How will Taylor Swift's wedding change wedding traditions?

Weddings don’t exist in a vacuum. Your wedding is a statement about who you are and what you value. When you get married, you’re — in a quiet or loud voice — saying “this is who we are.”

And who you are is shaped by culture, the community you grew up in, your friends and family, by technology, and by what you see in the media. Like it or lump it, celebrity culture influences our decisions about weddings. Even if you choose not to follow a celebrity trend, that’s still a decision born of the same influence.

Over the last few decades, celebrity weddings have had an outsized impact on what’s considered “normal” — from the length of your photographer’s coverage to whether a drone films your kiss.

On the day that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift get engaged, here’s a look at how weddings have changed over the years, the famous couples who made today’s “normal” ideas mainstream, and how your English teacher and your gym teacher might change the way we get married.

• Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier of Monaco (1956): Her gown — long sleeves, lace bodice, regal veil — directly inspired Kate Middleton’s 2011 dress and countless others. It locked in the royal, demure bridal look for decades.
• Australia introduces the civil marriage celebrant (1961 and 1973): Before 1961 each Australian state had it’s own marriage laws, much like the USA, and everyone got married in churches, but in 1961 the Marriage Act nationalised and formalised the act of getting married, then in 1973 the first civil celebrant was appointed by Commonwealth Attorney General under that new law despite widespread opposition. The AG appointed a 26-year-old woman, Lois D’Arcy, and along with her other trailblazing celebrant colleagues Lois started making wedding ceremonies outside of the church and the accepted practice of how a ceremony should be.
• Princess Diana & Prince Charles (1981): Diana’s 25-foot train and cathedral ceremony set the “fairytale” template. Weddings became larger, more dramatic, and broadcast-worthy. Suddenly, weddings weren’t just personal milestones — they were cultural events.
• Mick & Bianca Jagger (1971): Bianca’s white YSL suit opened the door for non-traditional bridal looks.
• Paul McCartney & Linda Eastman (1969): Simple registry-style or marriage office weddings gained cultural legitimacy.
• Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner (2001): Not a real wedding, but the film made wedding planners visible — and in my opinion, one of the best additions to any wedding to take it to the next level of enjoyment and fun.
• Kim Kardashian & Kanye West (2014, Florence): Made the Italian destination wedding aspirational worldwide. Though they’re now divorced, I’d say Kim and Kanye are the reason I do a European summer wedding season every year.
• Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi (2008): Put same-sex weddings under the spotlight, especially as marriage equality was only legal in California for five months in 2008, before being outlawed again until 2013.
• Kate Middleton & Prince William (2011): Kate’s lace gown revived Grace Kelly chic and set bridal fashion trends for years.
• Meghan Markle & Prince Harry (2018): The gospel choir and an American preacher reshaped the idea of what a modern royal wedding could look like. And perhaps even more importantly, their exit from the royal family soon after reframed what a modern royal couple could be.
• Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas (2018): Multicultural weddings with multiple outfits and days of celebration became not just respected but celebrated.
• Scott & Charlene (Neighbours, 1987): It might have been a TV show wedding, but it wasn’t any TV show wedding, it was Neighbours, primetime, must-watch TV between the two biggest stars of the show. The most influential part of the wedding would be walking down the aisle to the Angry Anderson song, Suddenly, and then the dress Kylie Minogue wore, and you can still see it today when you visit Hobart’s Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery where it is often on display.

Where We Are Today

So where did those weddings bring us?

• Full-day photography is standard.
• Videography isn’t just a cousin’s camcorder — it’s cinematic, drone-enhanced, Instagram-ready art.
• Couples now hire someone purely to capture iPhone footage for same-day Reels and TikToks.
• Stylists, civil marriage celebrants, planners, florists, and now content creators are part of the normal team.
• Floral walls and installations are wedding staples.
• Wedding dresses have been liberated from their Victorian roots and are now a mark of individuality.

Where Could Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Take Wedding Culture?

Although I don’t imagine their reception would have a halftime show, or that Kanye West would storm the ceremony, I do think there are some ways that Taylor and Travis might plan a wedding in a very them way:

• Taylor’s been private with past relationships — they might do a private legal wedding followed by a surprise public celebration. Then again, Travis is a public figure, and Taylor’s become more comfortable in her own skin over the past few years, so maybe it will be more visible.
• Travis is a fashion-forward man, and Taylor’s no slouch in the gown department, so I’m looking forward to the traditional wedding “uniform” being redefined by the two of them.
• Travis has been open about his faith, and Taylor comes from a Christian background, plus Nashville is a very religious town, so I remain doubtful (yet ready) that an Australian civil marriage celebrant like myself will be getting the call-up. But they’re smart enough to know the ceremony sets the vibe for the whole day — so who will they choose to officiate?

• As the world’s most popular songwriter, it wouldn’t be surprising if Taylor wrote personal vows. But will she sing them?
• The guest list is bound to be a superset of the most creative musicians and artists alive. Will it be an open mic situation, or will Uncle Bob DJ the wedding?
• Taylor is meticulous with media. They’d likely not sell to tabloids, but release content in her own narrative way — a documentary, a music video, or even a Netflix special.
• Taylor might tie the wedding visuals to an aesthetic — almost like another “Era.” That aesthetic could become the look couples want to copy.
• Location? The Bluebird Café is too small, Gaylord Opryland too cliché. Travis’s Croatian background could inspire a sunrise wedding in Dubrovnik’s old town (still one of my favourite wedding spots). But given they’re both American heartlanders, a local wedding feels more likely. Still — if you’re looking for ideas, Taylor and Travis, we’d lovingly welcome you Down Under.
• And if I were a guest to the reception? I’d be hoping for Nashville hot chicken plus Kansas City BBQ. I’m still thinking about the Nashville hot chicken I had with my friend Jarrod last time I was in there.
• Who will capture the wedding in still and moving image? A TV executive producer photographed their engagement.

What feels “extra” today often becomes tomorrow’s “normal.” Just like Diana’s train, Bianca Jagger’s pantsuit, and Kim K’s Italian villa, today’s content creators and TikTok moments might be what every couple expects next year. So who knows where Taylor Swift will take us.

Photo credit for the engagement photos to Andy Lassner