corp., estimated personnel costs, including security, medical personnel and traffic control could cost “well over $2 million.” A $20 million price tag would put the Swift-Kelce wedding on par with that of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, who wed in Venice, Italy, last year.

forbes valuation

Forbes estimates Swift is worth $2 billion, making her the second-wealthiest musician in the world, only behind Jay-Z. Swift first joined the billionaire ranks in 2023, when she became the first person to make the Forbes billionaire ranks based solely on the value of her music catalog and concert tours. Swift was the second-highest earning musician of 2025, only behind The Weeknd, making an estimated $202 million thanks to the record-breaking success of her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” and a Disney+ docuseries.