James Taylor finally reveals why he missed Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's MSG wedding

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: James Taylor didn't attend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding at Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 3, despite reportedly being invited. 

The legendary singer was among the nearly 1,000 guests expected at the celebration, but couldn't make it due to a longstanding commitment to perform at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

His annual performances are a decades-old tradition and among the festival's biggest events, making it impossible for him to attend the wedding. Taylor wasn't the only invitee to miss the celebration; several other celebrities skipped the star-studded event due to prior commitments.

James Taylor missed Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding

Taylor, the legendary singer-songwriter after whom Swift was named, revealed that he and his wife, Kim, were invited to the ceremony at Madison Square Garden but were unable to attend.

"You know, (my wife Kim) and I were invited to a wedding at Madison Square Garden tonight," the 'Fire and Rain' singer told the audience during his annual Independence Day concert on Friday, according to the Berkshire Eagle. He also sent his best wishes to the newlyweds, saying he hoped they would enjoy "happiness and smooth sailing."

As per TMZ, Taylor missed the celebration because of a decades-long tradition he has maintained since 1974. Every year, he performs at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts, where his July 3 and July 4 concerts have become one of the festival's biggest attractions. 

The performances at the Koussevitzky Music Shed are a Fourth of July staple and conclude with a patriotic fireworks display. Even without Taylor in attendance, Swift and Kelce's wedding remained one of the year's most talked-about celebrity events. 

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's wedding

It was nothing short of a fairytale. Swift and  Kelce's wedding instantly became one of the biggest pop culture moments of the year, even though the couple has yet to share any official photos or details from the celebration. 

Swift's publicist has only confirmed the wedding designer, leaving much of the event shrouded in mystery. From rumors that Madison Square Garden was transformed into a magical venue to speculation about a secret garden-inspired setup, curiosity continues to grow. 

For now, the world is still waiting for the first official glimpse of Mr and Mrs Kelce, especially as AI-generated wedding photos continue to flood social media. Even filmmaker Joseph Kahn weighed in, saying the real wedding was "more magical" than anything AI could imagine.