For their wedding last weekend, Taylor Swift (36) and Travis Kelce (36) are said to have dug deep into their pockets. The celebration at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City could have cost more than 30 million US dollars. This estimate comes from Esther Lee, editorial director at wedding specialist The Knot Worldwide, speaking to "Page Six", the gossip portal of the "New York Post".
For the celebrity wedding of the year, which was attended by numerous stars from the entertainment industry including Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Sabrina Carpenter, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks and Bradley Cooper, millions are likely to have been spent on location and logistics alone. Since the extensive preparations must also be taken into account, the expert estimates the costs for setting up and using the arena at five to ten million dollars.
Flowers and decor for five million dollars?
Another major cost factor is likely to have been the furnishings. "We estimate the costs for decoration and floral arrangements at a minimum of five million dollars", explains Lee. According to reports, this also included custom-made curtains and specially laid carpeting, which completely transformed the arena. According to reports, Swift and Kelce had Madison Square Garden transformed into a park-like setting with real trees, lush greenery and a large pavilion.
The catering for the approximately 1,000 to 1,100 guests, according to various reports, is also likely to have contributed significantly to the total costs. Lee accordingly estimates about 2.5 to three million dollars for catering. Another roughly two million dollars are said to have been spent on evening entertainment as well as Swift's bridal gown and Kelce's tuxedo.
"We estimate the total costs at 20 to more than 30 million dollars", explains Lee. The celebration is therefore likely not only to rank among the most expensive celebrity weddings of recent years, but also to have brought high revenues to the city of New York and the wedding industry. For comparison: According to Lee, a wedding in the US costs an average of around 34,000 dollars.
For Swift and Kelce, however, the sum is likely to be comparatively easy to manage. The business magazine "Forbes" estimated Swift's fortune alone at around two billion US dollars in June, equivalent to more than 1.7 billion euros.
What the celebration actually looked like inside Madison Square Garden is so far known only to the bride and groom, their families and the guests. Official wedding photos have not yet been released. A strict cell phone ban is said to have been in effect during the wedding. In addition, those present reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements.
On the day of the ceremony, Swift and Kelce announced their wedding on the large video screens at the arena. The text "JUST T&T MARRIED!" could be read there - an allusion to the initials of their first names.
