Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding buzz peaks at Madison Square Garden

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding has arrived, and guests in formalwear have headed into the arena amid high heat, humming buzz and tented secrecy in Midtown Manhattan.

The long anticipated union of sports and song has brought hype to new heights at a venue made more for historic NBA games and bucket-list concerts. It was expected to begin at 5 p.m., with the close friends and family of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and the pop superstar celebrating along with several hundred other luminaries.

Singer Camila Cabello, actors Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke and Jason Sudeikis, and model Karlie Kloss were among those arriving minutes before the expected start time. Running back Kareem Hunt was among Kelce’s Chiefs teammates in attendance. Seattle Seahawks receiver and recent Super Bowl champ Cooper Kupp, New York Giants receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, NFL announcer Joe Buck and Jenny Han, author of the “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series, also entered the arena.

In a culture obsessed with famous couplings it may be the apex celebrity wedding, with perhaps only royal unions getting more attention. Holding such a ceremony in a huge, iconic space that sits at the center of the U.S. media universe while keeping all the details secret made for a surreal scene, but it was a mix of hype and hush that is not out of character for Swift.

An Associated Press camera outside the arena showed a long line of black SUVs dropping off wedding-goers in tuxedos and evening gowns, surrounded by New Yorkers in shorts and Swifties amassing for the occasion. By 5:30 p.m. the arrivals appeared to be essentially over.

Celebrities, athletes and friends were posting on social media about getting ready or about to leave for a black-tie event, including Brandon Borders, producer of the New Heights podcast starring Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce; Beau Allen, retired defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles; and Jessica Chastain.

There was a notable lack of social media posts from guests once they had entered the arena, after reports that phones would not be allowed.

The secrecy has left many blank spaces that media outlets and fans are seeking to fill in. A city permit obtained by the AP shows that the ceremony and its celebration could last until 4 a.m. Guests appeared as though they were coming to a big awards show, but their arrivals were obscured by tents and gazebos. There is a decent chance of rain hitting the area before the night is over.

Weddings have been a constant subject in Swift’s songs since she was a teenager, and her actually walking the aisle for the first time at age 36 adds to the drama. It would also be a first marriage for the 36-year-old three-time Super Bowl champ Kelce, who could have been one of the jock characters in Swift’s early hits.

Outside the arena, some frazzled tourists joked that it was a bad weekend to visit as they navigated strict road and sidewalk closures, but others appeared happy to sneak a peak at the spectacle. Police cut off most access where guests were being dropped off, but a few patrons gathered in nearby businesses and peered out windows.

Diana Warshavsky, who lives in New York, decided to head over to MSG on Friday to celebrate Swift and Kelce’s wedding with fellow Swifties and “send her good vibes.”

“We’re relatively the same age, I’m a year older than her and I just got married this year as well,” Warshavsky said. “I’m just so happy for her.”

The relationship of the pop star and the football player has continued to thrill and fascinate millions around the world — particularly the Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base — ever since the pair first started dating in 2023.

Key lingering questions include who will officiate or perform, and how Swift and Kelce have made over MSG into a wedding venue. Trucks and crews have been in and out for days, setting up tents and whisking massive materials inside.

And while fans have seen Swift wear wedding dresses in plenty of music videos over the years, many also remain eager to see what looks she will unveil at the wedding.

The weekend is jam-packed even by New York’s standards. The city is celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday, a parade of dozens of tall ships will sail the Hudson River, and a World Cup game is scheduled in New Jersey.

Earlier this week, Swift and Kelce donated $26 million to 20 local and national charities across the U.S. Many of the organizations were located in areas where the couple has deep ties, including Nashville, Tennessee; Los Angeles; Kansas City, Missouri; and New York.

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Dalton reported from Los Angeles. AP Sportswriter Stephen Whyno contributed from New York.