Taylor Swift's inner circle is reportedly divided over whether Blake Lively should be invited to her anticipated wedding to Travis Kelce, with the Gossip Girl star said to be confident of receiving an invitation despite the fallout from the legal dispute involving Justin Baldoni that exposed the singer's private text messages.
The news follows weeks of speculation that Swift had quietly distanced herself from Lively after court filings in Lively's lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni drew the singer into the dispute. What had been one of Swift's more visible celebrity friendships — marked by public outings, social media exchanges and her use of Lively and Ryan Reynolds' children's names in her lyrics — has fallen conspicuously quiet, leaving Hollywood and Swift's fanbase speculating about the depth of the rift.
According to a source quoted in Rob Shuter's 'Naughty But Nice' Substack on Wednesday, 15 April, those close to Swift no longer view Lively as a guaranteed presence at any future Swift–Travis Kelce wedding. 'People around Taylor are not so sure,' the insider said. 'They do not see Blake as a must-have guest.' The shift marks a notable change for someone once considered a fixture in Swift's close-knit circle.
Lively, however, is said to hold a different view. The same source claimed the 38-year-old 'truly believes she will be there' and is 'not even considering the alternative.' She is described as 'totally optimistic,' acting as though an invitation is inevitable. 'She keeps going back to the beginning. She was around when Taylor and Travis first got together — she feels like part of their story.'
A Friendship Under Strain
Swift, 36, and Lively spent years presenting a united, almost sisterly front in public. Photographs of them in New York, attending NFL games and mingling with Ryan Reynolds and other A-listers helped cement Lively as one of the few famous figures to endure across Swift's various 'eras.' It was a showbusiness friendship that appeared unusually stable.
That impression began to fracture once Lively's legal battle with Baldoni, 42, became public. As part of the dispute, Swift's private text messages with Lively were referenced, abruptly entangling the singer in a lawsuit that was not hers and which she had not chosen to enter.
In January, a source told People magazine that Swift wanted to 'stay away from the drama.' The same source said the singer felt her privacy had been compromised, adding, 'Taylor feels like her privacy was impacted. Anyone would be uncomfortable if their private texts were suddenly made public.' It was a measured response, suggesting displeasure without openly criticising Lively.
There has also been a noticeable change in their public proximity. While Swift and Lively were once photographed together regularly, they have not been seen socialising in public since October 2024. For two women whose outings are frequently documented, the absence is striking.
Legal Claims Cast Shadow Over Blake Lively Wedding Hopes
The Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni legal dispute has been contentious from the outset. In court filings, Lively levelled multiple claims, including allegations of sexual assault and defamation. Earlier this month, however, a judge dismissed 10 of her 13 claims, according to reported documents, leaving only a limited number of complaints still standing.
The most serious allegation from Baldoni's side, and the one directly involving Taylor Swift, came from his lawyer Bryan Freedman. In a letter submitted on 14 May 2025 to Lewis J Liman and obtained by In Touch, Freedman claimed that Michael Gottlieb, one of Lively's attorneys, contacted a lawyer at Venable, the firm representing Swift.
Freedman alleged that Gottlieb 'demanded that Ms. Swift release a statement of support for Ms. Lively.' If she declined, he claimed, 'private text messages of a personal nature' between Swift and Lively would be made public. These claims come from Baldoni's legal team and remain unproven. Lively's side continues to contest the broader case in court, and none of the exchanges has been tested at trial before a jury.
The allegation that Lively was attempting to leverage Swift's private messages for legal advantage triggered headlines suggesting 'extortion.' In the court of public opinion, the term often lingers regardless of whether it is ever upheld in court. Swift's reported desire to 'stay away' takes on a different tone in that context.
No one close to Swift has publicly said Lively is barred from any wedding guest list. No date for a Taylor Swift–Travis Kelce wedding has been confirmed, and neither Swift nor Lively has commented on any potential invitation.
Still, the broader pattern is difficult to ignore. A star who has spent recent years carefully managing her image, narrative and inner circle now finds a close friendship drawn into another party's court filings.
Whether Blake Lively is ultimately included in Taylor Swift's wedding guest list or left off it may reflect how willing Swift is to overlook the fallout from a dispute that has pulled her private life into public view.
