We Moved to Michigan!
I checked out Milham Park in Portage, MI on a sunny day in early October
This summer, Caleb and I moved 1200 miles from Houston, Texas to Kalamazoo, Michigan.
So many of you have asked why. Especially here in Michigan, I’ve met many people are surprised that we’ve moved ourselves and our thriving photography business, from Houston, TX, the fourth largest city in the US, to this seemingly random small city in a wildly different part of the country. Since moving to Southwest Michigan, I’ve felt incredibly warm welcome from the people, and much MUCH less warm weather (which if you have visited Houston you understand is part of the appeal). Other than the nicer weather, and the existence of an actual fall season, why did we decide to move here? There are two main reasons.
Me with my daughter, Les, as we stopped in Chicago on our road trip from Houston to Kalamazoo to move her in for her first semester of college last year
Last year, my only daughter left home to attend college in Kalamazoo. Before that, I’d heard of the town “Kalamazoo” before, but I’m pretty sure only in the context of “here’s a fun sounding city name” and not referencing the actual Kalamazoo that I’ve come to know and love. My daughter, Les, researched schools all over the country, and settled on Kalamazoo College due to their amazing language program. She also, like me, was looking to get away from the hot climate in Houston. The gulf coast has its good points, but 10 months a year of hot humid weather is not one that my family was particularly keen on. I wrestled with the idea of moving to her college town. I didn’t want to cramp her style or make her feel like she was under my supervision, but at the same time she’s our closest family, and spending time with her throughout her life is a priority for us. We visited her here in Kalamazoo a few times during her freshman year and fell in love with the area. Eventually I asked if she’d mind if we moved here, and she immediately responded with an enthusiastic yes.
Me, Les, and Caleb at Shibam Coffee in Kalamazoo the night we decided to move here
Caleb and I flew out to a destination wedding in Italy earlier this year
The other reason we decided to move to Kalamazoo is that Caleb and I, in this new phase of life with an empty nest, are looking for a place that feels like home. We had a great time in Houston, but neither of us grew up there or have any especially strong connections left there. We will miss our friends and wedding industry peers in Houston a ton, but we knew the right place for us was somewhere else. We knew we wanted to live somewhere that experienced four seasons, and somewhere near blue water. We fell in love with Southwest Michigan quickly after a few trips to visit my daughter. Kalamazoo’s calmer pace of life, while still being in easy proximity to major cities like Chicago and Detroit, means we can live a quieter, arguably more beautiful life, and still fly out of big airports for our international destination weddings.
Apples on sale at Gull Meadow Farms in Richland, MI. These are two varieties I’d never seen before
Here’s what we love about Southwest Michigan so far:
The pace of life is much more our speed. We love the proximity to outdoor recreation, the people, and how quiet and dark it gets at night here. We also recently tasted the best Apple cider doughnuts I’ve ever had at Gull Meadow Farms. we know we have a lot more to explore! This year we’re hanging out with Les and getting to know the area. We aren’t sure if we’ll end up in Kalamazoo permanently, or if we’ll eventually fall in love with some other West Michigan town, but we know we love this area.
It’s been 20 years since I’ve lived somewhere where the trees turn this color. I’m absolutely giddy about fall in MI.
We still travel frequently for destination weddings, and weddings in Houston and Denver where we used to live. Since we’ve moved we’ve been to Houston 3 times and Denver once. Three more trips to Houston on the calendar this winter. One of the things that works well about this is that wedding season in Houston is opposite to Michigan. We were busiest in Nov-Feb in the south, whereas wedding season seems to be May-October up here.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer in Michigan, we cover the entire lower peninsula with no travel fees.
Wow—that’s crazy, you might be saying. Here’s the thing—working with clients who are a great fit for us is more important than sticking close to home. That’s why we do destinations all over the world. Michigan is a gorgeous state and has so many hidden gem venues and stunning natural areas. We can get anywhere in the Lower peninsula without getting on an airplane and without needing more than one night in a hotel, so it’s a great deal for us too. Everywhere else We’ve lived, a 2-3 hour drive is normal to get to wedding venues. In Houston, the other side of Houston is 2 hours away. In Colorado, I lived in Denver, and all the pretty wedding venues are a couple hours away up in the mountains. Working with couples and families who resonate with our style and approach is 100% worth the drive.
Texas is still in our hearts (and on our calendar)
Catherine & John’s Wedding this past February at Le Tesserae, a venue that features a view of the Houston Skyline
To our friends and clients in Texas, we miss you terribly. Fortunately we aren’t gone forever! We have already been back to Houston for weddings three times already this summer (and we’ll be back about once a month between now and next summer). If you’re looking for a photographer who knows Houston well, we are still taking on Texas weddings and portrait sessions. Texas’s busiest wedding season (November-February) is the complete opposite of Michigan’s (May-October) so we are able to continue to work with some of our favorite venues and vendors in Texas, and our rates are competitive (even factoring in our travel). Inquire here about your upcoming Texas wedding for details and prices.
Interested in working with us? We’d love to hear from you!
Did I mention I’m excited about fall?
Inquire about your wedding here
Inquire about Family Photos, Senior Photos, or Headshots, here
Or send me an email at Libby@Libbydollar.com and tell me about what you need!
Stoked to be a Michigander,
—Libby