Aerial night view of the Empire State Building lit up in bright blue light, surrounded by the glowing New York City skyline.
@empirestatebldg
Gossip

The Empire State Building Turned Itself Light Blue and Declared It Was Taylor Swift’s “Something Blue”

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On July 3, one of the most famous skylines in the world glowed in a light blue sparkle, and the tower’s own account posted the video with three little words: “Her something blue 🩵.” The old wedding rhyme asks for something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, and a 102-story landmark just raised its hand to volunteer.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement last August with the line “your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” and their celebrations have been widely reported to be unfolding in New York City this week. The Empire State Building clearly decided that was reason enough to dress up.

Travis Kelce in a red sweatshirt laughing and clapping next to Taylor Swift, who wears a cream jacket and red lipstick, at a hockey game.
At Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift watch Game Four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final together on June 12, 2025, cheering and clapping from the stands. Photo by Bruce Bennett / Getty Images.

The Empire State Building has a long habit of lighting up for the moment, from holidays to championships to the occasional pop-culture wink.

Aerial top-down view of the Empire State Building lit in vivid blue at night, with its Art Deco crown glowing below.
A bird’s-eye drone view looks straight down at the Empire State Building bathed in bright blue light against the dark Manhattan night. Credit: @empirestatebldg.

To be clear about who did what here: this was the building’s own gesture. The Empire State Building lit itself blue and posted the “Her something blue” line as a playful public nod. It was not arranged by Taylor Swift, and it is not part of any actual ceremony. The tower simply saw the moment and decided to play along.

Wide-angle night shot of the Empire State Building illuminated in blue, with the New York City skyline and an H&M sign visible in the background.
The full silhouette of the Empire State Building, its spire and facade aglow in blue, rises above the Manhattan skyline on July 3. Credit: @empirestatebldg.

The wedding itself is heavily reported but not couple-confirmed. Swift and Kelce got engaged in August 2025, with Swift joking that “your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” Multiple outlets have reported the festivities are happening in New York this week, connected to Madison Square Garden, with July 3 as the big day. But the two of them have kept every detail private and personally confirmed nothing.

Angled close-up of the Empire State Building's upper floors and terraces lit in blue at night, with city buildings in the background.
An angled close-up captures the blue-lit terraces and setbacks of the Empire State Building’s mid-section, with surrounding office towers visible below. Credit: @empirestatebldg.

So the “something blue” belongs to New York, not to the guest list. And a skyline choosing to celebrate a wedding it wasn’t invited to might be the most New York thing that’s happened all year.

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Aerial night view of the Empire State Building lit up in bright blue light, surrounded by the glowing New York City skyline.
@empirestatebldg
Travis Kelce in a red sweatshirt laughing and clapping next to Taylor Swift, who wears a cream jacket and red lipstick, at a hockey game.
At Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift watch Game Four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final together on June 12, 2025, cheering and clapping from the stands. Photo by Bruce Bennett Getty Images.
Aerial top-down view of the Empire State Building lit in vivid blue at night, with its Art Deco crown glowing below.
A bird's-eye drone view looks straight down at the Empire State Building bathed in bright blue light against the dark Manhattan night. Credit: @empirestatebldg.
Wide-angle night shot of the Empire State Building illuminated in blue, with the New York City skyline and an H&M sign visible in the background.
The full silhouette of the Empire State Building, its spire and facade aglow in blue, rises above the Manhattan skyline on July 3. Credit: @empirestatebldg.
Angled close-up of the Empire State Building's upper floors and terraces lit in blue at night, with city buildings in the background.
An angled close-up captures the blue-lit terraces and setbacks of the Empire State Building's mid-section, with surrounding office towers visible below. Credit: @empirestatebldg.

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About the author

Nadia Santiago

Nadia Santiago is a writer who lives between the clouds and the coastline, and writes about all the things your heart knows but your mouth can never quite say.