Here are some warnings signs that your wedding caterer might not be a good fit for your situation:

• The caterer agrees with everything you say, and claims she can do everything you want to do. A good caterer will tell you when your ideas are impossible, difficult or overly expensive. You don’t want someone to agree with you, you want someone who can turn your ideas into reality.

• The caterer doesn’t listen to your ideas at all. Instead, she answers your ideas with “I’m a professional,” rather than listening to them and considering them. You want to avoid a wedding caterer who sees your reception as just another portfolio piece.

• The caterer is vague or less than completely open when it comes to costs. If the caterer isn’t willing to answer whether he charges by the head or by the platter, it can be a problem. When a wedding caterer isn’t up front about costs, it’s possible he’s trying to hide certain fees that may not be included in your original calculations.

• The caterer is poor at communicating. She stops returning phone calls or emails once you’ve made your deposit, or it takes weeks to get back with you on a simple question. You need a caterer with whom you can communicate on a regular basis.

• The caterer doesn’t treat you like a customer. You’re paying the bill; you should get what you want. If the caterer belittles your ideas, is condescending or rude, don’t select that caterer.

• The caterer doesn’t provide you with references. A quality wedding caterer should be able to provide you with several names of former customers, as well as their contact information. If the caterer won’t provide them or is hesitant, it should be a warning flag.

• The caterer won’t provide a contract. A caterer who is not willing to put her promises in writing is to be avoided. If you don’t have a contract, you have no legal binding way to prove they will do the catering job. Make sure the contract includes the prices, date, venue and even the menu.

• The caterer won’t provide any samples of the dishes to be served at your wedding reception. While you can’t expect an entire meal to be served, your caterer should be able to provide you with samples of your main dishes.

If you don’t notice any of these warning signs before you’re in a contract, you need to try to make the best of it. Make sure the caterer follows the terms of the contract, and if things don’t go the way you want them to, make sure every potential bride you ever meet knows about your bad experience with that particular wedding caterer.

There are several areas you need to talk with your caterer about before you hire them, including costs, experience, alcohol and equipment.

Cost Budget Questions

When you interview a wedding caterer, you need to make sure you know what costs are involved in catering your wedding and you need to make sure they fit within your budget. Here are some cost-related questions to ask when interviewing your potential wedding caterer:

• Do you require a deposit? How much is the deposit, and when is it due?

• Do you offer an installment plan? When is final payment due?

• Is there an additional gratuity charge or service charge? What about taxes?

• How many hours of service is included in the cost? How much extra would it cost for additional time?

• What is included in the wedding caterer’s price?

Experience and Qualifications Questions

In addition to making sure the wedding caterer will fit into your budget, you need to get some information about their experience. Here are some good experience-related questions:

• How long have you been in business?

• Where did you receive your culinary education and training?

• Have you previously catered weddings? Have you catered weddings of similar size?

• Are you licensed and insured?

• Do you have the necessary health permits as required by the state or local governments?

Alcohol-related Questions

If you’re going to serve alcohol at your wedding reception, there are some additional questions you will need to ask a potential wedding caterer:

Do you have a liquor license used to purchase alcohol? If not, can you serve my alcohol?

Do you provide bartenders, and how much is this service?

Do you require a corkage fee if I serve my own wine?

Is champagne service for the wedding toast included?

Equipment Questions

A wedding reception requires a great deal of equipment. Some of this equipment may be provided by the venue, and some may need to be provided by your caterer. Here are some important equipment questions for your wedding caterer:

What rental equipment is needed? Do you provide the rental equipment, or is it proved by a third party?

Are there less expensive options, such as plastic flatware or paper plates?

Can I see samples of the equipment that you will be using?

Obviously, these are only some of the questions you’ll need to ask as you interview a wedding caterer. If you make it through these main categories satisfactorily, however, then you can confidently decide on whether or not to hire the wedding caterer.

Fortunately, there are a handful of relatively simple things you can do to make the selection process a success. Here are some of the most essential principles to keep in mind when you’re choosing someone to help with your big day:

Reputation is everything. If you select a corporate catering company from the phonebook, you can’t be certain what you’re going to get. Anyone can put an ad in the yellow pages, and the ad tells you nothing about what past customers think about the company. Instead of going to the yellow pages, ask other special event coordinators for their recommendations. Word of mouth is still the most effective marketing tool that a small business can have.

Choose only licensed and insured providers. Just like your corporate purchasing department has standards when it comes to suppliers, so should you. Choose only a company that has a business license, as well as proof of liability insurance. If you’re unsure about a particular company, check to see if they have complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau.

Get it in writing. Make sure that you have a signed contract with the corporate catering provider that directly spells out what they will be providing for your special events. This does a couple of things for you. First off, it provides you with very specific information about what to expect and what not to expect. Beyond that, it gives you recourse in the case that things don’t go as planned.

Check references. A menu can look good, and their services may be affordable. However, if the caterer has a reputation for hiring staff that are poorly groomed or typically shows up late, your event will suffer. Most professional caterers will be happy to provide you with a list of recent customers and their contact information. Call a few of these former customers to get an impression of how they do business, and to be aware of what their weak points might turn out to be.

Look for confidence and competence. While there are many different types of personalities in the corporate catering world, you want to choose a caterer who has it all together. If the caterer seems hurried all the time, and isn’t particularly interested in discussing the finer details of your special event, this should be a warning sign. Instead, choose a caterer who seems relaxed. Chances are that caterer has a strong staff, and is confident in their abilities to meet your needs.