Even by NYC standards, the city is BUSY this summer, with this past weekend being especially jam-packed — just in time for the heatwave! Counting backwards: the World Cup is ongoing and a local match happened on Sunday; Saturday was America 250 (yes I watched 1776 on TCM); and Friday, July 3 was the Tayvis Wedding Industrial Complex at Madison Square Garden. I kid the newlyweds! By all accounts, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce had an intimate wedding of their 1,000+ nearest and dearest, obviously adhering to the etiquette rule that states it’s best to air on the side of inviting everyone you’ve ever met. Some people thought the very idea of a wedding at MSG was tacky. I’m one of them! But then I read that Taylor walked down the aisle… to one of her own songs. Maybe “tacky” isn’t the right word for that, but it is something. I mean, can you imagine thinking, “There really is no music more beautiful for this moment than my own!” Yet strangely, reports so far claim that Taylor didn’t perform at the reception, where I would’ve expected her to dedicate a song to her new hubby (not “Wood,” at least not until after midnight). Who did give a special performance? Paul McCartney!
Paul McCartney brought a little Beatles mania to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding.
The musician, 84, performed the band’s No. 1 hit “I Want to Hold Your Hand” at the couple’s star-studded reception at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday, July 3, a source confirms exclusively to PEOPLE.
“After the ceremony, Taylor’s mom Andrea invited everyone into the reception room where the stage was set up,” says the source, who adds that Stevie Nicks — who has been a friend and mentor to Swift for years — also performed.
Reps for Swift, McCartney and Nicks have not responded to requests for comment from PEOPLE.
Swift, 36, and McCartney, meanwhile, have made no secret of their mutual admiration for each other. They previously appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone together in 2020.
More recently, Swift reshared an Instagram post from the legendary British singer about his new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane. Alongside the post on June 2, she praised McCartney as an “eternally exceptional artist” and said she was “never not inspired” by him.
Her post came days after the Beatles star was asked during an interview if he would give Swift any advice on navigating the same level of global fame he has achieved in his own music career.
“You do see the parallel, you know the fame and the amount of fame,” McCartney said in a conversation with BBC Sounds.
“The worldwide fame that Taylor Swift has and that we had, but I don’t think she needs any advice to tell you the truth,” he continued with a laugh.
McCartney later reiterated that if Swift asked him for advice, he would “definitely” oblige.
“I’m like the older brother to that generation, or more like the grandad, actually,” he said.
The “Coming Up” singer revealed that he met Swift, along with other young singers, including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter, at parties hosted by his wife, Nancy Shevell, and daughter, Stella McCartney.
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” makes sense as a wedding song choice. I don’t think it’s anywhere near the best Beatles song, or even the best Beatles love song. But I guess the simplicity of it, and young love romance vibe tracks for Taylor. (She did, after all, have a not-castle built for her wedding.) Then Rolling Stone reported that this was the first time since 1964 that McCartney has performed “I Want to Hold Your Hand” live? How is that possible?? You guys, did Taylor know that when she requested the song? I feel like she would LOVE that bit of trivia. And on another musical note, guest Marren Morris shared a pic of the handkerchiefs given out as favors. They’re embroidered with the date, city, a special double TT + hearts logo, and one of Taylor’s lyrics: “So it’s gonna be forever…” A romantic line, yes, but from “Blank Space,” which is decidedly not romantic. Certainly not a song I’d want forever associated with my wedding. But I suppose that’s where Taylor Swift and I differ, aside from absolutely everything else.
Mazel Tov to the happy couple; may their years of marriage exceed their billions of dollars.
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- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spotted on their way to have dinner in Brooklyn New York City Featuring: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 17 May 2026 Credit: Elder Ordonez/INSTARimages
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- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spotted on their way to have dinner in Brooklyn New York City Featuring: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 17 May 2026 Credit: Elder Ordonez/INSTARimages
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- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spotted on their way to have dinner in Brooklyn New York City Featuring: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 17 May 2026 Credit: Elder Ordonez/INSTARimages
photos credit: Mike Gray/Avalon, Elder Ordonez/INSTARimages
Damn, Macca & Spielberg??
All she needed was Bob Iger and entertainment behemoths would have been complete.
reportedly he was there. 😂
That’s a hell of a way to promote his new album (and yes of course all of his other work) to a younger generation.
If he played I wonder if he charged her. But I also think he has to admire her on some level. That she never gave up fighting to get her masters back. Then did in the end compared to what Paul has had to go through. To get his writing credits back for over 50 years.
I sincerely doubt he would have asked for payment.
Sir Paul wrote a song about Taylor Swift called
“Who Cares”, he didn’t charge her, they are close.
He charges us plebes $500 for a concert ticket and he does not need the money. I sincerely hope he charged a billionaire.
I think Travis really likes the song Blank Space. He has quoted as a line of hers he loves “I can make the bad guys good for a weekend”. That might explain the quote.
Having Sir Paul sing at your wedding is a flex but I’m more interested about who didn’t get invited. Namely how did Karlie get invited when they seemed to fall out years ago and yet Blake and Ryan are so fallen out now that they didn’t make the 1,000 person cut?
Also who got to have a plus one and who didn’t? A lot of the SNL guys seemed to be going solo.
Harrison Butker didn’t get invited! 🤣The long time KC Chief who is a kicker. He’s Maga, wants women to choose the higher calling of being a trad wife, and he really wanted the couple to marry.
The Blank Space line is one of those things that is cuter if you know the line, which is that it has always been Travis’s favorite Taylor Swift song and that even her writing songs for him, couldn’t knock it out of his top 3.
I love that Paul performed at the TT wedding!!!! I wish they would release the names and songs of all the guests who performed!!! What did Stevie Nicks sing??
We had the Beatles song “Here, There, and Everywhere” played as our first dance. I’m sure Sir Paul would have been there to sing it in person if he wasn’t so busy and knew who the hell we were😂
She’s clearly going to release wedding visuals/videos for pay.
She’s grotesque. Couldn’t throw her fans, of which I am certainly not one, a single photo?
It’s asinine.
She is likely waiting for tomorrow. There is symbolic lore for her waiting until July 7th.
Her publicist also debunked the wedding film idea. So many false stories our there.