Singer Taylor Swift disbursed more than $160,000 to the city of New York to cover the costs of the permit necessary to celebrate her wedding to NFL player Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden, as confirmed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a press conference last Friday.

The ceremony, which took place on July 3, brought together more than 1,000 guests including celebrities, athletes, family and close friends of the couple, and required a major security operation that included street closures, traffic management and a wide deployment of New York Police Department officers around the iconic Manhattan venue.

Payment of permits

“Taylor Swift has already paid the cost of the permit that was requested, which amounted to more than $160,000 for that event and for the response to that event,” Mamdani told reporters, specifying that the authorization was formalized “just a few days before the event itself.”

The mayor was asked if that figure included overtime hours worked by police officers, to which Mamdani responded that the amount corresponds to the permit fee, leaving open the possibility that there are additional costs for the city.

The celebration spanned two days: a rehearsal dinner for about 100 guests was organized on Friday, July 2, and the official ceremony and reception took place the next day.

Attendees signed confidentiality agreements and the use of phones or photographs was not allowed inside the venue, which was transformed with curtains and wooden structures to create a more intimate atmosphere.

A luxury and high-cost wedding

In addition to the expense on permits, Swift and Kelce's wedding involved a million-dollar outlay that, according to estimates by luxury event specialists, could have been between $20 and $25 million.

Madison Square Garden rental accounted for a substantial portion of the budget, with figures ranging from $600,000 to $1.6 million per night.

The couple wore couture outfits by Christian Dior, designed by Jonathan Anderson in close collaboration with the singer, and custom footwear by Christian Louboutin. Actor and comedian Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony, while Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Ciara and Fergie performed during the celebration.

The event also featured raffles for exclusive gifts including designer handbags, Cartier watches and a customized 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle. In contrast to the luxury of the celebration, Swift and Kelce donated $26 million distributed among 20 charities in the United States days before the ceremony.

The authorities explained that these types of permits are part of the usual procedure when a large-scale private event requires occupying public spaces or demands extraordinary services from the city.

Mamdani called the event part of “a series of both historic and generational celebrations” for New York, which that summer also hosted the New York Knicks' first championship in 53 years, the FIFA World Cup and celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence.