Why Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Skipped Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Wedding

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's lavish wedding brought together some of Hollywood's biggest stars, but the absence of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds drew attention, prompting renewed speculation about the actress' friendship with the pop superstar.

Family commitment kept Lively and Reynolds away

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds did not attend either Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding ceremony at New York's Madison Square Garden on July 3 or the rehearsal dinner held a day earlier.

According to PEOPLE magazine, the couple instead spent the weekend in Lake Placid, New York, where their six-year-old daughter, Betty, was competing in a horse show. Photos published by TMZ reportedly showed Lively and Reynolds cheering on their daughter at the event.

The couple are parents to four children: James, 11, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and Olin, 3.

Friendship faces scrutiny amid legal controversy

Lively and Swift were once considered among Hollywood's closest friends, with the singer revealing in 2024 that she is the godmother to the actress' children. Swift has also referenced Lively and Reynolds' children in several of her songs over the years.

However, the friendship has reportedly cooled in recent months amid Lively's ongoing legal dispute with her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni.

According to PEOPLE, sources previously said the two had been "taking some space" from one another after Swift was served with a subpoena by Baldoni's legal team. Another source later claimed they were no longer speaking, while earlier reports suggested the unsealing of private text messages during the legal proceedings left Swift wanting to distance herself from the controversy.

A source told PEOPLE that Swift "was just being a friend to Blake" and never expected their private conversations to become public, adding that she wanted to stay away from the ongoing legal drama.

Star-studded guest list at Swift-Kelce wedding

Despite the notable absences, the wedding was attended by several prominent celebrities. Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony, while Bradley Cooper, Gigi Hadid, Lena Dunham, Dakota Johnson, Ellie Goulding, Graham Norton, Hugh Grant, Miranda Lambert, Ed Sheeran, Karlie Kloss and Mariska Hargitay were among the guests.

The couple also broke with wedding tradition by opting not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen. Instead, Taylor Swift's brother Austin served as her Man of Honor, while Travis Kelce's brother Jason was his Best Man.

(With inputs from ANI)