Of course, Jason Kelce made a cameo.
Lindsey Carl and Brandon Byrd say “I do” at their Eagles tailgate wedding. / Photography by Laura Swartz
Hours before the Eagles took on the Cowboys at the Linc last night (the less said about that the better), Jason Kelce was in Lot H of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, waiting to walk down a kelly green aisle.
Behind him, Lindsey Carl, in a white BHLDN gown from Anthropologie — and knee-high, sequin-covered Eagles boots — held her father’s arm as she approached her groom, Brandon Byrd, dressed in a dark green tweed suit with a bird feather pinned to his lapel. The Philly Pops were on hand to provide the soundtrack, which included, of course, “Fly, Eagles Fly.”
The Philly Pops play in a tent behind the ceremony.
Thus began what was possibly the most epic wedding Philadelphia has ever seen.
About a month ago, we told you about a contest held by Garage Beer and Steven Singer Jewelers to give one very unique couple the Eagles tailgate wedding of their dreams, complete with rings, entertainment, catering, and a honeymoon package. Couples needed to submit a short video about themselves, their love story, and why they deserved to say “I do” in the shadow of the Linc on game day.
The idea came from James Booth of Garage Beer, who told me that the brand co-owned by the Kelce brothers received nearly 300 applications from hopeful couples. The Garage team spent hours narrowing the field to 10 finalists who made an impact for their creativity and how well they incorporated the brand. But Carl and Byrd had one additional advantage: their last name. “Theirs stood out across everything that we were looking for, and then we saw that they were gonna become the Byrds, and we thought there was no better name for a Philly tailgate wedding,” says Booth.
The bride’s sparkly Eagles boots
Carl and Byrd, Eagles fans who live in Chicago, had driven all the way to Philly for their Big Day. The bride, originally from the Philadelphia area, had met the groom in a Chicago sports bar through friends — and despite his being from Indiana, they bonded over their shared love of the Eagles, the bride told me.
As they exchanged Steven Singer wedding rings from Garage beer-can boxes, former Phillie Shane Victorino stood in as officiant. Kelce and former Eagle Beau Allen shared ceremony duties, and the Pops played “Philadelphia Freedom” when the couple kissed.
Jason Kelce and Shane Victorino preside over the Eagles tailgate wedding.
Next, they were wrapped in a custom Garage Beer shawl, released a basket of doves (in honor of the Birds, naturally), and shared a couple’s beer bong as the crowd chanted “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!”
In addition to Philly sports legends, esteemed guests included mega-fans, including my beloved AT Frenchies, who returned to the States for the occasion. (Dreams really do come true!)
AT Frenchies
Halftime Holly wore a spangled Eagles gown, while other fans opted for more casual looks, which included eagle onesies and jerseys galore. (Carl and Byrd invited about 50 friends and family members, as well.)
So, how did Garage Beer get into the wedding game? Booth says the brand receives around 10 wedding invitations a week — just regular fans reaching out to ask the company to be part of their celebrations — and they realized weddings were a natural fit. First, Garage began offering wedding kits, including a couples’ beer bong, a cake topper that doubles as a Christmas ornament, and paint markers and ribbons for decorating a getaway car. Eventually, the idea grew into something bigger: Why not throw a wedding themselves?
Pulling off the wedding was another matter. The team had roughly five weeks to bring the whole thing together, relying on a network of partners to make it happen. TrueFan Travel provided the tailgate setup, including a custom bar serving cocktails like the “Linc Lemonade” and “Cowboy Crusher.” The Philly Pops played the ceremony; former Eagle Hollis Thomas, who is also a DJ, provided reception entertainment. The altar was the result of “a bunch of beer marketers doing our best,” Booth laughs, explaining he ordered a wedding arch from Wayfair and the team assembled it themselves, incorporating beer cases and cans into the decor.
Former Eagle Hollis Thomas served as the wedding DJ.
Kingsford provided the food, while Cav’s catered the event with a mobile grill, mussels, and pasta. Philly Pretzel Factory supplied soft pretzels shaped like diamond engagement rings.
The wedding cake wasn’t one cake at all, but a display of cakes and mini “Bundtinis” from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Owner Kim Wright told me she got involved after Kelce tweeted about loving the bakery’s white chocolate raspberry flavor about a month earlier. Wright reached out and offered to provide the wedding cake.
The newlyweds also got a honeymoon stay at Ocean Casino Resort, along with a $5,000 gift card to spend on a trip anywhere in the world.
Might Garage Beer turn this into an annual thing? When I asked Booth, he laughed: “I hope not.”
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