It was a date night that felt like a preview of their next chapter. When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce stepped out at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 26, the couple looked more in love than ever — laughing, staying close and clearly savoring the moment amid their whirlwind year. Accepting the award for Best Pop Album for The Life of a Showgirl, the singer noted the change of tone from her previous heavier, more emotional work. “[The Life of a Showgirl] probably feels very happy, confident and free, because that’s the way I get to feel every single day of my life because of my fiancé,” she gushed, motioning to Kelce, who mouthed “I love you” back at her. “So,” Swift continued, addressing her fans, “Thanks for all the vibes.”
With their big day fast approaching, Swift and Kelce’s affectionate appearance made it clear they’re more aligned than ever. Apart from the awards show outing, the pair — who announced their engagement last August with a joint Instagram post that read, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married” — have been lying low after Swift, 36, spent the fall promoting The Life of a Showgirl, and Kelce, also 36, wrapped his NFL season in December. Of course, they’ve also been planning their highly anticipated summer wedding, which sources say is set to take place in Rhode Island on June 13. “They’re both involved and making decisions together,” says one source, noting that the couple have been “focused on actually enjoying the process rather than getting caught up in the pressure” as the big day approaches. “They’re keeping things light.”
A second source tells Us that the wedding festivities will likely be split between the singer’s $18 million Rhode Island mansion and Ocean House, a five-star seaside resort nearby. “The guest list grew, so the ceremony and private gatherings associated with the wedding [will be split between the venues],” says the second source, who cautions that the singer may still have other places in mind. “Taylor always has a plan B and C for every scenario.” The first source adds that Rhode Island is an ideal spot. “They feel confident hosting it there. The entire area will be very private and guarded.”
The guest list has been a bit tricky. According to the first source, they’ve invited about 150 people. “It won’t be a huge wedding, but there will be many celebrities.” Swift’s famous friends include Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Emma Stone, the Haim sisters and Zoë Kravitz; Kelce is tight with his longtime teammate Patrick Mahomes, actor Miles Teller and, of course, his big brother, Jason Kelce.
“They’ve gone back and forth between inviting everyone and keeping it small and private,” says the second source. “As of now, they’ve scaled it down. It’s no longer going to be a massive blowout.” The first source adds that the couple have steered away from mailing hard copy invitations and “aren’t even sure they will.” However, “their closest friends and family know the venue and the date,” adds the source, “even if nothing formal has been sent out.”
Thirteen is Swift’s lucky number, but that’s not the only reason they chose June 13. “The wedding timeline is based on Travis’ offseason rhythm,” says the second source, noting that the pair want to fit in their nuptials and honeymoon before Kelce’s training camp ramps up in late July. (There are reports they plan to hit up the Caribbean; they previously enjoyed a romantic trip to Harbour Island in the Bahamas back in March 2024.) As for her wedding gown, the second source tells Us Swift has said yes to a dress, and that it’s in the final stages of tailoring. (The singer frequently wears Oscar de la Renta on red carpets and chose custom designs by Roberto Cavalli and Versace for her Eras Tour.)
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The wedding will be traditional, “with Taylor’s dad walking her down the aisle and all the classic touches, like the father-daughter and mother-son dances,” says the second source. “Taylor loves those emotional, meaningful moments, and Travis [is] on the same page.” Kelce admitted he got choked up when he proposed to Swift with a custom-designed old mine-cut diamond engagement ring in his backyard in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “I’m an emotional guy, so there were a few tears here and there,” he said in a September interview with NFL on FOX.
The first source says Swift won’t have formal bridesmaids but will get ready with her closest girlfriends, who are also planning a bachelorette getaway. “She has already asked her close girlfriends, like Selena and Gigi, to sleep over at her Rhode Island home the night before the wedding,” says the second source.
Their families have been supportive — from a healthy distance. “They’re letting Taylor and Travis do their thing and aren’t getting too involved or giving too many opinions,” the first source says. (When asked for intel on the “I do’s” during a March 25 appearance on the “Conversations With Cam” podcast, Swift’s future sister-in-law, Kylie Kelce, kept it vague: “I would love to give you all the details,” she said. “I don’t have them.”) Swift’s mom, Andrea, has been the most hands-on. “Taylor greatly values her opinion, and this process has been [enjoyable] for them to do together.”
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During an October appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Swift noted it would be “fun to plan” the wedding — and sources say her prediction was right on. “Travis and Taylor have both been very laid back,” the first source says, adding, “they’ve made a conscious decision not to let it cause any tension between them.” That same month, Swift admitted she didn’t have her dream wedding mapped out before falling for Kelce. “You would think that I had been the type of person who would have obsessed over the idea of a wedding my whole life, but I actually never thought about what I would ever do or what I would want until I met the person,” the Grammy winner told U.K.’s Heart Radio. It’s been a team effort. “Taylor thinks it’s cute that Travis cares about a lot of the details,” the source says.
They’re savoring their downtime before the festivities kick off and Kelce heads back to the field for what may be his final season. “With the wedding and football coming up, it’s going to be super crazy,” explains the second source, adding, “they’re really just trying to spend as much time together as possible.” (During her Heart Radio interview last fall, Swift said she hasn’t yet comprehended what her “married life era” will look like, but noted she was “really excited” to find out.)
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The first source says they’ve been going out to dinner with friends and doing “normal” things, and have been spending more time on the West Coast — they were spotted at Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s exclusive Oscars afterparty at the Chateau Marmont in L.A. on March 15. “They’ve been having fun,” says the source.
Swift is taking a breather between albums. “She does have another record in the works,” says the first source, “but there’s no pressure to release it anytime soon. It’s still very much in the creative stages.” The second source says there are no plans for a Life of a Showgirl tour. “This was meant to be a lighter, fun chapter. She never meant to do a massive tour attached to it.” Adds the source: “Taylor’s priority right now is her personal life. She and Travis are saving all their energy for the big summer they have coming up.”
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