Stroud - Van Benthuysen
ASHEVILLE — Dr. Betsy K. Van Benthuysen and Donald R. Stroud Jr. of Washington exchanged vows in a double-ring ceremony Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. at Biltmore Estate, with Dr. L. Everett Thomas officiating.
The bride is the daughter of Richard Van Benthuysen Jr. and Lavonda T. Van Benthuysen of Raleigh and the granddaughter of the late Richard Van Benthuysen Sr. and Helen Sauls Van Benthuysen of Goldsboro and the late Rev. Leonard M. and Thelma R. Thomas of Shelby.
She is a graduate of Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and international relations and the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 1997 and 2000 with a dental degree and a postdoctoral certificate in pediatric dentistry. She did a general practice residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Ill. She was a member of Tri-Delta Sorority. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Associa-tion. She is employed as a pediatric dentist at Eastern Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry of Greenville.
The groom is the son of Donald R. Stroud Sr. of Seven Springs and Merle Thompson Hatch of Pink Hill and the grandson of the late Marvin Cecil Stroud of Deep Run, Nora Mae Whitfield Stroud of Seven Springs and the late John R. and S. Gertrude Thompson of LaGrange.
He graduated from North Lenoir High School, East Carolina University with a BSBA degree and Campbell University with a JD. He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. He is employed as a criminal defense lawyer with Donald R. Stroud Jr. Law Firm of Greenville.
The bride was escorted by her father and given in marriage by her parents.
She wore a mermaid-style silk satin gown with crystal straps accented by a swirled silk tulle skirt and a swirl flower at the bust. She wore opera-length gloves with swirl accents at the wrist.
Her headpiece was a chapel-length silk tulle veil.
The bride carried a bouquet of red roses surrounded by chocolate calla lilies accented by bells of Ireland. It also had crystal clusters and brooches that belonged to her grandmothers.
Richard Van Benthuysen III of Greenville, S.C., was his sister’s man of honor.
Bridesmaids were Gina Graves Van Benthuysen of Greenville, sister-in-law of the bride, and Dr. Heather W. Svenson of Brunswick, Ga., college roommate of the bride.
Ethan Gerald Whitfield Stroud and Ian James Randolph Stroud were their father’s best men.
Groomsmen were Timothy Burch, Jeffery H. Foster and Robert Carl Kemp III of Winterville and William Gregory Duke of Greenville.
Avery Grace Van Benthuysen of Greenville, niece of the bride, was flower girl.
Gwenn Ford of Asheville directed the wedding. Presiding at the registers was Elizabeth Thomas Frank of Shelby, cousin of the bride. The groomsmen distributed programs.
A program of wedding music was provided by the Clearfield String Quartet and John Entiz and Casey Coppenbarger, trumpeters.
Following the ceremony, the couple and the bride’s parents held a reception at Stable Courtyard.
After a wedding trip to England, Italy and the Mediterranean, the couple reside in Washington.
Events held before the wedding included a cocktail party Sept. 29 at the Inn of Biltmore Estate hosted by Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Zane of McLean, Va.; a pig picking Sept. 16 at John Smith’s Party Barn of Pink Hill hosted by Mr. and Mrs. John Case, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rhodes and Mr. and Mrs. Mike Hatch; a tea Aug. 26 at Washington Duke Inn of Durham hosted by Gina Van Benthuysen of Greenville and Dr. Heather Svenson of Brunswick; and a cookout at the home of the bride’s parents hosted by Richard Van Benthuysen III and the bride’s father.
The couple, the bride’s parents and Mr. and Mrs. David Thomas held a rehearsal dinner Sept. 29 at Biltmore Estate Champagne Cellar.
By News-Argus Staff
Published in Weddings on October 22, 2006 3:30 AM