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The Kansas City Star
Here’s what a KC-style wedding proposal could be for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
By Lisa Gutierrez, Pete Grathoff,
25 days ago
You’ll have to excuse Sydney Taylor for dreaming about the day Travis Kelce proposes to Taylor Swift. These days she’s not alone in that.
Taylor is a passionate Swift fan. She’s also a professional photographer in Johnson County, so she knows a thing or two about romantic moments. And she has a clear vision of what it could look like if Kelce decided to pop the question in Kansas City.
It would look like a scene from a romantic-comedy, something out of the box for the planet’s couple of the moment.
It would take place beneath the 12th Street bridge in the West Bottoms. Lights twinkling and big, bold floral arrangements would set the mood.
Kansas City wedding photographer Sydney Taylor (not pictured) envisions a proposal in an urban setting like under the 12th Street bridge. Contributed photo/Sydney Taylor
Swift would find her man there as a string quartet played her music, of course. Maybe “So High School,” which includes shout-outs to their romance.
After their private moment the newly engaged couple could party somewhere nearby with family and friends — his teammates, her celebrity pals. “I think that would be very beautiful.” said Taylor, owner of Taylor Made Photo KC.
She had already given this moment thought when The Star asked her and other local wedding vendors to envision a Kansas City proposal for the couple.
“Since the day there were all these rumors that they were dating, then we saw her show up to the Chiefs game, since then I’ve been — probably to an unhealthy extent — invested in this,” laughed Taylor, who added that she is available for any photography services the couple might need. (Hint, hint.)
Months of speculation and rumors about a proposal have hit warp speed in recent weeks with unconfirmed reports that the Chiefs tight end has chosen a ring and they’re working on a prenup.
They have been apart for weeks as Swift toured Europe and Kelce practiced at training camp. But they are set to reunite, possibly as early as next week and reportedly in Kansas City, when Swift takes a two-month break from her exhaustive Eras Tour.
“There are some really iconic, beautiful spots in Kansas City, like the rose garden at Loose Park, Union Station, Liberty Memorial. And those are all wonderful and beautiful. But Travis Kelce has unlimited resources at his disposal,” said Taylor.
“The world is his oyster. And he’s not going to be limited to, ‘Oh no, you can’t set off fireworks here, Travis Kelce.’”
Sydney Taylor of Taylor Made Photo KC Beth Parkhill
Arrowhead ... naturally
“The first thought would be, of course, Arrowhead,” said Johnson County wedding planner Christine Darden.
It all began at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kelce tried unsuccessfully to get his phone number to Swift at one of her Kansas City concerts in July 2023. Photos showed a seemingly forlorn Kelce watch the show from a stadium suite.
Just two months later Swift returned to Arrowhead as his girlfriend to see the Chiefs play.
Let’s be honest, nothing has been the same since that day.
So if Kelce is looking for a spot that has special meaning for the two of them, Arrowhead would be a natural choice.
But there is one question about this location: Would it be better to ask for Swift’s hand in an empty stadium ... or during a game?
Hoo-boy, the latter would be wild.
Imagine the Chiefs celebrating a victory on the field when Swift is ushered from her suite to meet with Kelce, who drops to one knee as television cameras show the proposal unfold. If you think the video of “The Kiss” in Argentina went supernova, this would be on a level unseen before.
It’s not unusual for an athlete to propose shortly after competing. It just happened at the Olympics and every so often we see it on a football field, too.
Should Kelce decide against asking the world’s most famous singer to be his bride in front of 80,000 Chiefs fans, he could still use Arrowhead as his backdrop.
Kelce could have, say, a string quartet, take the field on a weekday and propose to Swift. With that much space in the stadium, Kelce could have a seemingly unlimited number of flowers trucked in while photos they’ve taken around the world were shown on the Arrowhead videoboard.
As an aside: Wouldn’t you love to see the camera roll from the phones of Swift and Kelce?
And there would be a lot more pictures taken if Kelce proposed at Arrowhead.
One possible downside to this scenario: Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes proposed to his wife, Brittany, at the stadium in September 2020, so it’s been done before.
Atop the old P&L building
Swift appreciates the beauty of historic architecture. After the Chiefs won the Super Bowl earlier this year, she and Kelce spent time together at her Beverly Hills mansion, an estate formerly owned by Hollywood movie mogul Samuel L. Goldwyn .
So wedding photographer Beth Parkhill envisions a proposal at The Grand Hall at Power & Light which offers “a really cool rooftop view of the city.”
Local wedding vendors say The Grand Hall at Power & Light, with a stunning rooftop view of the city, is one of the most romantic spots in town. Beth Parkhill
The historic 36-story Art Deco skyscraper at 1330 Baltimore Ave., once the tallest building in Missouri now housing luxury apartments and event space, gets high marks from wedding vendors as one of the most romantic spots in town. Darden called it “absolutely magical.”
“It’s big and historic and gorgeous and the very top has a 360-degree view of the city,” said Parkhill, owner of Beth Statbucker Photography and Fine Art in Shawnee. “Up there at the top there’s a sitting area where he could do a private dinner and it would be really pretty.”
“It’s stunning up there,” said Taylor. “You’re up in the atmosphere.”
Kansas City wedding photographer Beth Parkhill Courtesy Beth Parkhill
Another great view: Skies
For another proposal with a bird’s-eye view of the city, Darden can imagine Kelce popping the question at the former Skies restaurant that once revolved atop the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center.
It’s no longer a restaurant and hasn’t rotated in years. But the famous view through 72 plate-glass windows on the 47th floor remains, and Skies hosts a popular winter pop-up bar during the holidays.
Considering that money is no object for Kelce, he could rent the entire space, which has a VIP lounge and private entrances, said Darden, who has been a wedding planner for more than 14 years.
Kansas City wedding planner Christine Darden Sara Foote / Sara Marie Photography
Liberty Memorial
“Travis is very elaborate and very eccentric, and I think he would go very big and bold,” Darden said.
Because he’s so active in the community, she can imagine him planning a private proposal, then doing a big reveal “that might also be a nod to the city as a whole.”
One scenario: proposing at the Liberty Memorial with its great view overlooking downtown.
“It’s the World War I memorial, not really romantic thinking about that, but that view from there,” said Darden. “Any place with a view would be pretty popular for a proposal.”
Then, she said, Kelce could arrange to have downtown buildings lit up in celebration, like they do when the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
Maybe the LED light wall on the facade of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown could read: “Will you marry me, Taylor?”
Or, even better: “She said yes!”
Unity Village
Swift and Kelce have already spent time together in some of the most romantic places in the world, like Paris and Italy.
With 1,200 wooded acres, a rose garden, Mediterranean-style buildings and what is described as the largest fountain display in the metro, “it is gorgeous, beautiful,” said Parkhill.
“The whole thing ... was built by a couple (Charles and Myrtle Fillmore) and they love Spanish architecture, so honestly, the photos will look like you’re in Spain or some place like that. And the beautiful fountains, which is very Kansas City.
“It would be very private. He could totally set up something private there.”
Black Hoof Park
Keeping with the idea of an outdoor proposal, Taylor, who is a fan of Johnson County parks, suggested a site on the south side of the metro since Kelce bought a mansion in Leawood last year. She likes Black Hoof Park in Lenexa.
It’s especially beautiful in fall, said Taylor, who photographs a lot of engagement portraits there.
Black Hoof Park in Johnson County Sydney Taylor
“He could have some beautiful fireworks set up or take a boat ride and go over to the dam. That could be a very sweet, private moment,” Taylor said. “Then go over to Silo, a beautiful restaurant with a wraparound deck that overlooks the golf course.
“I hear rumors that he and Patrick (Mahomes) both golf at the club that Silo overlooks (Canyon Farms Golf Course), so he would be familiar with it anyway.”
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