Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding was so private that fans couldn't get a glimpse inside, but they did find another way to take home a piece of the celebration.
© Getty
Days after the couple's lavish July 3 wedding at New York City's Madison Square Garden, artist Justin Gignac transformed trash collected from the streets surrounding the venue into collectible keepsakes.
He put together 50 acrylic cubes filled with discarded items that sold out in less than 24 hours.
Priced at $25 each, the tiny "sculptures" contained everything from bottle caps and plastic utensils to cigarette butts, straws, police tape, candy wrappers, a lone AirPod, and even a used ovulation test.
© The Washington PostEach cube was stamped with "JUST&T MARRIED! 7/3/26," a nod to the message displayed across Madison Square Garden's iconic marquee after Swift and Kelce exchanged vows.
The unusual souvenirs weren't collected inside the wedding itself. Instead, Gignac gathered them from the public streets outside the venue after one of the most tightly guarded celebrity weddings in recent memory.
"I try to commemorate cultural moments in New York City, and this seemed to be a big one, so I just captured a little time capsule from that moment in time," Gignac told AFP.
The New York artist, who has spent years preserving pieces of the city's everyday streets through his New York City Garbage project, said he never intended to convince buyers they were purchasing something from inside the ceremony.
The cubes were meant to capture the excitement surrounding what many fans dubbed the celebrity wedding of the year.
© XNY/Star MaxEach piece was sealed inside a clear acrylic cube to preserve it, with some items tied into knots as a playful nod to the wedding theme.
Speaking to BBC News, Gignac said he had a feeling Swift fans would appreciate the unconventional keepsake.
"I figured Swifties would never want to part with their wedding garbage, so they can take it with them wherever they go," he said.
© picture allianceThe idea quickly took off after Gignac shared a short TikTok introducing the project. He told BBC News the video surpassed 800,000 views, bringing Swift fans from around the world to his website.
Within 24 hours, all 50 pieces had sold, earning the artist $1,250. He has since suggested he may release more items collected around the venue.
© The Washington Post
The project even included an Easter egg for longtime Swift fans. The description on Gignac's website read, "There's garbage on the floor after the party," a playful nod to the opening lyric of Swift's 2017 song "New Year's Day," which begins, "There's glitter on the floor after the party.
© The Washington PostSwift and Kelce went all in to keep their celebration private. Guests were required to surrender their phones upon arrival, reportedly sign an NDA, and security and police surrounded Madison Square Garden, with barriers blocking fans and photographers from getting anywhere near the festivities.
