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THE MAIN ACT of pop sensation Taylor Swift’s wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce is due to get underway today, as celebrities flood New York for the Madison Square Garden extravaganza.
The billionaire singer and three-time Super Bowl champion, both 36, opened the festivities Thursday with an exclusive rehearsal dinner – only around 100 guests were invited.
Swift, who announced her engagement to Kelce last August, has been tight-lipped about what will surely be the wedding of the year, and guests have reportedly signed non-disclosure agreements.
The BBC has reported that Swift’s A-list friends including Sabrina Carpenter, who toured with Swift, and Graham Norton, who she invited during an appearance on his show, were seen in New York in recent days.
Swift joked that she’s inviting “anyone I’ve ever talked to”.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the city permit, which had the full schedule for the celebrations.
Guests are due to arrive today between 3pm and 5pm local time (8pm and 10pm Irish time).
The main event is to begin at 5pm and go on until 4am on Saturday morning.
An AFP journalist saw a procession of black SUVs, believed to be carrying guests, pulling into a privacy tent outside the Garden late Thursday while fans buzzed nearby for a peek at the action.
“She is the biggest thing in America – like she is our royalty, she is our queen, she is everything,” said Alyssa Heinen (24), from Manhattan.
“We are just so happy that she found the love of her life and he happens to also be such a big deal. It feels like a royal wedding to us.”
The couple have asked guests not to bring any gifts, according to NFL player George Kittle, who is attending.
We don’t yet have any clues about what the dress may look like, but fans speculate it’ll be traditional, evoking the fairytale-like romance Swift often writes about. No doubt a big-name designer has been recruited.
Friday’s proceedings are expected to involve up to 1,000 guests, according to US media, including models Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne, singer Selena Gomez and actress Zoë Kravitz – all known to be Swift pals.
Kelce’s teammates from the Kansas City Chiefs are also expected to be on hand.
Rumour has it that Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw, both close to Swift, will perform. British artists Ed Sheeran – another Swift pal – and Paul McCartney may also go on stage.
Guests will reportedly not be allowed to have their phones during the main ceremony.
Swifties, as the megastar’s fans are known, have flocked to Big Apple locations mentioned in their idol’s lyrics.
Among the hotspots were the “Bus Stop Café” in the West Village, which Swift has visited, and nearby Cornelia Street, which lends its name to the hit song.
“We are so excited to see Taylor,” Lindsey Bongiorno (25) told AFP outside Madison Square Garden, hoping to experience the occasion from afar.
Rumours have been rampant for weeks over the couple’s wedding, with no official confirmation, but the Garden has been buzzing over the past week.
Journalists have sighted food delivery trucks carrying lobster meat and doughnuts, while police have announced road closures around the arena.
Dubbed “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” the 20,000-seat venue is where sporting history meets music legends.
It’s the home of the New York Knicks, the most recent NBA champions, as well as the New York Rangers ice hockey team.
It’s also a frequent and lively concert venue, hosting all the big names from the Rolling Stones to Madonna to Billy Joel. Swift herself has played there eight times.
Swift’s private jet landed nearby on Tuesday and her car was seen in the city. Meanwhile, Kelce was photographed jogging in Manhattan. His mother has also been seen out and about.
Ahead of the big day, the couple announced they were donating $26 million (€22.81 million) to various US charities.
Madison Square Garden, which includes both an arena and a smaller theatre, is perhaps not a traditional wedding venue – but Swift would not be the first musician to marry there.
Sly Stone, who died last year, was married there in June 1974 to actress Kathy Silva during a concert by his band, Sly and the Family Stone.
Swift, a 14-time Grammy winner, is coming off a banner year with the success of her album The Life of a Showgirl, induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a new song on the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.
Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has signed on to play for a 14th season in the National Football League. He starred on three Super Bowl-winning teams with the Chiefs and is also a co-host of the popular “New Heights” podcast alongside his brother Jason.
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