from three summers back

[excerpt]

It's a love story, and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce said yes!

The superstar singer and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, both 36, married in a splashy wedding ceremony at Madison Square Garden in New York City on July 3.

For the momentous occasion, the happy couple had various spaces of the iconic arena transformed.

"It looked like a forest," an insider tells PEOPLE exclusively of the decor, which included ferns and trees, with the arena seats covered in white.

During the ceremony, “Taylor walked down the aisle to a stage where they said ‘I do,'" says the source, who adds, "their vows were about 20 minutes each," and Swift and Kelce read them from gold books. The pair also provided guests with embroidered handkerchiefs for any emotional moments throughout the evening.

“After the ceremony, Taylor’s mom invited everyone into the reception room where a stage was set up," adds the source, who says Paul McCartney performed The Beatles' beloved hit "I Want to Hold Your Hand"; Stevie Nicks was also on the lineup of A-list performers.

At the reception, guests noshed on bites from food stations with Italian cuisine, sushi and passed trays, and "there were bars everywhere," says the source, who adds that despite the size of the venue, "It was very crowded!"