Loved-up pop queen Taylor Swift and American football star Travis Kelce have become the perfect poster couple for the whirlwind romance. The truly, madly, deeply pair made romantics swoon and made headlines scream all over the world when they announced their engagement. And getting married in the honeymoon period gives a great momentum, once you’re old enough to be ready for the commitment, it is claimed by relationship expert Frances Kelleher.
The dating coach from Killarney in Kerry, says Taylor and Travis's whirlwind romance is the way to do it: "When you know, you know". She said: "Meeting and getting set to marry within two years is counted as a whirlwind, as you're still in the honeymoon phase. But generations before us were doing this for years and it was the norm.
"Research shows the optimum time to put a ring on it is within the first year. It's a case of strike while the iron is hot - it's all about momentum. I'm not a fan of waiting 10 years. If you want to marry, you've as much of a chance of it working out after weeks as after years."
Frances continued: “I got married after a year of dating. It really is true: when you know, you know. For some people, it's instinctive, and they go with their instinct. They say, ‘This is how I feel and I am going with it’. It's better to live in the now. It's your decision and you have to trust yourself.
“You have to live in the now and know that even if it doesn't work out, it's better to have loved and lost. There's no point in living on the sidelines and being afraid to do anything. Live according to yourself and not the expectations of others."
READ MORE: 'Love Story': Taylor Swift announces engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce
READ MORE: Taylor Swift is Ireland's most popular artist on Spotify as only one Irish musician makes top five
She added: "It does depend on age though. Travis and Taylor are 35 so this makes sense. He pursued her and he appreciates her and he was very into her from afar. I understand he is the only one who asked her to marry him. So I think all that has played a part. These two have shared values, such as family and career, and I feel they will be very happy. I'm delighted for them.”
Frances Kelleher
Frances says there is someone out there for everyone
Superstars Taylor and Travis are set to be married after first meeting two years ago. It's a relatively short time to walk up the aisle and pledge your life to each other, according to some experts. But they are not the only celebrity whirlwinders with a big announcement this week – with Traveller actor John Connors also revealing he is set to wed soon after meeting his wife to be.
However, we all love a whirlwind romance and the notion of it captures public imagination. It's as old as time, from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet through to modern couples like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
It can lead to lasting love, as it did for the likes of Michael Flaley and wife Niamh – or else the shine can wear off, as it did with Vogue Williams and Brian McFadden. One of the most famous ever is Jamie Lee Curtis who married her husband after five months. She saw a picture of Christopher Guest from his 1984 film This Is Spinal Tap in Rolling Stone magazine and told friends: "I'm going to marry that guy.”
Frances Kelleher, Relationship Expert
Frances Kelleher, Relationship Expert
Pamela Anderson, who now dating Irish movie star Liam Neeson, married rocker Tommy Lee after four days. They had two children together but they eventually split.
Here we look at some of Ireland's best-known whirlwind couples.
Doireann Garrihy and Mark Mehigan:
Doireann and Mark’s relationship quickly progressed from their first date in late 2022 to their wedding in November 2024. Their relationship went public in December 2022, they moved in together by June 2023, Mark proposed five months later in November, and they married 12 months later.
Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews:
Vogue’s romance history progressed rapidly from 2012 when she married Brian McFadden, separated from him in 2015, got divorced in 2017, and met Spencer Matthews the same year. Vogue and Spender got engaged in January 2018 and married six months later in June. Their relationship was documented for TV and led to the couple having three children.
Ryan Tubs and Clare Kambamettu:
Former RTE star Ryan Tubridy and Dr Clare Kambamettu first met when She appeared on his RTÉ Radio 1 show in March 2023. They initially kept their relationship private but were spotted jogging together. The couple then got engaged in June 2025 and wedding plans are already under way.
Michael Flatley and Niamh O’Brien:
Lord of the Dance Flatley and wife Niamh fell in love after locking eyes across the dancefloor. They married 19 years ago after a whirlwind romance that included Michael splitting from ex-fiancee Lisa Murphy in April 2006, then meeting Niamh and the pair announcing their engagement just months later in August of that year. They got married four months later in October 2006 and had only son Michael Saint James.
Greg O'Shea and Jenni Mulder:
Fitness influencer Greg and Jenni met in 2022 – after a group of strangers set them up, sort of. Jenni, from South Africa, had been solo travelling in Bali when she met some Irish girls and they began lamenting the lack of decent men. However, some of the girls urged Jenni to message Greg through his podcast. Jenni did send a message, but it went into Greg’s hidden requests. As he has said, that is “where all the bots go”. But they eventually got talking on WhatsApp, then FaceTime, and then “she ended up flying to Dublin”, revealed former Love Island star Greg. After the whirlwind romance that followed, Greg and Jenni got engaged last New Year’s Eve.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.