The familiar cheers of Ohio Stadium will be replaced with wedding bells on Oct. 19, when the Horseshoe hosts its first wedding ceremony.

On that day, Keith Kistler and Opal Hatlestad of Lancaster, Ohio will tie the knot at the stadium’s north flagpole.

Kistler, a 1966 alumnus of Ohio State and three-year university cheerleader, met his bride-to-be after asking neighbors if they knew of “any nice available ladies who would like to go to dinner.”

Following the couple’s first date in March 2000, Kistler knew it “was love at first sight.” Soon after, on New Year’s Eve 2001, Kistler proposed. He presented Hatlestad with a large box with a carrot taped on the top. Hatlestad didn’t realize that the carrot was an indication of the “carat” ring that laid inside.

When the time came to make wedding plans, Kistler knew that Ohio Stadium was the perfect location because he had always dreamed of getting married in the location he describes as “the only place to be.” From there the plans went into action.

Kistler started by calling athletics director Andy Geiger, and after three long weeks of waiting for a reply, Kistler got the answer he was waiting for.

After passing mandatory security checks, the couple asked for the first available date the stadium was free. Since the Buckeyes are scheduled for an away game at Wisconsin the weekend of Oct. 19, the couple reserved that date.

Kistler originally asked to be married on the 50-yard line, but Geiger assured him that it was “sacred football ground,” so the couple settled on the north flagpole.

In July 2002 the couple began working out the wedding details with Tom McGinnis, the Department of Athletics’ coordinator of event management. McGinnis said that no other couple has ever asked to be married in the stadium, although there have been many requests for ceremonies and proposals to take place during football halftimes.

McGinnis encourages couples to make Ohio State part of their wedding plans, but the Athletic Department is unable to allow the scoreboard to be used for such events, he said.

McGinnis said the couple paid $1,500 to rent the stadium for three hours.

The stadium press box is also a popular request for rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions, McGinnis said. It has already hosted three wedding receptions and between 10-12 rehearsal dinners. The stadium rents out four rooms for public use.

Aside from the wedding ceremony taking place in the stadium, the Buckeye spirit will be felt in every aspect of the Kistler wedding. The bride will be adorned in a scarlet wedding gown special ordered from New York City, and the groom will wear a gray tuxedo. The 52 bridesmaids will also be in scarlet gowns, and the 18 groomsmen in coordinating gray tuxedos.

The bride and bridesmaids will carry football-shaped bouquets of white mums, scarlet and gray carnations and pine. Buckeyes will be tied to ribbons hanging from the bouquet. The groomsmen will have scarlet carnations with matching buckeyes.

The couple invited 300 guests to their wedding. The guests will caravan in three buses from the First United Methodist Church in Lancaster.

Two bands will perform at the ceremony and reception. The Nostalgics will perform at the ceremony, and the Olive Dale Kitchen Band at the reception. An ROTC group will raise the flag.

A reception will be held in the press box, where the couple will distribute buckeye favors and have an OSU wedding cake.

Hatlestad said the one drawback of the wedding is the inability to practice before the ceremony actually takes place.

“We did get into the stadium before the band at the Texas Tech game so Opal was able to practice on the ramp beforehand,” Kistler said, “but besides that we hope for the best.”

The couple is planning a three-part honeymoon, Kistler said, during which they will go to Las Vegas for the traditional celebration, on a vacation to New Orleans in November, and hopefully to the Rose Bowl in December.