Stars including TV presenter Graham Norton and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge have been spotted arriving in New York City ahead of pop superstar Taylor Swift’s wedding to NFL player Travis Kelce.
It comes as preparations have begun in New York City ahead of the big day, which will take place on Friday at Madison Square Garden after a rehearsal dinner on Thursday at the venue.
Norton was photographed with his husband Jono McLeod at JFK Airport, wearing a blue shirt and shorts, while Waller-Bridge sported a black hoodie.
It comes after Norton appeared in the video for Swift’s song Opalite earlier this year, along with guests such as actor Cillian Murphy, singer Lewis Capaldi and About Time star Domhnall Gleeson – who appeared on The Graham Norton Show with Swift.
Norton has regularly been asked whether he has been invited to the wedding since, insisting to his friend Maria McErlane that he did not know whether he was invited during a talk at Advertising Week Europe, despite Swift openly inviting him on his show.
Waller-Bridge was among the crowd at the Eras Tour in London in 2024, and hosted US sketch show Saturday Night Live in 2019 when Swift was the musical guest, the Fleabag star has also reportedly been invited to a number of the singer’s parties.
Workers have been seen lifting large props into the venue including a grand piano, tree branches and a large carpet, which was unveiled outside one entrance and quickly removed, while “no parking” signs have been placed around the arena.
A fleet of forklift trucks and lorries have been seen loading equipment into the venue this week, with a box with “40” mirrorball” written on it pictured in the back of a lorry.
Food has also been seen being delivered to Madison Square Garden, however some items have been completely covered, including one marked “garden party”, with even delivery staff reportedly unaware of what they are carrying.
A forklift truck operator has also been spotted wearing a Swift t-shirt while working at the venue.
It comes after an unnamed law enforcement official briefed on the security plans confirmed the wedding plans to Associated Press (AP), saying they had been warned about an influx of Swift’s fans, who are named Swifties.
The city’s local government has offered few details about plans for the wedding, including in relation to its impact on local businesses and transport, with the venue located above Penn Station.
At a press conference on Wednesday, mayor Zohran Mamdani said in response to a question about the wedding: “We are fully prepared, there isn’t anything to share beyond that.”
In a post on social media giving advice about dealing with the heatwave in the city, Mamdani told them to stay cool, “especially if you’re (hypothetically) having your wedding at MSG this weekend”.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch also spoke about the event on Wednesday, saying: “I would be remiss not to mention an event that we are tracking at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
“The NYPD will, of course, have a detail in place, but I am not going to go into more specifics on that at this time.”
The arena has guarded entrances, a secure garage and a lack of windows, which it is thought will allow the couple and their guests to stay out of sight of photographers or camera-equipped drones.
It is thought that the wedding will be the first to take place at Madison Square Garden since funk star Sly Stone married actress Kathy Silva in 1974, however a mass marriage ceremony featuring more than 2,000 couples, hosted by the Rev Sun Myung Moon also took place at the venue in 1982.
July 4 marks US independence day, a national holiday known to be one of Swift’s favourites, with the singer historically celebrating the day by throwing big parties.
It comes after Swift made headlines in August after announcing her engagement to the Kansas City Chiefs player in a joint Instagram post which read: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
Swift sang about the tight end on her UK number one album, The Life Of A Showgirl, including on her song, Opalite, which references his birth stone, opal.
