Alex and I started Passenger in the winter of our freshman year at Ball State University. I was honestly ridiculously intimidated by my competitors — er, classmates. It wasn’t that the students were more talented than me, but in my head, I saw them as the directors of Marvel movies or Hunger Games already. I had this image in my mind of how advanced + skilled everyone would be. So I forced my way into experience on the interstate of wedding videos. As we grew, I knew I needed to create a brand, a face, an image, a style of who we wanted to be.

The first name was Paper Clips Productions 🖇. We like it because the Apple emoji looked like an upside heart. This…did not last long.

Then, one day, a routine activity happened. My mom, sister and I were heading out to run errands + one of us yelled out, “I call Passenger!” And my mind flashed back to a recent movie we had just seen where two people fell in love in space. Not that Alex and I were Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, (maybe I could see the resemblance hehe) but something inside clicked. Passenger. Passenger, where I always want to be. Passenger, the person who is simply along for the ride. Not calling the shots, not able to control the destination, yet super happy to be along for the ride. A wanted spot, a desired place to be. And so, I wrote out our branding statement as we listened to Levitate by Imagine Dragons that was used in the movie. I later used these words in my personal vows to Alex on our wedding day.

MARRIAGE IS GETTING INTO A CAR, BUCKLING UP, AND ACCELERATING.
NO BRAKES. NO MAPS.
MARRIAGE IS EXPERIENCING EVERYTHING OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS TOGETHER,
SIDE BY SIDE
WITH THE PERSON YOU LOVE.
THROUGH THE WINDING OF THE ROADS, YOU WILL ALWAYS END UP BACK HOME,
​ BECAUSE HOME IS THE PERSON BESIDE YOU, ALWAYS.
​YOUR PASSENGER.

Passenger has really become even more to me as I transitioned into the full-time video world. Comparison in the wedding vendor realm is sooo intense, and sometimes it feels like I am fighting for a spot to be in the “talented” crowd. Almost like back at Ball State. But our very name screams that someone else is in control. That the Lord is leading + guiding us to every single client, every single opportunity, in His perfect timing. Maybe you’ve felt the need to compare where you’re at, and I welcome you to reflect on the name, too. Who have you allowed to be in the drivers seat? Fear? Comparison? Shame? Confusion? Or purpose, love, life, Jesus?

If you want to hear more about our story + how we came up with the name, please reach out anytime!