Mars alum and bride’s ‘ketchup connection catches attention of ex-Steeler
Dr. Michael and Logan Sybert wanted their wedding day to feel uniquely Pittsburgh — and there are few cultural icons that represent the Steel City better than Heinz ketchup.
Along with selecting the Senator John Heinz History Center as their venue, Logan’s mom, Bunny Goetz, hatched an idea to turn the Pittsburgh staple into a practical wedding favor that their guests could appreciate.
Each table was adorned with miniature ketchup bottles featuring custom “Mike & Logan” labels, a nod to the world-famous 149-year-old brand founded by Henry John Heinz.
“We thought it would be a favor that people would be excited about, and then they could have their own little personal purse ketchup,” Logan said. “It went along well with the Pittsburgh theme.”
A day later, the couple’s wedding photographer, Ninety Eight Media, posted several Instagram stories of the special occasion, including one of four ketchup bottles neatly positioned on a white tablecloth.
Then came an unexpected twist. Through a mutual friend, former Pittsburgh Steeler and 2005 Super Bowl champion Mike Logan saw the post and immediately wanted some of his own.
“He messaged me on Instagram saying that he loved the ketchup bottles and was asking if he could pay me to send him some,” Logan Sybert said with a laugh. “I just ended up sending him like three ketchup bottles in the mail and didn’t make him pay, of course. He got them, and I just asked if he could send me a selfie with his ketchup bottles.”
Sure enough, he sent back a smiling photo holding his “Mike & Logan” ketchup and another photo of the bottles resting on one of his No. 31 jerseys.
“Mike Logan reaching out for our novelty ketchup bottles was certainly the icing on the cake of an amazing wedding weekend,” Michael Sybert said. “Being able to give a Super Bowl champion something special to us, especially on the 20th anniversary of the championship, was a moment we’ll never forget.”
Logan, a former NFL safety who played for his hometown team from 2001-2006, wasn’t even on their radar when the bottles were being designed.
“We didn’t even think about it,” Logan Sybert said. “It was a really cool thing that of course there’s a Steeler named Mike Logan. It’s just hilarious that his name ended up being on the ketchup bottle, and it’s funny how it all connected.”
The ketchup theme didn’t stop there, however. The couple’s wedding colors were red, Michael wore Heinz-themed socks, and later that night, the pair even changed into Heinz ketchup and mustard costumes before hitting the dance floor.
Michael, who graduated from Mars Area High School, and Logan, who attended Seneca Valley High School, now live together in the city they adore. On their wedding day, Michael even made the walk in his tuxedo from the couple’s home in the Strip District to the venue.
“Our wedding was a perfect example to showcase the beauty and awe of Pittsburgh and our love of the city, to our family and friends,” Michael Sybert said. “Many of our guests were local and felt right at home with the theme, but there were also several people from out of town who were entrenched in the Pittsburgh culture for the very first time. It was very gratifying to see their excitement and share what our city is about.”
As lifelong fans of Pittsburgh’s beloved team, they attended the Steelers and Green Bay Packers “Sunday Night Football” game to cap off their wedding weekend.
“It was really special,” Logan Sybert said of her Pittsburgh-focused wedding. “We love to call Pittsburgh home, so we were excited to celebrate that with us and our marriage. It was great to show our out-of-town guests why we love Pittsburgh so much.”
