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Wedding planning involves endless food choices. You’ll come across options ranging from three-course meals to buffets. You’ll read about mashed-potato martini bars and chocolate fountains. And you’ll see prices that might make you decide to elope. But don’t run off just yet. A little research will help you find out and express exactly what you want.

Your Game Plan

First, think about the kind of food you want at your wedding. This is your day: What do you want to eat? If you need help planning wedding food, consider looking at cookbooks and researching food on the Web. Remember that you can choose any theme you like or you can mix and match.

If you already have your heart set on having certain dishes, stop to think about what foods are in season. A seasonal menu can save you money. If a food is in season, it will be cheaper than having to import it.

Consider the needs of your guests and the wedding party. Do any of them have dietary restrictions or allergies? Make sure to have vegetarian options; planning wedding food means thinking about all possible scenarios. You may even want to ask guests to let you know if they have dietary restrictions when they RSVP to your invitation.

Meeting Caterers

The following rule applies to all aspects of wedding planning: Take your time and shop around. You want to call as many caterers as possible, compare prices, get information about other weddings they’ve catered and see if you can negotiate a deal.