Couples

Looks like Jussie Smollett's new flame -- "Queer Eye" star Karamo Brown -- was with him before we confirmed their romance was official ... and Karamo was already laying it on thick.

Jussie performed Saturday at Harlem Pride Parade ... and the person who announced him on stage was none other than Karamo himself!

Take a look at the video ... before Jussie's performance, Karamo introduces him, saying he's "a man that I respect, that I love deeply, that is extraordinary ... extremely handsome, talented, amazing."

You'd omit some of those words if you were just friends with someone ... but that clearly isn't the case for Karamo and Jussie.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding is shaping up to be crazy expensive ... and that's not even counting the roughly $160,000 it's going to cost for police assigned to work two events at Madison Square Garden.

Our high-ranking NYPD sources tell us there are going to be over 70 detectives from precincts all across the city assigned to Thursday's rehearsal and Friday's wedding ... and they'll be working 8.5 hour shifts at $80 to $90 an hour.

We'll spare you the math ... that's $95,200 on the low end.

In addition, we're told there will be over 50 police officers assigned to MSG as well ... they're mostly rookies making $70 an hour for a 9-hour shift ... which would be another $63,000.

Our sources say some NYPD higher-ups in will also be working ... so the salary figure should push over $160K.

Taylor Swift is one step closer to saying "I do" ... literally.

TMZ obtained video of a giant white staircase being craned into Madison Square Garden -- and at first glance, it looks like it could be another piece of the fairytale castle set being built for her wedding to Travis Kelce.

By now, it's clear Taylor didn't just rent out MSG -- she rented a blank canvas. The iconic venue has been transformed into a giant, windowless fantasy world that's being rebuilt from the ground up.

Madison Square Garden is disappearing behind layers of fabric ... all in the name of Taylor Swift's fairy tale wedding.

Sources connected to the wedding setup tell TMZ ... the event crew got to work Monday, and nearly all of the effort so far has gone into draping the entire arena. We're told workers have been tirelessly hanging fabric from the ceiling and even wrapping the perimeter of the arena floor as they build out Taylor and Travis Kelce's vision.

The makeover is so extensive, sources say it's become clear Taylor didn't simply rent MSG -- she rented a giant, windowless space she could completely reinvent. In fact, we're told guests will walk inside and quickly forget they're even in the world-famous arena.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce don't want the red carpet rolled out for them for their wedding event at Madison Square Garden ... they want purple carpet instead, even if workers have to start from scratch.

The color change is underway right now at Madison Square Garden, where workers are pulling up the red carpet they laid down earlier today on a set of stairs outside the arena.

Our photog took this video and was told the carpet is supposed to be purple, not red ... hence the frantic change.

Bella Thorne is keeping things spicy south of the border ... trekking down to Los Cabos for a Mexican getaway ... and making sure to pack her sex appeal.

Check out these photos of Bella in Cabo ... she's busting out some sexy swimwear for beach days and yacht excursions ... soaking in the sun and having tons of fun.

Bella's down in Mexico with her fiancé Mark Emms ... and they look like they're enjoying all Cabo has to offer ... including a boat trip to see the famous arch, known locally as "El Arco."

Her name translates to "beautiful" in Spanish ... and one look through our gallery proves she's definitely living up to her billing.

Madison Square Garden employees are being cut off from the outside world while setting things up for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's mega-bash this week ... because they're not allowed to have their phones while they work.

Employees who work in event production for MSG tell us ... they can't have their phones during the shift, and while they haven't been told why, it's presumably so they can't take pictures of the setup.

We're also told employees are wearing wrist bands -- which is out of the ordinary -- and they have to go through an extra layer of security when they show up to work.

Ginuwine is heading towards marriage again ... 'cause TMZ has learned the R&B star is engaged to 28-year-old Miami realtor Jannette Escartin.

Jannette tells TMZ ... Ginuwine popped the question in Washington, D.C., a couple of weeks ago ... and she said yes.

The newly engaged couple tells us they're very happy and in love.

Taylor Swift may be days away from marrying Travis Kelce ... but don't expect ex Joe Alwyn to be crying into his tea ... 'cause his romance with Sarah Pidgeon is heating up fast!

The pair soaked up London's scorching heatwave Monday, enjoying a picnic in the park -- and they looked completely wrapped up in each other, with Sarah leaning in for a long, romantic kiss.

Sarah looked totally at ease, breaking into a playful dance and lip-syncing along to a song while Joe watched, looking clearly smitten.

For a guy who famously kept things ultra-private during his romance with Taylor, this is some major PDA!!!

Taylor Swift loves her some calla lilies, but she didn't buy up every single calla lily in New York City ahead of her upcoming wedding event at Madison Square Garden ... despite claims to the contrary.

TMZ reached out to several well-known florists in the NYC area about the reported raid of calla lilies for Taylor and Travis Kelce's big day ... and we were told it was BS.

Every shop we called not only had calla lilies in stock ... not one heard the rumor about Taylor buying up 42,000 flowers ... but you better believe they wished they had the account!

One shop told us they visited the New York Flower Market this morning ... and there were plenty of callas on hand for shops.

Thylane Blondeau, who was dubbed "Most Beautiful Girl in the World" back in 2006 when she was just 5 years old, is all grown up ... and now she's married. Feel old yet?

The French model got hitched Monday, pulling up to her wedding venue in Paris in a silver Porsche 356 Speedster ... looking absolutely stunning in her white dress.

Thylane's new husband, French actor Ben Attal, was behind the wheel looking sharp in his dark navy blue suit.

JWoww's wedding had a more exclusive VIP list than the cast's old hangout, Club Karma ... because a couple of her castmembers didn't even get the invite.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Angelina Pivarnick and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro were left off the guest list for JWoww's big day.

Our sources say the two other "Jersey Shore" castmates who didn't attend -- Pauly D and Vinny Guadagnino -- were invited ... but unclear why they did not attend. They also didn't know it was JWoww's wedding ... remember, she sprung that news on her guests after they showed up for what they thought was a film premiere.

Jenni 'JWoww' Farley pulled a fast one on her loved ones ... springing a surprise wedding on them!

She invited 50 people -- who thought they were going to a screening of her upcoming movie, "Nanny Cam" -- to the Madison Modern Social in Old Bridge, New Jersey ... to see her and wrestler Zack Carpinello tie the knot.

JWoww told People they spent months keeping their nuptials a secret ... going so far as to make movie-themed invites and set up a red carpet.

Drake might want to tread lightly around Sophie Brussaux ... his baby mama just married a Muay Thai fighter!

Sophie -- the mother of Drake's only son, Adonis -- married Efe Caliskan on Sunday in a ceremony in North York, Toronto.

Her new hubby is a professional fighter who recently made his MMA debut ... and he's no chump because he won that fight in a unanimous decision.

Heather Locklear's still got it ... looking beautiful and flashing a sunny smile while running errands with her boyfriend Lorenzo Lamas.

The two stars were spotted getting things done in Tinseltown on Tuesday ... with Heather decked out in a low-cut top and matching pants as she went to the bank and stopped by a nail place.

Heather's clearly still taking care of her bod -- even stretching while chatting with the front desk worker at the nail spot ... believe it or not she is 64, though you certainly can't tell from looking at her.

Barack Obama says his marriage to Michelle isn't an equal partnership ... claiming he's benefited way more from their union.

The couple spoke to People recently amid the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago ... and he told the magazine he doesn't think their marriage has been an equal 50-50 split.

The 44th President of the United States says he's "gotten more out of it than she has" ... even going as far as saying it's been more of a "mixed bag" for her.