From Temple Sealing To Prison Cell: The Tragic Irony Of Ruby Franke’s Wedding Day

The wedding day of Ruby Franke and Kevin Franke in the year 2000 was meant to be the beginning of an eternal family, a sacred covenant sealed within the walls of a Latter-day Saint (LDS) temple. Today, in December 2025, that memory stands in stark, tragic contrast to her current reality: a convicted child abuser serving a prison sentence of up to 60 years. The journey from a hopeful Utah bride to a disgraced media figure and felon represents one of the most shocking falls from grace in the history of the "momfluencer" world, making the details of her foundational marriage a point of intense and somber public curiosity. The Franke's marriage, which lasted for over two decades and produced six children, was the very cornerstone of their popular, now-defunct "8 Passengers" YouTube channel. While specific public details about the exact date, venue, or her wedding dress remain private—a common feature of the sacred nature of an LDS temple sealing—the event itself was a profound commitment that defined her public persona and the moral code she claimed to uphold, a code that would ultimately lead to her downfall and the complete dissolution of her family life.

Ruby Franke: A Brief Biography and Relationship Timeline

To understand the significance of Ruby Franke's wedding day, one must first look at the woman behind the "8 Passengers" brand and the life she built and subsequently destroyed.

• Full Name: Ruby Griffiths Franke
• Date of Birth: January 1982
• Place of Birth: Utah, USA
• Parents: Chad and Jennifer Griffiths (also family vloggers)
• Spouse: Kevin Franke (married 2000, divorced 2024)
• Children: Six (Shari, Chad, Abby, Julie, Russell, Eve)
• Career: Former Family Vlogger (YouTube channel "8 Passengers," 2015-2023)
• Controversies: Accusations of child neglect and emotional abuse (pre-arrest); association with "ConneXions" life-coaching service run by Jodi Hildebrandt.
• Legal Status: Convicted of four counts of aggravated child abuse (December 2023). Currently serving a prison sentence of 4 to 60 years in Utah.
• Divorce: Finalized divorce from Kevin Franke in 2024.

The relationship between Ruby and Kevin Franke began in a traditional Latter-day Saint context, culminating in their marriage in 2000. For over two decades, their union was presented to the world as the ideal LDS family, rooted in faith, structure, and a large number of children—the "8 Passengers." This public narrative, however, masked a deeply troubled and controlling dynamic that eventually led to their separation in 2022, Kevin moving out of the family home, and the devastating events of 2023.

The Sacred Vows: The Nature of a Mormon Temple Sealing

Unlike a traditional Christian wedding, Ruby Franke's marriage to Kevin Franke would have been a sacred, private ceremony known as a "temple sealing" within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). This context is crucial to understanding the weight of her commitment and her subsequent betrayal of that faith.

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A temple sealing is not merely a wedding; it is a covenant performed in one of the church's dedicated temples, which are considered the most sacred places on earth.

• Eternal Commitment: The vows taken are not "until death do us part" but "for time and all eternity," meaning the marriage is believed to continue after death. This concept is central to the LDS faith and elevates the significance of the Franke's initial commitment.
• Private Ceremony: Only baptized, worthy members of the LDS Church who hold a current temple recommend are permitted to attend the sealing ceremony. This explains why no public photos or videos of the actual ceremony exist, even from their vlogging days.
• The Wedding Day Itself: On their wedding day in 2000, Ruby, dressed in white, and Kevin would have been "sealed" at an altar in a quiet, reverent ceremony. The public reception or ring ceremony would have taken place outside the temple, allowing non-member family and friends to celebrate.

The "8 Passengers" channel was built on the image of a family striving to live up to these eternal covenants, making the later revelations of child abuse—a profound violation of all sacred vows—all the more shocking to their audience and the wider LDS community. The marriage that began with a promise of "forever" inside a holy temple ended with a divorce finalized while Ruby was behind bars.

The Stark Contrast: From 'Eternal Family' to Legal Fallout

The most compelling and tragic aspect of Ruby Franke's wedding day story is the dramatic contrast between the hopeful beginning and the catastrophic end. The "8 Passengers" brand capitalized on the image of a large, happy, and well-behaved family, a direct result of the eternal union established in 2000.

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The public's intense focus on the "Ruby Franke wedding day" keyword is driven by a desire to pinpoint the moment the trajectory of her life began, allowing for a clearer view of the subsequent dark turn. The timeline of their marriage and its fallout is a painful study in contradiction:

• 2000: Ruby and Kevin Franke are sealed for time and all eternity, beginning their life as a married couple.
• 2015: The "8 Passengers" YouTube channel launches, presenting their family life as a model of structured, faithful parenting, which garners millions of subscribers.
• 2022: Kevin moves out of the family home, reportedly at Ruby’s insistence based on the advice of her "life coach," Jodi Hildebrandt, marking the effective end of the marriage.
• August 2023: Ruby Franke is arrested on child abuse charges after her emaciated 12-year-old son, Russell, escapes from Jodi Hildebrandt’s home and seeks help.
• Late 2023: Ruby pleads guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and is sentenced to prison.
• 2024: Kevin Franke finalizes his divorce from Ruby after approximately 23 years of marriage.

The legal and personal fallout has been absolute. Kevin Franke was granted full custody of the four minor children. In a significant recent development that further closes the chapter on his marriage to Ruby, Kevin Franke announced his engagement to a new woman, Becca Bevan, and reportedly held a simple wedding ceremony in Springville on November 14th of the current year. This new union for Kevin stands as a final, definitive separation from the life he once shared with Ruby, who remains incarcerated.

Topical Entities and LSI Keywords

The story of Ruby Franke’s marriage is inextricably linked to a web of entities and concepts that fueled her public life and subsequent downfall. The following entities provide topical authority and context to her journey from a hopeful bride to a convicted felon:

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Family Entities: Kevin Franke, Shari Franke, Chad Franke, Julie Franke, Abby Franke, Russell Franke, Eve Franke, Griffiths Family, 8 Passengers YouTube Channel.

Religious and Ethical Entities: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), Mormonism, Temple Sealing, Eternal Marriage, Family Vlogging Ethics, Child Abuse Conviction.

Controversial Entities: Jodi Hildebrandt, ConneXions (life-coaching service), Aggravated Child Abuse, Utah State Prison.

The contrast between the sacred, eternal commitment of her wedding day and the eventual outcome—a shattered family, a prison sentence, and a public shaming—serves as a permanent and painful reminder of the dark side lurking beneath the surface of seemingly perfect online personas. The memory of Ruby Franke's wedding day is no longer one of bliss, but of a promise tragically broken.