Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are rumoured to be tying the knot today in New York's Madison Square Garden (MSG) - what we know so far
Black SUVs have arrived outside the arena, while crowds have gathered outside to try and catch a glimpse of any celebrity guests
The couple have not confirmed any details surrounding their wedding, but some streets in Midtown Manhattan are closed to traffic
There's excitement in the air, with a heavy police presence in the stifling heat, our reporter writes from MSG - here's how the day could play out
Watch the build-up from New York live at the top of the page
Temperatures could hit 38C (100.4F) in the city today, as much of the eastern half of the USA and Canada experiences a prolonged and dangerous heatwave
The big question now is how much the couple will share later, writes our reporter in New York
Image source, ReutersBenson Boone arrives at Madison Square Garden
Singer Benson Boone has just arrived for the event, making his way through the Madison Square Garden barricades and past security while wearing oversized sunnies,a dark suit and bowtie.
Mark Savage
Music correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesAmong the guests to shun the black SUVs are retired US football legend and Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach and her wife, author Glennon Doyle.
Their connection to Taylor Swift goes back a long way... Swift invited Wambach onstage with her teammates during the 1989 tour, after the US Women's team won the World Cup in 2015.
Swift has also credited Doyle’s writing, including her memoir Untamed, with being a "huge help" during the Covid-19 lockdown, as she wrote her companion albums Folklore and Evermore.
Christal Hayes
US reporter
Image source, TheStewartofNY/GC ImagesTabloids and paparazzi across Manhattan have captured some of Swift and Kelce's potential guests ahead of the expected festivities.
Model Gigi Hadid was spotted getting into a vehicle with a floor-length pink sparkly dress. She was accompanied by boyfriend and actor Bradley Cooper, who was seen in a black tuxedo.
Outside a hotel near Madison Square Garden, Swift's longtime publicist Tree Paine was spotted getting into a black van. She was seen in a brown, off-the-shoulder, floor-length gown.
Pratiksha Ghildial
Reporting from New York City
It’s a balmy 38C at the cross streets between 7th Avenue and 31st Street from where we can see a row of cars waiting at the intersection.
Every now and then police will allow them to go inside one or two at a time.
Spectators stop by and ask each other what’s going on and I heard a man loudly say “ah, I see. Wow!”
Image source, Getty Images
Sakshi Venkatraman
US reporter in Manhattan - Favourite song: The Way I Loved You
Midtown Manhattan is extremely chaotic even on an average Friday. It’s home to offices, tourist attractions like the Empire State Building, and the city’s busiest transit hub, Penn Station.
But today, with the holiday weekend and a celebrity wedding coinciding, the area around Madison Square Garden is at an absolute traffic standstill.
Pedestrians and drivers are stuck behind dozens of black SUVs with tinted windows, presumably carrying some of the most famous faces in entertainment on their way to the rumoured Swift-Kelce wedding at MSG.
I was stuck behind all of the black cars for about 20 minutes before I decided to jump out of my Uber and walk the remaining few blocks to the venue.
The celebs in their formalwear probably don’t have that choice. I hope they’re not late to the function!
A group of four people - two men dressed in black tie and two women dressed in evening dresses - have just been seen walking through a security gate at Madison Square Garden.
They hold their phones up to a member of security at the gate who has a look at the screen before typing on a tablet, and they disappear behind a cordoned off area.
Moments later another couple, including a woman in a silver dress, arrive at the same gate and also have their phones checked.
Meanwhile, a queue of three black 4x4s can be seen travelling through a black curtain into a secluded area.
We're starting to see suited-up guests arriving at Madison Square Garden, where there's a considerable New York Police Department (NYPD) presence.
Temperatures could reach highs of 38C (100.4F) in the city today, and police officers already appear to be feeling the heat.
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from New York City
It’s all happening here at Madison Square Garden now.
Black SUVs with tinted windows carrying guests are going through a few checkpoints, with women dressed in sleek black outfits there to check names.
The vehicles then go into a white tent, so it’s very hard to see anyone.
There is also now a group of fans who have gathered to watch it all.
Mark Savage
Music correspondent - (favourite song: Seven)
Image source, ReutersA steady stream of cars is entering Madison Square Garden now. Each one approaches a black curtain before being ushered into the venue and disappearing into a marquee.
Tantalisingly, the curtains keep billowing in the wind, giving brief glimpses of the activity behind the scenes (mostly credential checks, I'm afraid).
Some guests are skipping the queue and walking into the venue. So far, however, none of them have been immediately recognisable.
Adam Goldsmith
Favourite song: August
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockLong story short, here's a rundown of all the big developments around New York's Madison Square Garden:
While we wait for any sign of celebrity guests, you can familiarise yourself with tonight's anticipated itinerary - which includes a cocktail hour and a late-night reception.
Floyd Cush
Reporting from outside the arena
Lines of black SUVs are making their way towards the black tented entrance to Madison Square Garden.
Crowds have gathered on the other side of the street to try and catch a glimpse of potential celebrity guest arrivals, but security is very tight and from this angle it’s impossible to catch who’s going inside.
Madison Square Garden has been a hive of activity this afternoon ahead of the rumoured wedding celebrations, which have been billed as America's version of a royal wedding.
Police have cordoned off the roads surrounding the arena and fans have been seen stopping for pictures outside Swift's Manhattan residence.
Here are some of the latest pictures we've received of the preparations.
Image source, MEGA/GC ImagesWorkers have been seen unloading equipment outside the arena. Who can guess what they're building?
Image source, AFP via Getty Images7th Avenue is one of the roads blocked off by New York City Police (NYPD) officers near Madison Square Garden
Image source, ReutersFans have also been seen taking pictures outside Taylor Swift's residence in Manhattan
Mark Savage
Music correspondent - (favourite song: Seven)
If we were to list Taylor Swift’s achievements in music, we’d be here 'til next year.
She currently holds more than 100 Guinness World Records - from the most weeks spent in the Top 10 of the US albums chart (more than 440) to the largest seismic activity caused by a pop concert (at a 2023 Eras Tour show in Washington).
The key to her success? Well, it’s the music. It sounds obvious, but her songs are accessible and catchy. The lyrics are memorable, relatable and authentic. And she works hard to make sure people hear about it.
Her fingerprints touch every aspect of the writing, production, performance, visual presentation and marketing. And she is, as this weekend’s wedding proves, a master at building anticipation.
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockFans at one of Taylor Swift's concerns in Lisbon during the Eras Tour of 2024
Lana Del Rey, who duetted with Swift on the 2022 song Snow On The Beach, once told me that Swift “wants it more than anyone”.
“She’s driven, and I think it’s really paid off.”
On top of that, she has created an incredible sense of community with her fans. They see her as a role model - a woman who has fought misogyny and come out victorious - and empathise with the ups and downs of her love life.
That’s why more than 10 million people attended the Eras Tour in 2023-24, swapping friendship bracelets, dancing together and bonding over their favourite songs.
For those Swifties, today’s wedding is the fairytale ending of a story they’ve shared for the last 20 years.
Image source, Getty ImagesTaylor Swift meeting some of the UK's wildlife in London in 2012
Taylor Swift's upcoming wedding is set to take place in New York but there's another capital city that has a special connection to the popstar - London.
Taylor set a new record in London during her Eras Tour when she became the first solo artist to play Wembley eight times in a single tour, overtaking Michael Jackson's record set in 1988.
And it's clear she has a huge fanbase in the UK - during the 2024 tour she played to almost 1.2 million people, generating an estimated £1bn for the country's economy.
London is also heavily referenced in her music and parts of the capital, including Croydon and Stoke Newington, feature in her music video for Opalite.
A south London pub, The Black Dog, is the subject of the 17th track on her album The Tortured Poets Department.
The lyrics "And so I watch as you walk - into some bar called The Black Dog - and pierce new holes in my heart" appear in the first verse. Swift sings of spotting an ex - who had forgotten to turn off his location-sharing - going into the venue.
Speaking of exes, Swift's dating history is one key link to the UK.
Before saying yes to Travis Kelce's marriage proposal, Swift had dated several Brits: Music sensation Harry Styles, 1975 frontman Matty Healy, actor Joe Alwyn, Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and Avengers star Tom Hiddleston.
Nada Tawfik
Reporting from New York City
The white canopy tent on 31st Street has grown noticeably bigger compared to last night, no doubt to handle to influx of star-studded guests expected to arrive this afternoon.
Black curtains and screens have been added to ensure there isn’t any opportunity to snap photos.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce still haven’t commented publicly, but the scenes around Madison Square Garden speak to a massive bash in the works.
It’s impressive how little has leaked beyond the occasional delivery photo and celebrity spotting.
The big question now is how much the couple will share later. After all, Swifties - her loyal fan base - are used to their idol sharing her major milestones.
So what will be made public and what will be kept private from this love story turned cultural phenomenon?
Floyd Cush
Reporting from outside the arena
The NYPD has just come through and closed the streets immediately around Madison Square Garden where I am.
The streets are now completely closed to vehicles and pedestrian traffic is being diverted with more barriers put in place.
Yasmin Rufo
Business reporter
Being a wedding guest can be expensive, though the lucky few invited to megastar Taylor Swift's rumoured wedding bash are likely to be able to afford it.
There's travel, accommodation, you might even treat yourself to a new outfit - then there's another cost to factor in: the present.
While Swift and Kelce have a no-gift policy, it's now commonplace for invitations to read: "Your presence is enough, but if you would like to give us a gift, please donate to our honeymoon fund."
But replacing the traditional gift list with bank transfer details, can leave guests with a new etiquette dilemma: how much are you expected to give?
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Prince of Wales has shared his thoughts on the emotional rollercoaster of being a football fan in a relaxed appearance on the podcast of Travis Kelce, the US footballer who is expected to soon marry the pop megastar Taylor Swift.
The theme wasn't the wedding but the World Cup, of which the US is a co-host, and Prince William jokingly corrected Travis that it was "football" and not "soccer".
On the 28-minute show, the prince revealed that his father King Charles "hates football". The King has previously described himself as a Burnley supporter, which may be a factor.
Prince William also told the podcast that he would travel to the World Cup in the US if England reached the final.
"They make it to the finals, you're gonna make the trip across the pond?" Travis asked.
"Definitely. If we're in the finals," he said.
You can read more about Prince William's podcast appearance here.
Mark Savage
Music correspondent - (favourite song Seven)
Taylor Swift was born in Pennsylvania, Travis Kelce comes from Ohio. So why have they chosen New York for their wedding?
Well, Swift has based herself there since 2014 - when she bought two adjoining Tribeca penthouses for $20 million (£15 million) and combined them into one massive living space.
She fell in love with the city after discovering she could go shopping without being bothered. "My friends and people who know me have commented that I'm physically different since being here," she told radio station WKTU.
That eye-opening experience inspired the first track of her album 1989 - Welcome To New York.
Image source, EPASwift and Kelce at an NFL game in February 2024
Kelce, who is based in Kansas for his football career, was introduced to the bright lights of the Big Apple when he started dating Swift in 2023.
"It's cool to just kinda vibe around the city,” he said after a romantic weekend last year. "It's one of my favourite things to do in New York, just be one with the city and just kinda walk the streets and feel the electricity.”
It makes sense that they’d choose the city. For one thing, it’s a convenient place for celebrities to convene.
More importantly, Madison Square Garden offers an unusual level of privacy - its lack of windows and underground access points mean there’s no chance of photographers spoiling the big day.
Pratiksha Ghildial
Reporting from New York City
"I've heard she's shutting down a lot of the streets surrounding [Madison Square Garden], which I think is sort of absurd," Rose says.
However, Rose adds that she thinks the ceremony will be beautiful "because it's Taylor Swift".
"I think they're probably really happy together cause they got married so fast, and I hope it's a beautiful wedding," she continues.
"But I think they should do it somewhere that's less inconveniencing to general populace of New York City," she laughs.
