Swift and Kelce donate $26 million before rumored wedding

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have donated $26 million to 20 charities as New York’s Madison Square Garden becomes the focus of intense speculation over the couple’s expected wedding celebrations.

The gifts, announced this week by Swift’s publicist, went to local and national organizations, including several groups in places closely connected to the singer and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. The amounts given to each charity were not disclosed.

Nine of the organizations are based in New York, where CBS News reported the couple is expected to marry Friday, citing two law enforcement sources. Those groups include Food Bank For NYC, City Harvest and Musical Mentors, a nonprofit that connects music teachers with students in need.

Other recipients reflected the couple’s ties beyond New York. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank received a donation; Swift owns an estate in Watch Hill. Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, also received money; Kelce plays for the Chiefs there. National organizations included Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Feeding America.

The announcement of the donations did not mention a wedding. But preparations around Madison Square Garden have drawn days of attention from fans, photographers and news crews. CBS News reported that a smaller rehearsal dinner was set for Thursday night at the Infosys Theater under the arena, citing a law enforcement source. The BBC reported that a permit obtained by the Associated Press described Thursday’s gathering as a “pre-party night” for about 100 guests, with arrivals starting around 5:30 p.m. ET and the event running until 10:30 p.m.

A larger celebration on Friday is expected to draw up to 1,000 guests, according to both CBS News and the BBC. CBS News, citing law enforcement sources, reported the event could stretch into the early hours of Saturday.

High-profile guests began appearing Thursday evening. The BBC reported that actress Lena Dunham and producer Jack Antonoff, a frequent Swift collaborator, were spotted in formal attire. Page Six reported that Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid had arrived at the venue. Selena Gomez posted images on Instagram of herself in a black gown with gem earrings while heading to an unspecified event.

Outside the arena, aerial footage showed black SUVs arriving under a white canopy tent. The BBC confirmed the tent was to be used for guest arrivals, while Swift and Kelce planned to use an underground entrance for added privacy. Crews had been seen unloading equipment, including a large white staircase prop and a mirror ball, and workers earlier rolled out a red carpet before removing it, the BBC reported.

People Magazine editor-in-chief Charlotte Triggs told CBS Mornings that sources said a castle was being built inside the arena. “This is going to be an absolute, spectacular blowout,” Triggs said. “According to a source, it doesn’t look at all the same inside. They’ve completely transformed it.”

Fans gathered outside despite heat topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius, and public pleas from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to stay indoors. “I’m here to see the alleged wedding,” Swift fan Ryan Weng told the BBC, “because I’ve been loving her for more than 15 years, so it’s going to be a very, very amazing and irreplaceable experience for me and my entire life.”

Swift and Kelce have been in a relationship since 2023 and announced their engagement in 2025. They have not publicly released wedding details.