Marilyn Monroe sings “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden.
Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images
While pricing isn’t listed on Madison Square Garden’s website, a full buyout is rumored to cost around $1 million for the venue alone—and some outlets have reported that Swift and Kelce have also booked the venue a day either side of the wedding for setup and tear down.
But one of the perks of hosting an event at the Garden? You get access to the arena’s state-of-the-art AV and lighting systems, on-site staff and security, dressing rooms, on-site catering options, and labor unions that work with the venue. The stadium floor also offers 20,976 square feet of real estate to spread out your event.
Why Madison Square Garden could be a great celebrity wedding venue
With so many incredible venues available for a wedding around the globe, you might wonder why exactly Swift and Kelce could be considering Madison Square Garden for their nuptials—apart from its sentimental significance as major venue for both the music and sporting worlds, of course.
One major perk of the arena is the privacy it allows the high-profile couple and their guests. Cars can arrive via paparazzi-proof loading docks and drive through tunnels beneath the venue to guarantee secure arrivals. Once indoors, the festivities will be shielded from the outside world thanks to MSG’s windowless design (and likely NDAs for staff).
The arena aesthetic can also be switched up with the help of a skilled wedding planner. Creative production design and drapery could hide away seating and other more unsightly elements. The concrete floor can be masked; the lighting can be altered to its best, event-ready potential; and other thoughtful décor details could transform the room into a wedding-ready space.
Not only is the main arena available for rental, but parties can also be held in five event spaces throughout the property, such as terraces, clubs, and lounges. At full venue buyouts, these spaces could be used for smaller breakout moments at a wedding, like a cocktail hour or after-party.
In short, Madison Square Garden might not be the first venue we would think of for one of the biggest celebrity weddings of the decade. But with the right vendor team and creative vision, it just might make sparks fly.
