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Colleen O’Connor knows it sounds strange, but she thinks of Taylor Swift as a friend. The pop singer is 35; O’Connor, who works in public relations and lives in Long Island, New York, is just one year younger. “I’ve been a fan since day one, back in high school, and she’s been there through every phrase and journey of my life,” O’Connor said.
So when Swift announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce last week, O’Connor reacted as many thirtysomething women do when they learn that a girlfriend secured a ring. First, she screamed so loudly her boyfriend thought someone had died. Then she wondered aloud to him: “When’s it going to happen for us?”
“It would be fun to be engaged with her at the same time,” O’Connor said. “I’ve been showing my boyfriend photos of the ring and saying how unique it is. That’s not my style, but we talk about what I might like.”
Whatever [Swift] chooses to wear is going to set a huge tone for the next couple of years
Elisabeth Kramer, wedding coordinator
O’Connor is not the only one. Swift’s Instagram announcement – a photo in which she and Kelce embrace in front of an elaborate floral arrangement – raked in more than 1m likes in less than 10 minutes; it’s now up to 36m. “We needed this,” read one Vogue editorial. New York Times columnist and chick lit author Jennifer Weiner agreed: “Maybe love still wins.”
On social media, fans spoke of the news with parasocial investment. One cringe-inducing poem widely shared in the wake of the news read:
The day Taylor Swift got engaged,
little girls screamed, grown women cried,
and the awkward child we all carry inside
finally felt chosen.
A big day for little girls and grown women perhaps, but D-day for the people dating Swifties. “How do I tell my boyfriend he needs to propose ASAP so I can be engaged at the same time as Taylor Swift without sounding crazy,” one fan tweeted. “When I’ve been with my boyfriend longer than Taylor swift has been with Travis kelce yet THEYRE ENGAGED? we literally have a child IM HEATED,” wrote another.
On TikTok, boyfriends of Swifties posted informative videos about her career and history to help each other follow along with their partner’s excitement. “It’s time to get the ring, because Taylor and Travis put you on the clock,” said one comedian on the app. “Showed this to my bf,” a follower commented. “Me and my boyfriend have been together for 7 years … when he comes home I’m gonna start an argument and show him Taylor’s ring,” wrote another.
O’Connor’s boyfriend also feels the half-serious pressure. “Anytime I say something about Taylor and her wedding, he kind of rolls his eyes and says: ‘I know, I know,’” she said.
Elisabeth Kramer, a wedding coordinator based in Portland, Oregon, said it is too early to tell how Swift’s wedding – which does not yet have a date – will affect the industry. But she is banking on some trends emerging from it. “I definitely see it being part of the conversation for my 2026 clients,” Kramer said. “Whatever she chooses to wear is going to set a huge tone for the next couple of years.”
Swift’s engagement may be a boon for the wedding industry, which saw a post-Covid boom that is slowing down amid inflation and the current economic climate. (One survey found that fewer Americans are planning to have weddings this year, down from 7% in 2024 to 4% in 2025.) “I’m hearing from a lot of vendors that 2026 is going to be a lot quieter, with people more hesitant to spend money,” Kramer said. “I’m interested to see how a Taylor-Travis engagement changes that. Maybe people see them getting engaged and think: ‘This is an OK thing to do.’”
Celebrity weddings encourage copycat brides, especially when it comes to dresses. Princess Diana’s taffeta wedding gown inspired countless dupes. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s sexy, simple bias-cut dress defined 90s sleekness, while Kate Middleton’s lace Alexander McQueen frock brought back bridal sleeves.
Julie Sabatino, founder of the wedding styling company The Stylish Bride, predicts that Swift’s pick might join the ranks. “She’s no stranger to a gown,” Sabino said, alluding to the series of ballgowns Swift donned for her Eras tour. “I wouldn’t say the ballgown wedding dress has ever gone out of style, but maybe people who wouldn’t have considered it will now.”
O’Connor, the wannabe bride, said that Swift’s engagement has become “a new joke” between her and her boyfriend, as the pair makes light of their unmarried status. But for now, she is not holding her breath. “We just have a lot going on at the moment,” O’Connor said. “But she’s definitely planted a little extra seed.”
