Captions..Deciding on a Theme

The girl next door, Fianna Grube wore this handmade wedding gown at age the of nineteen. She married her neighbor Martin Peiffer 18 years older than her in Salunga, Pennsylvania on January 22^nd, 1856 prior to the Civil War. Mennonite farmers, fairly wealthy, raised six children on their Lancaster Co. Farm.

In this caption I tried to depict a more overall story of the people and the place of  where the wedding gown came from. I chose my first words to be “The girl next door” because I think that those words could interest people considering it is a common phrase that is used. And due to the evidence Fianna was the next door neighbor to Martin Peiffer in Salunga, PA. I think that putting the age may capture the interest of the audience as well, putting a “wow” factor into the statement. This could cause some humor thinking that, the girl next door was really the little girl next door to Martin Peiffer. Having the date in the caption is extremely important in order to give viewers an idea of the time. Also mentioning that they were Mennonite farmers gains viewers who do not know what Mennonites are to want to learn and helps others who know what Mennonites are to understand better their way of life.

Here comes the bride! All Dressed in…Not White! Nineteen-year-old Mennonite woman, Fianna Grube wore this fashionably handmade wedding gown when she married her farmer neighbor who was 18 years older than her during the winter of 1856 in Salunga, PA. Mennonites are known to be plain, simple, and farmers which indicates the simple and plainness of the gown.

I used a different approach to this caption with the first sentence trying to capture attention from the audience using the song that goes “here comes the bride, all dressed in white.”  I still find it important to mention how Fianna and her husband were neighbors and were Mennonites so I added them into the description as well.

This handmade wedding gown was worn by a nineteen year old woman in 1856 who was married by a Mennonite Reverend in Salunga, Pa. The bride’s Mennonite religion caused her to choose blue and brown silk for her wedding day to a man on a neighboring farm.

This caption I decided not use any names of the people who were involved with the wedding dress. This makes the story a little less personal than the ones above. I think that after our class on Monday and our discussion in class I will have a better idea of the caption that I think will be the best fit for the exhibit. I also think that I might inquire some more information about Fianna Grube and her family that I may choose to change my captions around.