Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce marry in elaborate ceremony at NYC's Madison Square Garden

Very few details were disclosed in the buildup to the wedding weekend

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce have made their vows and are officially married, and Swift's fans are overjoyed about the occasion, with some saying they came from abroad to show the couple their support.

Kayla McLean, Jessica Wong · CBC News

U.S. pop star Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce are now married, Swift's publicist said Friday after days of speculation leading up to the star-packed ceremony at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

The couple did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen, instead opting for Swift's brother to serve as her man of honour and Kelce's brother Jason serving as his best man, The Associated Press reported.

While the couple has been tight-lipped over details about their purported nuptials — during a scorching summer week alongside World Cup matches and 250th anniversary celebrations of American independence — details about the event have inevitably emerged.

Guests from the entertainment world included singer Camila Cabello; actors Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke and Jason Sudeikis; and model Karlie Kloss. From the NFL world, Seattle Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp and JuJu Smith-Schuster of the New York Giants were seen headed into MSG.

A permit issued by the city for Friday's event allows for roughly 1,000 guests.

PHOTOS | Celebs arrive at MSG:

A person in formal wear exits a car. — U.S. actor Ethan Hawke arrives at Madison Square Garden in New York City amid reports pop star Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce will be celebrating their wedding in the area. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

A person is seen through the opened window of a car. — Paulina Gretzky, daughter of Canadian hockey great Wayne Gretzky, arrives at Madison Square Garden. (Angelina Katsanis/Reuters

Cars are seen lined up in a street. — About 100 guests began arriving at the famed venue at 6:30 p.m. for what a copy of a city permit obtained by The Associated Press calls 'pre party celebration.' (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Cars line up at a tented area. — Heavy security was in place as black sport utility vehicles drove into a large tent to drop off passengers, who then walked through a tented area into the arena. (Charles Sykes/Invision/The Associated Press)

Spectators gather behind a metal barrier. — Several fans stopped by in passing or even made trips to midtown Manhattan expressly to scope out the scene hours before those expected arrivals. (Ryan Murphy/The Associated Press)

A waitstaff member pushes a car on a street. — Crews have been seen unloading equipment from trucks this week — much of it covered or obscured — and barricades have been placed near the perimeter of the arena. (Christian Monterrosa/Reuters)

Armed police officers in tactical gear patrol a street. — Madison Square Garden sits next to New York Penn Station, one of the nation's busiest transportation hubs, which saw an increased police presence. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Workers set up a set at a window. — Both the guest list and logistical details have been kept mum, and workers have even hung tarps at arena entrances presumably for added privacy. (David Dee Delgado/Reuters)

Meanwhile, New York's Empire State building, which regularly changes its lights for holidays and important occasions, announced it would light up in sparkling blue Friday evening "in celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding."

In 2014, Swift revealed her album 1989 in a livestream from atop the iconic landmark, later performing her track Welcome to New York to a choreographed light show.

Raena Montemayor, a Swift fan who flew in from California, likened the event to a royal wedding.

"This is American royalty having their wedding day, so I'm very excited," she said Friday.

People are seen gathering behind metal barricades on a city street corner on a sunny day. — A crowd of fans gather behind media at the corner of W 31st Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan on Friday, across from Madison Square Garden. (Griffin Jaeger/CBC)

"I'm hoping to see some celebrities while walking around.... Honestly, I'm hoping to see some football players."

Suzanne Meyer, visiting New York from Pennsylvania, told CBC News she's most eagerly watching for what the billionaire bride will be wearing.

"I can't wait to see what kind of gown it is. They say it might be reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor," she noted, before hailing Swift as "an icon" who can do it all: "play instruments, write music, sing, dance, act."

A picture of a tent with workers inside — Workers set up a tent outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of the couple's expected wedding on Friday, at New York's Madison Square Garden. (Ryan Murphy/The Associated Press)

Prince Priyanshu, a decade-long Swiftie who travelled from Chicago after his graduation ceremony, called the event "historic."

"To be here and see it happen is just kind of cool — even though I'm not inside. The vibes are everywhere."

The rehearsal dinner, per another permit filed with the city, took place Thursday with an intimate group of about 100 guests, though a white tent at the arena's VIP entrance blocked TV crews and curious onlookers. (Meanwhile, Page Six has reported the pair may have already gotten legally married at an undisclosed location.)

WATCH | Swift and Kelce announce engagement on social media:

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, according to a post on the pop star's Instagram. The post got more than 2.5 million likes in just 20 minutes. Kelce, a three time Super Bowl winner, has shown interest in Swift since 2016.

There's also speculation that the couple may be turning their days-long celebration into a movie — quite literally. Film notices spotted around the Garden list photography and videography taking place around the venue from June 29 to July 3.

The notices, first reported by TMZ, say crews would be filming "in and around Madison Square Garden" in connection with "an event taking place at MSG" — raising the possibility that cameras have been documenting preparations since Monday.

"I saw a filming crew loading yesterday, so they probably will make it a documentary for [her] fans.... She will probably want us to be part of the journey," mused Becky Chen, a Swift fan since her early teens.

A multi-lane street next to a tall, glass-windowed building is seen empty except for a long line of large, black sport utility vehicles queuing next to a long line of orange pylons. — A queue of black SUVs approach Madison Square Garden on a closed 7th Avenue in Manhattan on Friday, heading for a massive, curtained tent that let passengers exit the vehicles unseen. (Helen Surgenor/CBC)

She wished there would have been a wedding livestream set up, but would be happy if the event and its decor includes Easter eggs teasing to Swift's forthcoming music.

"After she says yes at the wedding, she probably will announce an album," Chen predicted, noting it's been 20 years since the release of Swift's self-titled debut.

Tight security

If this was, as many Swifties have dubbed it, "America's royal wedding," then the level of security and police presence is every bit as grand. Police lined the streets around the Garden, especially along Seventh and Eighth avenues.

Mid-Friday afternoon, a string of black SUVs formed a lengthy queue along Seventh Avenue, heading for a massive white tent raised near the intersection with West 31st St. Black curtains were drawn to allow each vehicle to roll in before closing again, offer passengers privacy to exit the car and enter the arena.

The Hollywood Reporter says — citing a source "with knowledge of police movements" — that all officers were removed from the arena and positioned outside "at the hostess' request, for fear of capturing intentionally or inadvertently, a detail that might end up in the wrong hands, or worse, a viral TikTok account.”

The trade publication also reported that snipers were spotted atop the roof of the Garden.

Police have also set up crowd-control barriers and "no parking" signs around the venue in anticipation of throngs of Swift fans.

And don't even think about launching a drone for a better look. During a news briefing earlier this week — which nodded to city's busy weekend without getting too specific — NYPD police commissioner Jessica Tish said the department's aviation and drone teams would be in the skies, watching for illegal drones in restricted airspace.

Charitable donations

Even amid the extensive security planning, the celebrity couple also reportedly found time to give back in a major way.

Usually it's the wedding guests expected to give, but according to People, it was the couple doing the gifting with a Swift representative confirming the pair donated $26 million to several charities ahead of the wedding.

The money was distributed among food banks, children's hospitals, music and education programs and animal welfare organizations.

The generosity apparently left many of the staff from the American non-profits stunned — with several of the charities taking to Instagram to express their surprise and gratitude. That included City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization. A social media post confirmed that a $1-million donation from the couple arrived like a lifeline during a critical moment.

Kansas City's Harvesters also took to Instagram to share their thanks for a $1-million donation, which the community food network said will be equivalent to roughly two million meals. And Rhode Island Community Food Bank said members were "THRILLED to learn of this unexpected gift."