Ed Kelce delivers his verdict after Taylor Swift’s wedding
Travis Kelce’s father was among the first guests to leave the star-studded celebrations after watching his son marry Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden, with the ceremony drawing some of the biggest names from sport and entertainment.
Ed Kelce has described his son Travis Kelce’s wedding to Taylor Swift as “great”.
The proud father, 75, spoke after he left the couple’s Madison Square Garden wedding venue in New York in the early hours of Saturday (04.07.26), bringing to a close one of the most closely guarded celebrity events of the year.
Ed was seen returning to his hotel shortly after midnight in a black suit and bow tie while celebrations continued inside the Manhattan venue until around 4am.
He attended the ceremony as father of the groom, watching his younger son marry Taylor while his elder son, Jason Kelce, served as best man.
Jason’s daughters acted as flower girls, scattering petals as Swift walked down the aisle.
The couple confirmed they had married by displaying “JUST T MARRIED” on the giant screens outside Madison Square Garden after the ceremony, which was officiated by actor and comedian Adam Sandler, before approximately 1,000 guests.
The wedding has dominated headlines following months of speculation after the couple announced their engagement in August 2025.
Speaking briefly as he arrived back at his hotel, Ed said about the ceremony: “Great.”
Security then escorted him inside as he carried what appeared to be a spare shirt and a teal blanket.
Ed appeared to attend the wedding without his partner, Doree Hepner.
The Daily Mail had previously reported Taylor had concerns he could inadvertently reveal details of the tightly planned ceremony before the event.
An unnamed source told the publication in May: “He’s sort of like a loose cannon. Nobody knows what he’s going to say, so it’s kind of a controversial situation.”
The wedding proceeded without any apparent disruption, despite the intense secrecy surrounding the event.
Guests were subject to strict privacy measures, with reports mobile phones were prohibited throughout the celebrations.
Several high-profile guests departed before the reception concluded.
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady was photographed leaving before 10pm, while Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid exited shortly before midnight.
Broadcaster George Stephanopoulos was among those who also left before the celebrations ended and shared his impressions with ABC.
He said: “The ceremony was great – moving.”
George added: “Adam Sandler – funny and touching. Vows, everything you would hope for, real, vulnerable, serious, and silly.”
He continued: “Deeply loving. Who knew that a wedding in Madison Square Garden could be so intimate?”
Other guests seen leaving earlier in the evening included Hugh Grant, Michael Strahan and Stephen A. Smith.
The wedding marks another milestone in Taylor and Travis’ relationship, which first became public in 2023 after the NFL player attended the singer’s record-breaking Eras Tour and later spoke about trying to give her a friendship bracelet on his New Heights podcast.
Since then, Taylor has continued to dominate music headlines following the conclusion of herEras Tour, the release of the album The Life of a Showgirl and her reclaiming ownership of the masters of her first six albums, while Travis has remained one of the NFL’s most recognisable players with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ed has consistently spoken warmly about his son’s relationship with Swift and the unprecedented attention it has attracted.
He told the Los Angeles Times in February 2024: “Every (Chiefs) game there’s people crowding outside the front of that suite trying to get a glimpse of Taylor, wanting to meet Taylor.”
