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When it comes to planning a wedding reception there are hundreds of details to consider. Blending etiquette, convenience, and cost efficiency is difficult- particularly if you’ve decided to plan your wedding yourself.

Without a wedding planner you may feel overwhelmed and think you’re missing out on great deals, vendors, and ideas. However, while wedding planners are obviously extremely helpful they are a luxury, not a necessity.

You can find hundred of to do lists and wedding ideas online to aid you in your choice of reception locations, catering choices, flowers, bridesmaids dresses, and more. Websites such as the Knot offer links to thousands of products and services at a variety of prices, while online communities give reviews and recommendations of things used by real people.

No matter what type of wedding you plan on having, the universal first step in planning is the selection of a location. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not necessary to have a theme in mind before making your choice. Many wedding venues serve as blank canvases where you can play out any vision you may have for your ceremony or reception.

The only truly important things to know are your price constraints, general size of the wedding, and location. Once you know these three things and start looking you will naturally develop additional criteria that can help you make your choice. The important thing is to jump in and get started, because nothing can be done without this first step.

If you live anywhere near a big city, I would recommend considering options there. Cities like Houston, New York, L.A., and others have more choices and act as a neutral location for all your guests to gather. If you have out of town guests this will make the reception and ceremony more appealing to them. If you have a gap in between your ceremony and reception, it also helps to be in a large city where guests can grab a bite or shop in between.

Wedding Receptions in Houston, TX for example have the added benefit of proximity to lots of cafes, restaurants, malls, and hotels where people can rest before the party.