Country music star Brad Paisley has defended Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Madison Square Garden wedding, describing it as "one of the least pretentious weddings I've ever seen or ever will see." The couple, both 36, tied the knot on July 3 in front of over 1,000 guests at the iconic New York City venue.
Paisley, who has a longstanding mentor-mentee relationship with Swift dating back to the start of her career, recalled that receiving an invitation felt significant. "If you're getting this, you mean a lot to us," the invitation reportedly stated. He described a "cat and mouse game" to determine the exact location, with initial communication providing only a date and a general area. "It meant a lot to be [invited]. It was kind of a big thank you from her to invite us," Paisley told the Associated Press on Saturday.
Paisley's remarks come after some figures, including Charles Barkley, publicly criticized the extravagant celebration. Reports suggest the nuptials cost between $20 million and $25 million, and the event was officiated by comedian Adam Sandler, featuring a garden theme.
Paisley invited a then 17-year-old Swift to open for his "Bonfires & Amplifiers" tour in 2007, a move that helped launch her early career in country music.