Entertainment journalist Brian Balthazar told CNN the afternoon could bring the first glimpses of celebrity guests, with permit documents indicating a window between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. when attendees could begin arriving.
Even then, Balthazar cautioned, fans shouldn’t expect to see everyone. The venue’s tented entrances allow vehicles to pull inside so passengers can exit out of public view.
“Taylor Swift knows a little bit, a thing or two, about maintaining her privacy when she needs to,” Balthazar said. “I think we’ll get some clues, but right now the fun is kind of in the mystery.”
Celebrity sightings have already fueled speculation, with Bradley Cooper, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, and Sabrina Carpenter, as well as footballers George Kittle and Micah Parsons, spotted around New York City.
Balthazar also noted that while online speculation has focused on a possible garden theme — based in part on Swift’s engagement photo and unconfirmed rumors — many details remain unknown.
“We have to have a conspiracy theorist among us, and maybe that will be me … Taylor Swift is almost too smart to have it be this obvious to us, right? Maybe she got married last night, or maybe she’s getting married right now, and she will arrive and tell everyone, ‘Guess what, we’re married, let’s have a party’,” Balthazar said.
“I’m just saying this could be a little bit of a diversion. She’s probably sitting in a suite somewhere, drinking champagne, laughing, because we think we know what we know, but she is a pro at little clues and red herrings, and then coming out with this amazing truth.”
He added that fans will likely be watching celebrities’ social media closely for clues on any drama behind who is or isn’t in attendance.