Pop superstar Taylor Swift and American football player Travis Kelce don officially tie the knot for a star-studded ceremony wey comedian Adam Sandler officiate. The pair both wear Christian Dior, according to Swift’s longtime publicist, and dem elected not to get bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Instead, Swift’s brother Austin Swift serve as her man of honour, and retired American footballer Jason Kelce be the groom’s best man. The event for Madison Square Garden shatter one of Manhattan’s busiest corridors and bring out Hollywood’s A-list for wetin be likely the bash of the century.
Actors Hugh Grant and Jason Sudeikis, singer Benson Boone and model Gigi Hadid be among those wey dem spot. Hordes of fans huddle outside throughout the day on Friday, some dey sing Swift tunes and don concert merch, while others dey climb scaffolding hoping to catch better view of the festivities.
The celebration for the arena kick off on Thursday with much smaller event, where reported 100 people dem think attend. A permit wey dem file with New York City officials call the event a “pre-party”. On Friday, much larger event lead to tent wey dem erect outside the arena wey double for size.
A stream of blacked-out SUVs pull through the structure, allowing many guests to shield their arrival while streets for Midtown Manhattan dem close to traffic. Crews for the sport arena set up curtains and gazebos for the massive event.
Swift’s longtime publicist Tree Paine confirm to the BBC say the two wed on Friday for New York City and offer details from the ceremony. Around the same time, Madison Square Garden light up massive signs around the complex wey read “JUST&T MARRIED” – a nod to both Taylor and Travis dem names.
Paine say Swift and Kelce wear wedding ceremony looks wey Jonathan Anderson design, creative director of Dior’s women’s, men’s and haute couture collections, for close collaboration with the bride and groom. “This be the designer’s first couture wedding dress for world-renowned celebrity,” Paine talk for statement, adding say dem shoes na custom make by Christian Louboutin and the bride wear Cartier jewellery.
Throughout the day, excitement fill the air, with heavy police presence for the stifling heat. The New York City Police (NYPD) close the streets around the arena midday, closing dem completely to vehicles and pedestrian traffic, wey dem divert with barriers.
Even with curtains and tents wey dem erect to shield guests from the barrage of news cameras and anxious fans, many capture celebrity guests wey dey leave hotels and arrive for the venue. Model Gigi Hadid, for pink sparkly dress, and actor boyfriend Bradley Cooper dem spot on the way to the ceremony, while actress Dakota Johnson also photograph.
Several members of Kelce’s football team be among those wey dem see arrive for the wedding for plain view, while other A-list guests exit dem vehicles under the enormous tent for privacy. Also spot na TV presenter Graham Norton, wey dem famously invite to the ceremony when Swift appear for BBC’s The Graham Norton Show.
Swifties – the singer’s legion of fans – of all ages line every block for the vicinity of the arena. As more blacked-out vehicles enter the area, the more excited the crowd grow, with several dey crane dem necks to peek at the stars wey dey leave dem vehicles.
Some dey chant lyrics to dem favourite Swift songs or cheer “we love you Taylor”, hoping the pop queen dey somewhere within earshot. As the event begin, fans wey dem adorn with Swift memorabilia climb city scaffolding and cheer for anybody wey walk pass.
On Thursday, a stream of black SUVs pull up to the venue with guests wey dem drop off under white canopy tent. High-profile friends of the couple, from actress Lena Dunham to frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, dem spot for formal attire for the rumoured rehearsal dinner.
The two-day celebration – featuring the takeover of part of America’s biggest city – dem don dub am the wedding of the century and don attract the sort of global attention wey normally reserve for royal weddings. On its own, taking over Madison Square Garden – an iconic fixture for NYC – na feat wey require millions.
Then the couple also close down the area, wey include one of the city’s primary transit hubs. The spectacle showcase the power wey the couple hold, with Swift widely recognise as one of the world’s most powerful and famous people.
Dem two-day wedding celebrations lead news broadcasts, light up the Empire State Building for NYC and spur millions for online betting markets as details of dem nuptials leave people dey speculate for weeks. Pop culture critic Kristen Meinzer tell the BBC say dem marriage meaningful because Swift and Kelce come from two important worlds when e come to pop culture and American identity.
“We worship at the throne of music and football, these be all the things we love for America marry together,” she talk. New York City also get long-standing ethos of treating celebrities as part of the fabric of everyday life rather than as spectacles too.
“We no be people wey run up to our celebrities, we usually leave dem alone,” Meinzer add. The Pennsylvania-born singer don base for New York since 2014 – when she buy two adjoining Tribeca penthouses for $20m (£15m) and combine dem into one massive living space.
She fall for love with the city after discover say she fit go shopping without dey bother, saying say she “physically different since” move there. The move also inspire her 1989 album track Welcome to New York.
Kelce, wey base for Kansas for his American football career, dem introduce to the Big Apple when he start date Swift for 2023. The couple likely spend tens of millions of dollars to rent out the iconic arena, planning experts tell the BBC.
To many, though, the 20,000-capacity arena – wey host concerts and sports matches with beer-drinking fans – feel like unusual choice for wedding, though the venue boast unusual level of privacy because of its lack of windows and underground access points. But many talk say, if anybody fit transform the arena into wedding wonderland, na Swift.
“I think say e go be more gardens, more flowers, more tropical. Something more fancy, something more Taylor Swift,” Canadian teen Emily tell the BBC outside the venue. New York resident Rose talk say e “sort of absurd” say the couple shut down the busy streets around the arena, but believe say the ceremony go beautiful “because na Taylor Swift”.
“I hope e be beautiful wedding. I think dem suppose do am for somewhere wey less inconveniencing to general populace of New York City,” she laugh. Fans break out into cheers outside Madison Square Garden when the just-married signs light up outside the arena.
Fan Tara Rosales be one of the many wey dem no convince say the wedding go actually take place for the famed arena. “I know say she go marry for New York but I no get idea where. So I no fit believe am, I actually dey shook and I dey so excited,” she talk. “She never be inconvenience. Taylor fit do wetin she want.”
