Tree branches, lobster meat and pink carpet have been carted into Madison Square Garden ahead of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s fairytale wedding spectacle Friday.
While some Swifties are still in disbelief at the idea of the pop icon and NFL star, both 36, tying the knot at the New York City venue over the July 4 weekend, the excessive preparations at the scene Wednesday morning appeared to indicate that America’s equivalent to a royal wedding will indeed take place at the world’s most famous arena.
In waves of activity spread out over the days leading up to the party, woodworkers, catering vans and carpenter trucks have surrounded MSG as devoted fans and members of the media swarm the arena for a glimpse at the nuptial decorations. However, security guards and police officers are carefully guarding all entrances to the 22,000-capacity arena, and vehicles are being driven directly into the basement of the facility.
When The Independent spoke to security outside Madison Square Garden, they said the vicinity around the venue would be closed off until Monday.
Tall tree branches and greenery, presumed to be decorations, were spotted being loaded into the arena alongside black trash bags containing equipment. Some of the vehicles belonged to the production company Upstaged, which has worked with Swift before to transport staging for her concert tours. Several trucks were also seen full of audio systems and stage equipment, along with some boxes that were labeled “Garden Party.”
Boxes of lobster meat were also seen being delivered to the venue, along with massive rolls of carpet. It comes after a dusty pink carpet was seen being laid on the steps of MSG’s South entrance Tuesday, but was abruptly torn up and brought back inside.
The New York Post reported that workers were seen draping the arena with fabric hanging from the ceiling, with TMZ reporting that a giant castle is being built inside — which would explain the carpenters and equipment being brought into the venue.
One of the MSG workers driving a forklift into the arena was seen sporting a tee that said “Taylor Swift Carpenters,” which was the same merch given to Swift’s crew on her 2011 Speak Now world tour, according to TMZ.
According to Page Six, about 100 guests will attend a rehearsal dinner at the arena’s Infosys Theater from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The outlet reports that the wedding day activities will start Friday when guests will begin to arrive at 3:30 p.m. A cocktail hour is expected to start at 4 p.m. on the sixth-floor concourse. The ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m. on the arena floor before the reception starts an hour later and will go until 2 a.m.
More than 1,000 people are expected to attend Swift and Kelce’s wedding. Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw are expected to perform at the star-studded wedding, and the guest list is expected to include celebrities such as Zoë Kravitz, the Haim sisters, Sombr, Suki Waterhouse and Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammates.
Guests were reportedly made to sign an electronic non-disclosure agreement, according to TMZ. Several outlets have reported that the wedding venue has been kept a secret from attendees ahead of time, and that the invitations only listed New York City as the location.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that a permit had been filed with New York City to close the blocks around MSG, along with a request to set up a tent or canopy outside the arena for the event. The Independent has contacted Swift’s representatives for comment.
The outlet also reported that several Chiefs players booked hotel rooms at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for the wedding, and a city official told the publication that MSG was planning to host the wedding.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also appeared to verify that the wedding was taking place at MSG at a press conference earlier this month, saying, ““We are the biggest city in the country. We are used to big events, and we are incredibly excited for this one.
“We know it coincides with July 4, America 250, Taylor Swift’s wedding all happening at the same time,” he said, adding that he is “fully confident in the work of the NYPD” to provide a “safe experience” over the holiday weekend.
