Taylor Swift has never been cool. Why should her wedding be? | Opinion
"The wedding was charming, if a little gauche," singer-songwriter Taylor Swift sang on "The Last Great American Dynasty," a standout track from her seminal 2020 album, "Folklore." What originated as Swift chronicling the legacy of her Rhode Island mansion (and the misogyny therein) now reads as some prescient self-mythologizing, as the pop juggernaut is set to marry football player Travis Kelce in another "wedding of the century."
The wedding, slated for July 3 at Madison Square Garden (yes, the stadium in New York City), has caused much cultural fervor. Some for its bookending of the Kelce–Swift love story (that's the "charming" part … I guess) but most for its grandiose display of tackiness (there goes that "gauche" part).
I understand those who lean toward the latter. Madison Square Garden certainly won't impress those who've been building their aesthetic dream weddings on Pinterest since they were 13; nor is it reminiscent of the scenic French Riviera or Italian countryside, where celebrities tend to host their weddings.
Anyone who's been to MSG knows it's not exactly scenic, nor romantic, nor clean, even. To Swift and Kelce's credit, though, it takes a certain type of loveblindess to find romance in such a place. That's the thought that constantly orbited my head as I scratched it, trying to make sense of this choice in venue. Taylor Swift has never struck me as a woman of particular taste. Why should her wedding prove me otherwise?
Taylor Swift was never 'cool'
I mean, Swift's whole artifice presents herself as the "every girl" – the band geek who prefers sneakers over high heels, the one who never fit in with the popular crowd or the it girls of the day. Her run-ins with those who do hold some cultural cache exposed just how corny and ham-fisted her attempts at cool can be.
Take, for example, "Actually Romantic," her supposed response to Charli xcx shade, or all of the "Reputation" era. Swift may have been valid in her responses then, and vindicated now with the Kanye nonsense, but it was tough to watch her do the whole "bad girl" thing.
Nevertheless, the biggest throughline of Swift's career is her portrayal of the hopeless romantic. Alas, she's accomplished "the thing," she's willed her love story prophecy so, and it's culminated in this moment. Swift's wedding won't please internet tastemakers; her dress won't impress fashion historians, but chicness was never her penchant.
Hosting a wedding event at MSG is Swift remaining faithful to her canon of uncool.
Let Tay have her tacky 'Taywedding'
This becomes abundantly clear when diving into the ridiculous details of this whole affair. Roads in Midtown Manhattan are scheduled to be closed, and hundreds of police officers are set to patrol the area for this two-day event, according to The New York Times. Approximately 1,000 guests are expected to attend, according to CNN.
At one point, there was a rumored castle being constructed inside Madison Square Garden. Male guests are encouraged to wear top hats for a "magical" summer night, a source told USA TODAY.
Taking it a step forward, as tenured Swifties know, it's in line with the references to storybook romances and fairytale endings sprinkled throughout her discography: "White Horse," "The Story of Us," "Enchanted," "Today Was a Fairytale," (how much more on-the-nose can you get?) "Castles Crumbling" and, most recently, "The Fate of Ophelia" just to name a few.
Just when I thought this couldn't get any tawdrier! Apparently, there was a mix-up, and workers had to rip up a newly placed red carpet for a purple one (?)
Most details regarding the wedding are kept top-secret to the dismay of some guests who would prefer a bit more clarity. A wedding celebration for one of the world's most famous women in the center of the world's busiest city during the July Fourth weekend isn't conducive to secrecy.
Perhaps, for such a high-profile couple, the best place to hide is in plain sight. MSG is covered by a roof, has no windows, and is known for having an excellent and disciplined security team.
Swift isn't one to get married in secret like, say, actress Zendaya, whose marital status with actor Tom Holland remained unknown for months. Swift's always been unabashed about her desire for matrimony. Remember the Instagram video of her singing "Champagne Problems" in a wedding gown?
With her MSG wedding, Swift embodies the "to be cringe is to be free" mantra adopted by many recently. Her desires are hers to have and to hold; they won't be stifled to fit a curated Vogue magazine spread.
So, dear reader, let her make those NFL players wear top hats. Let her fulfill the love story prophecy she designed. Let Taylor Swift have her tacky wedding!
Kofi Mframa is a columnist and digital producer for USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taylor Swift has never been cool. Why should her wedding be? | Opinion
Reporting by Kofi Mframa, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 4:02 AM.