PORTLAND – One of the nation’s hottest recording artists came to Maine this week to shoot footage for an upcoming music video.
Country pop music star Taylor Swift was seen at various locations around southern Maine.
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Swift spent most of the day Wednesday at Ram Island Farm, a privately owned property in Cape Elizabeth, shooting a video. She ate dinner later that evening at Becky’s Diner on Portland’s waterfront.
On Thursday morning, Swift and an unidentified man — most likely an actor or model — staged a wedding inside Christ Church on Dane Street in Kennebunk. The ceremony likely will be included in an upcoming music video.
Swift’s publicist, Paula Erickson, had little to say about the star’s visit to Maine.
“I can confirm that she is shooting in your area, but that’s all the information I can provide,” Erickson said in an e-mail.
The 20-year-old Swift was named artist of the year by Billboard Magazine in 2009. The People’s Choice Awards of 2010 named Swift their favorite female artist. Her album “Fearless” won the Grammy for 2010 album of the year.
Though her visit to Ram Island Farm, which is off Route 77, was not publicized — Seth Sprague, a spokesman for the farm, declined to comment — Swift did make an appearance at Becky’s Diner late Wednesday night.
She can be seen on the Becky’s Diner Facebook page posing with owner Rebecca Rand.
“Tonight we are excited to have met and fed Taylor Swift. Her lovely mother, Andrea, was also with her and everyone in their small group were so nice. She was in town shooting a video — lucky us,” a posting on Becky’s Facebook page states.
Rand said Swift and her security team came to the restaurant at 10:20 p.m., 20 minutes after it closed, and asked if they could get a meal.
Rand said her employees stayed late, cooking a hamburger for Swift and preparing a lobster salad for her mother.
“She was really sweet,” Rand said. “You can tell she is a thoughtful, kind person, who was raised well by her parents.”
The Rev. Janet Leighninger, pastor at Christ Church, said she was initially contacted several days ago by a company that scouts film locations. On Wednesday a representative called again to say the company had decided to use the church, which was built in 1827. They were particularly interested in the church’s double wide doors.
“I honestly didn’t know who was coming,” Leighninger said.
The film crew showed up around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, but it didn’t take long for a crowd to form as news about who was inside the church started to spread.
Leighninger said Swift, whose mother was present, was dressed in a traditional cream-colored strapless wedding gown. She carried a bouquet of white flowers provided by a Portland florist.
“She looked gorgeous,” Leighninger said.
As the bride and groom came down the steps of the church, guests blew bubbles at them.
Leighninger praised the film crew, describing them as courteous and respectful.
The church presented Swift a prayer shawl. “I would welcome her back anytime,” Leighninger said.
There is no word on when the video will be released.
Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
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