Many sins can be forgiven at a wedding reception, but guests will remember bad food. So choosing a caterer is not the time to skimp.

Couples should allot two-thirds of the wedding budget for catering. And not only are caterers pricey, some are hard to book. The best ones have events planned months and even years in advance.

"We deal with the higher-end client, with the couples typically in their 30s," says Jerry Edwards, owner of Chef's Expressions, a Timonium-based caterer. "They have saved some money and they want to entertain. They want to impress their co-workers, their bosses. There is a little business tossed into it."

As soon as a couple knows the reception location and how many people they plan to invite, they should start interviewing caterers. Often, couples decide on a caterer after attending another wedding.

"The industry keeps changing. It used to be the bride who called," Edwards says. "Every once in a while, it's a groom. You see grooms doing the research for the bride, and then the bride shows up. Maybe that's preparation for marriage."

The couple should also check to make sure that the venue will allow the caterer that they want to hire. Some venues have lists of approved caterers and won't deal with outsiders. And not all venues come with good kitchens. "We can create and build a kitchen," says Daniel Raffel, of Baltimore caterer A la Carte, Distinctive Catered Affairs. "I can build a kitchen in the middle of a field. But it's going to cost more money if they don't have a good kitchen."

Look for a caterer who takes ownership of the event. "There has to be somebody to orchestrate and manage the reception," says Raffel. "Unless there is a wedding coordinator, the caterer needs to orchestrate it for you. I'm the person the guests see as in charge. It's in my best interest to see that it all goes well." Once, a bride forgot to confirm her cake order with a baker. "I built a tower of pastries," Raffel remembers. "The guests didn't know it wasn't all part of the plan."

The couple can get a sense of how the food will be prepared at a tasting session offered by the caterer. The problem is that it's not difficult to put on a spectacular show for four or six people. Instead, Edwards invites couples to attend a wine dinner that his business produces every month. "It's a six-course meal with wine. You get to see us in action," he says.

Next, the couple should decide whether they want a sit-down dinner, a buffet, or food stations. Caterers have used food stations to inject interest and offer specific themes—ethnic food courses or elaborate desserts. "Now we're giving interactive food at [the] table," says Edwards, explaining, "These are foods that are at the table that's smoking with dry ice or you have to assemble a little bit. There are sauces on the table, choices—more contemporary fun dining rather than the salad."

Caterers often recommend serving a meat and a fish. Sometimes they'll serve a first course with seafood and a second course with beef or chicken. "Vegetarian items can be paired as long as they are beautiful and significant," Raffel says.

Dual entrées avoids having brides insert  cards in the invitations asking guests to return a response card indicating whether they want the steak or the fish. Many guests never send the reply, anyway, making planning more difficult. And even if they do remember, they often have a change of heart on the night of the event. By serving a selection, "Ninety percent will be thrilled," says Raffel. "The other 10 percent are going to have special dietary needs anyway. I prepare for them by having well-done meat or meat with no sauce and a vegetarian dish."

Couples sometimes plan a dessert course, particularly if they are not immediately going to cut the cake. "We are doing dessert buffets," Edwards says. "People want to get up and dance after dinner at a wedding."

The decision whether to have a sit-down dinner or buffet is a matter of style. Consider that in a seated dinner, "Most of those folks are going to eat a certain thing," says Raffel. "With a buffet, you certainly don't know whether they are going to take seconds, thirds, and fourths."

Established caterers have a wait-staff that will come dressed for the occasion—dark pants and ties. But if the caterer hasn't been in business long, it's worth asking how the staff will be dressed. In addition, the number of waiters necessary will add to the cost, but wait staff is also not the place to scrimp and save. "For seated and served, you need one server per 10 guests. For a buffet, you need one per 15," Raffel says. "Always round up, never round down. There is no event that can't be enhanced by additional great service."

Plan to budget $100 to $150 per plate for food and drinks. "That [$100] is the minimum. You can get by with less. If you want a barbecue wedding—so be it," Edwards says. "The traditional upscale wedding is going to be $150 per person for food service, bar, etc."

That means for a wedding of 150 people, budget $15,000 to $22,500. But there are ways to keep the cost down, even using top caterers.  "If you call us in January, February, and March, you are going to get a better deal," says Edwards. Those are our down months. We need the business. I've got to keep my staff working all year long."