Roethlisberger talks wedding plans, media scrutiny as date nears
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Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
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The 2005 season turned out even better than Ben Roethlisberger imagined, and his first Super Bowl victory at season's end wasn't the only one that involved a ring.
That August at training camp at Saint Vincent College, he met a Steelers fan from New Castle named Ashley Harlan. On July 23, only a week before the Steelers are scheduled to report to training camp (provided an NFL lockout of the players is lifted by then), Mr. Roethlisberger and Ms. Harlan will marry.
"I think a small part of her is hoping we hold out for a week so we can honeymoon," Mr. Roethlisberger said Wednesday. "I told her I was laughing with coach [Mike] Tomlin; he said 'You guys might have to have the honeymoon suite at Saint Vincent.' "
The 29-year-old quarterback spoke for the first time publicly since Super Bowl XLV during an interview with the Post-Gazette at his home near North Park. He confirmed for the first time the news that broke of his engagement to Ms. Harlan over Christmas and talked about his future wife and their summer wedding plans.
"I was surprised at how much media attention it was getting -- it's just an engagement," he said. "I never expected it to be on the front pages of all the papers and websites. There was speculation what our invitations would look like and who is coming! It almost seemed surreal, it was like a movie or something, it was weird."
Some of those stories detailed a "wedding" gift registry at various department stores, which in reality was a registry for Ms. Harlan's shower. Because of the publicity, she has received packages from unknown people who have bought gifts for a shower they will not attend.
"We've gotten a lot of gifts from people we don't know," Mr. Roethlisberger said.
They expect more than 500 people at the wedding that will be in the Pittsburgh area. The guest list includes all of his teammates along with coaches and team executives. They're still looking for somewhere to hold the reception after trying to rent the Consol Energy Center, which has a previous engagement -- a World Wrestling Entertainment show. Guests will be asked not to bring gifts but make donations to Mr. Roethlisberger's foundation. He will give any gifts to Ronald McDonald House and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
First Published April 7, 2011 12:00 am
