Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce (both 36) are tying the knot this weekend in New York, and the kickoff alone turned into a star-studded affair. At the rehearsal dinner on Thursday evening, a lineup assembled at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden that was in no way inferior to the actual celebration. This is reported by the US outlet Page Six.
The so-called rehearsal dinner was scheduled to last from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Prior to that, the invited guests had been spotted at an upscale hotel in Midtown Manhattan before setting off toward the arena in black SUVs around 5:30 p.m.
These stars were among the guests
According to the report, the inner circle around the pop singer included model Gigi Hadid and actor Bradley Cooper, along with Swift's longtime producer Jack Antonoff with his sister, as well as her friend Ashley Avignone. Also invited: sports reporter Erin Andrews with husband Jarret Stoll, a former NHL pro, Swift's publicist Tree Paine, and her childhood friend Abigail Anderson.
On Kelce's side, attendees included his manager Amanda Santa, his longtime friend Reggie Regrunt King with wife Sarah, as well as sports host Charissa Thompson. Kimberly Schlapman from the country band Little Big Town appeared in a pink satin dress alongside her husband Stephen. Former NFL pro Ross Travis, a close friend of the groom, also made his way to the dinner.
What's behind the rehearsal dinner
The rehearsal dinner is a widely practiced component of a wedding in the United States and has a long tradition there. It typically takes place the evening before the wedding ceremony, following the ceremony rehearsal where the bride and groom go through the proceedings with the wedding party and closest family members. Afterward, a small group is invited to dinner. Traditionally, the groom's parents host, speeches and toasts are given, and the couple thanks those who have contributed to the celebration. The evening is considered a more intimate, personal kickoff before the big wedding takes place the following day.
More than 1,000 guests are expected at the ceremony itself. The doors of Madison Square Garden open at 3:30 p.m., with a cocktail hour on the sixth level scheduled from 4 p.m., and the ceremony is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. on the arena floor. The reception starts at 6:30 p.m. and is scheduled until 2 a.m. Expected prominent wedding guests include Adrien Brody, Zoë Kravitz, the Haim sisters, and Selena Gomez.
