Taylor Swift Played Their Wedding. She Just Might Not Have Known It.

Rene Maria Avalos, Maxwell P Bochman and Taylor chose their wedding date.

When tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour went on sale in November 2022 (rather notoriously), the bride, Rene Hurtado (a self-described "die-hard Swiftie"), was lucky enough to score four front-row seats (for around $1,000 each) at the second show, which will take place on March 18, 20 miles away from Tempe, Ariz. where the couple resides. Moments later the Ticketmaster website crashed. A Senate hearing followed, as did lawsuits.

The couple had tickets in hand and thought that they would elope for the day, then attend the concert to serve as a reception. "At first I thought it was crazy, but later, I thought why not?" said Ms. Hurtado, 30.

The couple met for the first time in summer 2014. Ms. Hurtado sold Ghirardelli cookies in the stands of the Stockton Ports Baseball Stadium (now called Banner Island Ballpark), in Stockton California, as she earned her bachelor's in geology from the University of the Pacific. Max Bochman was working as a stadium operator, his first position after graduating in the spring of that year from University of Massachusetts Amherst.

"I was so excited to finally meet her when I saw her first working there. I told one of my colleagues and said, "I have to get to know her,"'' Bochman, 32.

Two days later they went on their first date in an Italian restaurant. She said, "We knew instantly that we were important to each other." In just three weeks he met her mother. Four months later she flew to Taunton to spend Christmas with her family.

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They both love sports, rap music and have a similar sense humor. Both agreed that Northern California wasn't right for them. So, in 2018, the two moved to Arizona together. On the way down, Mr. Bochman was offered a position as an account director at Barton Associates in Massachusetts. He still holds this job today.

After seven years of dating, Mr. Bochman asked Ms. Hurtado to marry him at sunset on South Mountain, Phoenix, in September 2021. She is the workplace operations manager for Flare, an attorney-client software startup based in San Diego.

On the 17th of March, the first night of the Eras Tour as well as the day before their wedding, Ms. Swift prepared for the following night by playing songs. Ms. Hurtado stated that Swift changed her costume immediately after "All Too Well". "So we knew it was the perfect moment."

The next evening, Alicia Witmer, Josh Wineriter, and their fiance joined the couple. Ms. Witmer was both the officiant and the maid of honour. She had been ordained by the American Marriage Ministries for the event.

The bride wore an midi-length, white satin dress with a veil and the groom a black tuxedo. Both wore an Eras Tour V.I.P. to complete their look. Packages for VIPs include early entry and separate merchandise stands.

When Ms. Swift was out of sight mid-show to change costumes and the set from the "Red" era to that of the "Folklore" era. Ms. Witmer began reading her vows on her phone. The couple then exchanged rings and kisses. The entire ceremony lasted about three minutes.

Ms. Hurtado stated that at first, the fans surrounding us didn't know what was happening, but when we had our first kiss they all burst out in cheers. They really created that moment by their support.

Swift did not seem to be aware of what happened. But a few songs later, a member of Swift's stage crew came up and gave them a guitar pick. The next morning, Ms. Swift liked a TikTok wedding video made by an audience member. The bride's TikTok post went viral after an appearance on 'Good Morning America.

The couple plans to have a bigger wedding in 2024. You don't need a hard-to-get-ticket for it, and the soundtrack will be full of Taylor Swift songs.

Mr. Bochman stated that he had never considered himself to be a Swiftie even though "it is the music I always have playing in my home." Is he now a Swiftie? "Yes, I'm sure I must be a fan after she sang at our wedding."