Tori Evans, a dancer who performed throughout Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour,” is receiving online backlash after posting a video of herself preparing to attend Swift and Travis Kelce’s star-studded wedding on Friday, July 4, at Madison Square Garden — and the controversy has nothing to do with her dance moves.
Evans, 33, posted a video of herself and her husband, TJ Shaw, preparing for the ceremony at the Soho Grand Hotel in New York before heading to the 1,000-person celebration. She captioned the clip with a nod to a Swift love song, writing, “So it’s going to be forever…🥂🍾.” It was a sweet touch — until the comments section erupted.
The wedding is estimated to have cost between $20 million and $30 million, with decor and florals alone costing at minimum $5 million, according to Esther Lee from The Knot Worldwide. Following the ceremony, Swift and Kelce reportedly went on a “mini moon” in Montana at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, using decoy private jets to keep it secret, before planning a longer European honeymoon.
Fans Call Out the Dress Color
Swift’s devoted fans took issue with the color of Evans’s silk gown, which looked white to many who viewed the video. Comments flooded in quickly. “You wore WHITE????” wrote one Instagram user. Others were slightly more measured but no less pointed, with remarks like “Love the style but white? Eek!” and “Too close to white babe 😬” flooding the post. One commenter went further, writing, “Noooo!! Not pink that looks like white!!! It’s our girl’s day!!!”
Several users said the look made Evans appear to be the bride herself. “I thought you are a bride until I read the comments,” one person admitted. Another cut straight to social consequences: “All your friends are talking behind your back for this one.” The post drew backlash from Swift’s fanbase, prompting numerous negative comments aimed at the dancer.
Shaw Jumps to His Wife’s Defense
Shaw responded to the criticism, clarifying that the dress was pink champagne in color and that lighting made it appear differently. “DRESS IS PINK CHAMPAGNE color for everyone that doesn’t understand lighting 😂,” Shaw wrote. Supportive followers echoed the sentiment, with one writing that Evans looked stunning regardless of the color debate and another urging her to ignore the criticism entirely.
Not everyone accepted the explanation, however. Some users argued that champagne shades still fall into problematic territory for wedding attire. One Instagram user commented that shades such as champagne and red are traditionally discouraged at weddings for precisely that reason, calling the gown “the wrong occasion” for the dress. Evans appeared unbothered and later shared a video from her car leaving the city, captioned “Til next time New York,” set to Swift’s “Getaway Car.”
Notable Absences and Attendance
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were reportedly invited to the wedding but chose not to attend, according to a NewsNation report. A source claimed they wanted to avoid drawing attention away from the couple amid recent controversy. They instead supported their daughter Betty at a horse show, and Swift and Lively are reportedly back on speaking terms.
Sophie Turner was reportedly not spotted at the wedding, sparking speculation about her absence given her friendship with Swift. Podcasters from “Chicks in the Office” discussed the absence, with co-host Maria Ciuffo saying, “Something must have happened.” Ryan Seacrest and Robert Pattinson were unable to attend due to work commitments.
Evans’ Deep Ties to Swift’s World
Evans secured her invitation through years of collaboration with Swift. She performed as part of the “Eras Tour” dance team, a group she once described as a family of 26. The tour kicked off in March 2023 and ran through 149 shows across 51 cities on five continents before concluding in December 2024. When the tour wrapped, Evans shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, reflecting on how the experience had changed her life and describing Swift as “the most beautiful, intelligent, inspiring, genuine and talented artist of our time.”
Beyond her work with Swift, Evans has an extensive performance resume that includes collaborations with numerous high-profile artists such as Beyoncé, Cardi B, The Weeknd, Gwen Stefani, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Hudson, Pitbull, Tyga, Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Jason Derulo, and Maroon 5.
A Wedding Worth the Drama
Whatever the dress color debate, the event Evans attended was nothing short of extraordinary. Swift, a 14-time Grammy winner, and Kelce, both 36, exchanged vows at Madison Square Garden in a ceremony officiated by actor Adam Sandler, with live performances by Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks. The roughly 1,000 guests — a list that included prominent figures from entertainment such as Lena Dunham, Jennifer Lopez, Hugh Grant, Gigi Hadid, Ethan Hawke, Tom Cruise, Aaron Dessner, Mariska Hargitay, Julianne Moore, Ellie Goulding, the Haim sisters, Nikki Glaser, Benson Boone, Bradley Cooper, and Dakota Johnson — were not permitted to bring phones inside the venue.
In lieu of a formal sit-down dinner, guests mingled around buffet-style food stations catered by the exclusive club Zero Bond, a table stacked with more than two dozen desserts, and carnival games spread throughout the space. Reports indicated there weren’t enough seats for the entire crowd. As for Swift’s look, details remain tightly guarded: she wore custom Christian Dior Haute Couture, with outfits for both her and Kelce crafted at Dior’s ateliers in Paris. Designer Jonathan Anderson, 41, told reporters he couldn’t share specifics yet, calling the experience of working with Swift a joy and noting that the two became close friends during the process while describing the creation of a wedding dress as deeply emotional work. Swift completed her bridal ensemble with Cartier jewelry, and both she and Kelce wore custom Christian Louboutin shoes.
For Evans, the dress drama was a minor footnote to what was by any measure an extraordinary evening. She earned her invitation the hard way — two years on the road, 149 shows, five continents — and whatever color her gown appeared on screen, the Swift inner circle clearly had no objections to her being there. The internet, as always, had plenty to say. The bride, for her part, was busy getting married.
