To commemorate the marriage of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, the estate of Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor shared a vintage photo of the star celebrating inside Madison Square Garden.
The music sensation, who performed a three-night stint at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in June 2024, married the NFL player inside the iconic New York City venue on Friday night. Following the ceremony, a photo of Elizabeth Taylor commemorating one of her own historic milestones at the arena was posted to her official Instagram profile. The legendary actress passed away in 2011 at the age of 79.
Captioning the post “Congratulations to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce,” the image features Elizabeth Taylor standing on a staircase next to a massive cake. Long before this modern star-studded wedding, the actress had been grandly welcomed by Madison Square Garden. On October 17, 1957, showman and producer Mike Todd threw his wife a spectacular celebration in honor of the first anniversary of his film. Around the World in 80 Days. More than 18,000 people flocked to the arena for the event, which featured a 14-foot cake, a performance by the Boston Pops, and a live CBS broadcast anchored by Walter Cronkite.
During that historic night, the Garden was decorated with flags from every nation, a giant replica balloon from the film floated overhead, and Duke Ellington played for the crowd on the main floor. Elizabeth Taylor, ever the center of attention, memorably cut the towering cake. Todd’s 1956 film, which starred David Niven, Cantinflas, Robert Newton, and Shirley MacLaine, ultimately won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Todd married Taylor the year following the movie’s premiere, but tragically passed away in a private aircraft accident in 1958. The couple’s daughter, Elizabeth Frances “Liza” Todd, was born in 1957. Out of Taylor’s seven marriages, Todd was her third husband and the only one she never divorced.
Swift paid homage to the screen icon on her album The Life Of A Showgirl with a track named after the actress. Describing Elizabeth Taylor as “one of the most ultimate, quintessential showgirls,” Swift used the song to explore the heavy toll that global celebrity takes on romantic relationships. The accompanying music video blended clips from Taylor’s cinematic masterpieces—such as Giant, Cat on a Hot Tin Roofand Cleopatra—with vintage newsreels detailing her public life and interactions with the paparazzi.
In an interview with PeopleTaylor’s son, Christopher Wilding, described the song as “especially magical.” He remarked, “She and my mum do seem like kindred spirits. They are both the very embodiment of female empowerment. The way Swift has deftly captured the similarities and parallel tracks in their careers and personal lives is delightful.”
Following the private ceremony on Friday night, a billboard outside the venue flashed the message “JUST MARRIED.” Swift’s longtime spokesperson, Tree Paine, confirmed the nuptials in a statement, revealing that actor Adam Sandler officiated the wedding. The couple reportedly exchanged vows in front of roughly 1,000 guests, including a star-studded crowd featuring Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper, Graham Norton, Ed Sheeran, Hugh Grant, and Ethan Hawke.