Preparations for the wedding between singer Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce have begun, according to local media, which report that the event could bring together as many as 1,000 people over up to two days of celebrations at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple.
The festivities are set to begin on Thursday afternoon with an initial event attended by about 100 guests, according to ABC and CBS, which cite sources familiar with the matter, and will continue on Friday with a cocktail reception ahead of another celebration.
The party on Friday is set to continue into the early hours of Saturday, on the eve of the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence, a time when New York expects a large influx of visitors, they add.
The same sources indicate that the couple has remained very secretive about the details of the event, so it is unclear whether Thursday’s event is the wedding itself or a rehearsal ahead of Friday’s ceremony.
At both events, guests and staff will be prohibited from using cell phones, according to sources, who told ABC that the organizing company obtained permits to close 31st and 33rd Streets, which surround Madison Square Garden, while the events are taking place.
Both vehicles and pedestrians will be prohibited from entering, and tents will be set up to prevent the public from seeing when guests arrive and when they leave the venue, according to the networks.
The Wedding of the Year: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
According to these reports, the interior of the venue was reportedly transformed for the occasion with garden-style décor and large-scale scenic elements.
There were also reports of logistical activity in the area around the pavilion, involving trucks carrying equipment marked with “Garden Party” labels.
On the culinary front, the singer is said to have selected menus inspired by her favorite restaurants, although no specific details about the culinary offerings have been released.
What is known, according to the TMZ website, is that the couple chose the Madison because it offers them security and has no windows.
It is also reported that the wedding dress may have been commissioned from the fashion house Monse, led by Laura Kim and Dominican designer Fernando García, although the singer is expected to wear several outfits.
Kim and García designed several of the pieces Swift wore on her “Eras” tour.
Among the guests mentioned are singers Sombr and Benson Boone and model Karlie Kloss, and performers could include Stevie Nicks, Tim McGraw, and friends of Swift’s; even Paul McCartney’s name has been mentioned.
On a side note, security will be tight. According to TMZ, guests will be required to sign an electronic confidentiality agreement, and each invitation will have a watermark.
The wedding coincides with the country’s independence celebrations, as well as the arrival of numerous visitors for the World Cup, according to Agencia EFE.