NEW YORK – While most details of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s July 3 wedding remain undisclosed, the pop star and Kansas City Chiefs star football player did publicly reveal one aspect of the celebration before their wedding: A US$26 million (S$34 million) donation to 20 different charity organisations. Swift’s publicist, Tree Paine, confirmed the total donation to The Athletic.

In addition to supporting nine New York-based charities (a nod to the couple’s Manhattan wedding at Madison Square Garden), Swift and Kelce donated to organisations across the country focused on the arts, animal welfare, hunger, medical research and more. The newlyweds, whose combined net worth exceeds US$2 billion, have each demonstrated a long history of charitable giving throughout their careers.

Swift and Kelce are far from the only couple to make charitable donations a part of their celebration. Many others are incorporating philanthropy into their weddings, both by donating to organisations on their own and by requesting charity contributions instead of traditional wedding gifts.

Shanna Hocking, a philanthropy expert and the CEO of Hocking Leadership in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, said it has become increasingly common for couples to “refocus the idea of giving to them by giving to others”.

While the trend is not reserved for any specific age group or stage of life, “I do think it’s more common when people feel financially secure to be able to think about giving to others,” she said.

News of Swift and Kelce’s generosity has also spurred Swift fans to make their own charitable donations to honour the singer.

Since announcing Swift and Kelce’s support, 82 per cent of the recent donations to New York Cares have been for US$13, Swift’s favourite number, said Sapreet Saluja, the organisation’s executive director. The n...