A rainbow and lightning suddenly appeared in the skies over New York City after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were married at Madison Square Garden on July 3, 2026. The surprise weather was captured in a series of photos.
Photojournalist Gary Hershorn, who shared a photo of the rainbow, wrote on Instagram, “New York City came through big time with a beautiful rainbow for the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Friday evening.” He shared additional pictures of the rainbow on X, writing, “A thunderstorm passed through New York City just before sunset exiting in time for the sun to create a rainbow and illuminate the skyline Friday evening during the wedding of Taylor Swift.” Hershorn has worked for major outlets like Reuters and Getty Images.
Fans noted that Swift sang in her song Opalite, “You were dancing through the lightning strikes. Sleepless in the onyx night. But now the sky is opalite.”
“You actually can’t make this stuff up we’re witnessing a fairytale🥹” a fan wrote on Hershorn’s Instagram thread. “Now the sky is Opalite.” Other fans noted that it looked like a “double rainbow.”
The Photographer Wrote That the Thunderstorm ‘Passed Through New York City Just Before Sunset’
“A rainbow appeared in the sky after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce officially married,” the Swift Society wrote on X.
The India Times reported that the rainbow appeared 13 minutes after Swift married Kelce.
That would be something because, as People reported, Swift “has called 13 her lucky number for as long as we’ve known her. From painting it on her hand before concerts to deliberately using it as an Easter egg in her album rollouts, Swift has a big reputation for keeping 13 at the heart of her legacy.”
“I was born on the 13th,” Swift told People. “I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album Taylor Swift went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13-second intro. Every time I’ve won an award I’ve been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section or row M, which is the 13th letter. Basically, whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it’s a good thing.”
Nick Hamilton, a coordinating producer for Barstool Sports, also shared photos of the rainbow, writing, “Giant rainbow appears in the sky moments after Taylor Swift gets married.”
Taylor Swift is seen in Greenwich Village on June 15, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Aeon/GC Images)
“What beautiful shots!” a fan wrote on Hershorn’s thread.
In Opalite, Swift wrote, “This is just
A storm inside a teacup
But shelter here with me, my love
Thunder like a drum.”
Hershorn also posted a photo showing the Empire State Building lit blue for the wedding.
Lightning Also Struck Across New York City as Taylor Swift Married Travis Kelce
Other fans noted that lightning also struck. “New York’s skyline and weather after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married, lightning and rainbows… what an iconic moment in New York City right now,” wrote one person on X.
Hershorn confirmed this, writing, “After the rainbow, lighting in midtown and lower Manhattan for the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce In New York City, Friday evening.”
Another fan wrote, “There are at least 3 parts of 3 of Taylor’s album covers in this.”
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Jul 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.