Surnames: Phelps, Benzschawel, Olson, Hayer, McCredie, Lampe, Casey, Wilcox, Reynolds, Schneider, Fellows, Johnson

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 07/19/1951

Phelps, Mary (16 JUN 1951)

At a nuptial high mass held in St. Bernard’s Church in Madison on Saturday, June 16th, 1951, Miss Mary Louise Phelps and Donald Francis Benzschawel were united in marriage by the Rev. Arnold Lehman. The bride is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Phelps, 2801 Monroe St., and the bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Benzschawel, 319 W. Dayton St., Madison.

For the 10 a.m. ceremony the altar was decorated with white gladioli, white peonies and palms.

A wedding gown of white Chantilly lace was worn by the bride, who was given in marriage by her father. The dress was styled with a Peter Pan collar edged with accordion pleated nylon tulle, a fitted bodice, and long pointed sleeves. The bouffant skirt was tiered with a pleated nylon edging on each tier and extended to a chapel length train. The bride wore a fingertip veil of silk illusion, caught to a Chantilly lace cap edged in satin. She carried a colonial bouquet of vari-colored tea roses.

A blue taffeta dress with a round neckline, cap sleeves and a circular overskirt of matching dotted organdy was worn by the maid of honor, Miss Patricia Johnson. She had a Juliet cap of blue taffeta and a colonial bouquet of assorted spring flowers.

The four bridesmaids, the Misses Meryl and Maggie Benzschawel, sisters of the bridegroom, Miss Barbara Olson and Mrs. David Hayer were attired in dresses identical to the maid of honor in green, yellow, pink and aqua respectively. Their caps and bouquets also were the same. Vivian McCredie, as flower girl, wore a white dress in a style similar to the other attendants. She carried the rings on a white satin pillow.

The bridegroom had as best man, his brother Dorance. The groomsmen were Richard Lampe, Richard Casey, Donald Wilcox and Robert Reynolds. The ushers were Donald Schneider, cousin of the bridegroom, and Frank Fellows.

Mrs. Phelps wore a gold dress with cocoa brown accessories and a corsage of talisman roses. The bridegroom’s mother wore a rose linen dress with white accessories and her corsage was pink sweetheart roses and a gardenia.

The wedding dinner for 22 was served at the Ace of Clubs, where the afternoon reception for 200 was also held. Assisting were Mrs. Richard Week, Mrs. Bruce Johnson, Mrs. Albert Dickens, Mrs. Richard Lampe and the Misses Lynn Sulis and Barbara Kehl.

After a trip to Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Benzschawel will be at home at 121 N. Hancock St., Madison. For travel the bride chose a bronze silk shantung dress with light green accessories and a corsage of yellow roses.