By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES, June 29 (Reuters) – Taylor Swift may enter her marriage era this week.
The record-setting pop singer and her fiancé, National Football League player Travis Kelce, are widely expected to marry this week. They have made no official announcement, and Reuters could not confirm a date or location, though the New York Times reported that city permits and other clues point toward a Manhattan wedding late in the week.
Even without confirmation, excitement is building for one of the most anticipated celebrity weddings of the century.
“It is truly our royal wedding,” said Elana Fishman, style and shopping director for the New York Post’s Page Six, which has extensively covered Swift’s career and love life. “Everybody’s buzzing.”
The pair’s engagement last August followed a public love story that enchanted fans who had followed Swift from her teen years through several heartbreaks that she documented in her music. Cameras caught Swift cheering on Kelce — one of the NFL’s top tight ends — at Kansas City Chiefs games and followed him as he jetted around the world to her concerts.
MEETING OF THE MEGASTARS
Both were at the top of their games when they started dating three years ago. The 14-time Grammy winner was in the middle of her catalog-spanning Eras Tour, the highest-grossing concert tour ever, and Kelce won his third Super Bowl as Swift beamed from the stands. He has set several NFL records, including 178 postseason catches, and co-hosts a popular podcast called “New Heights” with his brother, retired NFL star Jason Kelce.
The wedding will be “the union of two of the most powerful, beloved, influential people in the world,” Fishman said. “We’re talking about the world’s preeminent pop star marrying probably, arguably, the greatest tight end in NFL history.”
The singer’s fans, known as “Swifties,” have watched her ups and downs for two decades.
“It kind of feels like we’ve been on this journey with her,” said Olivia Levin, author of “The Story of Us: How the Taylor Swift Fandom Changed Our Lives.”
“It’s so cool to see someone who’s gone through so much in relationships, and in life, and then finally gets their happy, fairytale ending,” Levin said, adding that Kelce is “very much Swiftie-approved.”
Unlike a royal wedding, no outsiders know when and where the nuptials will take place. Several media outlets have reported the couple chose what appears to be a less-than-romantic venue — the windowless sports arena Madison Square Garden.
A star-studded crowd is expected, given Swift’s roster of celebrity friends, including Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Emma Stone and Gigi Hadid. Swift’s publicist has not responded to requests for comment.
BIG WEEKEND FOR NEW YORK
A wedding this weekend would coincide with two major events likely to draw an influx of tourists to New York City. Dozens of tall ships will sail through New York Harbor for the United States’ 250th birthday celebration on Saturday, and a World Cup soccer match is set for nearby New Jersey on Sunday.
It is unclear how much, if any, of the wedding will be made public. The couple posted five photos from their engagement on social media, and fans hope to see video or pictures of her wedding dress, hair, makeup and jewelry. Whatever Swift chooses will spark new trends that influence brides for years, fashion experts said.
Sarah Chapelle, author of “Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras,” predicts Swift will lean into old Hollywood romance blended with modern-day glamour for her bridal gown.
“Taylor has a very signature style and a very signature aesthetic,” Chapelle said. “Whatever she ends up wearing, I’m sure is going to define bridal wear for a very long time.”
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Alicia Powell in New York and Marie-Louise Gumuchian in London; editing by Scott Malone and Rod Nickel)
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