After all, whether you have 30 guests or 300, finding a caterer who knows how to please a variety of palates is the key to a successful night.

Andy Bott, co-founder of Merri-Makers Caterers in Edison (732-225-0009; merrimakers.com), says the number-one thing to look for when selecting a caterer is experience. “Brides should select someone who is a good match with their personality,” he says. “It’s often a long relationship, so you’ll want it to be like a partnership.” In order to “wow” your guests, you’ll also want to hire someone who is on the cutting edge.

So, what’s hot right now? “Brides today are very savvy,” Bott adds. “They know exactly what they want and are not afraid to break away from tradition. Their wedding is the ideal time to celebrate who they are.” He believes caterers should embrace the challenge of creating exceptional celebrations. “Most brides want their wedding to be a little different. A new trend popping up is serving comfort food with a twist. We do appetizers like grilled cheese made with tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese or an entrée of exotic lobster macaroni and cheese. For dessert, cupcakes and ice-cream cakes are making a big comeback,” he says.

Linda Walton, a caterer located in Sea Bright (732-530-6358), stresses the importance of finding out whether the food is prepared by the caterer or if it is purchased from another source. “Preparing the food on site has become a dying art,” she says, “and the quality of the food sometimes reflects that.”

As for what catering services typically cost, it all comes down to the level of complexity and what your needs are. There’s the cost of food, and then there’s everything else-—the tent, tables, chairs, linens, plates, utensils, glasses, etc. “My procedure is to develop a proposal that is separated into the different areas that will be provided,” says Walton. “There are many ways to cut costs; the important thing is to do it in an area that will not impact the overall success of the event.” Walton’s prices range from $28 to $100 per head for food. And at the Merri-Makers onsite locations, prices start at $90 per head, jumping to $125 for off-site catering.

Bott and Walton both stress the importance of planning early. Besides remembering how beautiful the bride looked, most guests will remember what they ate. If possible, book a caterer at least ten to twelve months before the wedding date.

So, where do you start? Begin by asking friends, family, recent brides, and other wedding vendors for their recommendations. When calling each caterer, be prepared to give them the key details of your wedding. This will also be the best time to request sample menus and pricing information. You will find that rates are typically charged on a per-person basis.

It’s a good idea to interview a couple of different caterers before making a decision. This allows you to compare prices, services, and menu varieties. A reputable caterer should be able to offer you a portfolio of past weddings they have catered. This way you can visually discover the caterer’s style and talents.

After you’ve completed the interview process, sit down and compare notes on each prospective caterer. When you finally make a decision, set up another meeting to discuss all the nuances of your reception. And then relax—and leave all the food details to them.

Finding an Off-Premise Caterer:

How should you begin your search for a caterer? First, decide what kind of wedding reception you want. Do you want your setting itself to be distinctive, or will it simply provide a background for memorable food, service, entertainment, or decoration? Do you envision an elegant sit-down dinner, a less formal buffet-style lunch, or something entirely different, such as an outdoor barbecue or a wedding brunch? Certain locations and food purveyors lend themselves to different types of food service.

Once you have decided on the kind of party you prefer, it’s time to start interviewing prospective caterers, and good ones get booked early. After all, the caterer’s food and overall handling of the event are a big part of any party’s success. Your caterer may be able to help you find an event location if you have not already selected one, and if you do have one, it is your caterer who will take the lead in matching food and service to the location. Sandy Spector of Sandy Spector Caterer notes that she uses a dozen different linen providers throughout the country to ensure that she will be able to find the precise color and style to suit each celebration.

Spector also points out that a good caterer, in addition to providing excellent food and meticulous service, can coordinate other aspects of your wedding. These range from making sure all the china for the table settings has arrived safely at the reception site, to sending florists a swatch of the tablecloth material well ahead of time to coordinate flowers with the table linens. Spector even checks the place cards prior to the reception to be sure that the calligrapher has included every guest and spelled each name correctly. At the beginning of your search, decide how much you can afford to spend on food and beverages. Most caterers have a range of prices available.

Sampling the food is important. Most menus read well, but be sure you like how the food tastes. Also important are staffing and business issues. Ask how waitstaff and bartenders are hired; are they subcontracted or hired in-house? Check the server-to-guest ratio as well. Even a fabulous-tasting meal will come up short if there aren’t enough waiters. Other points to cover: Does the caterer have liability insurance? Can he or she accommodate special requests such as vegetarian, children’s, or kosher plates?

Consider the logistics of the reception, too. Where and how will the food be prepared and served? Is there a functioning kitchen on-site, or will food need to be transported from a distant kitchen and kept at the proper temperature before it is served? Can the caterer set up stoves and chafing dishes on-site? What about bartenders? Has the caterer ever catered a party at the location or type of location you’ve chosen? Be clear about arrangements and costs for feeding musicians, photographer, and videographer. Remember the intangibles, too; you should have confidence in your caterer. After all, as Spector says, “When you’re the bride, you have enough on your mind. Your caterer should be able to provide great food, the epitome of service, and make your wedding-day dream come true.”