Wherever the location of the reception, the most significant decision the bride- and groom-to-be will have to make is the selection of a caterer and the menu that will be served. Food and drink continue to be the most costly elements of any catered event. Add the cost for canopies, furnishings, china, silver, and crystal, and the cost may be a few thousand dollars for a simple buffet to tens of thousands for an elegant served dinner.

So where do you start and how do you compare caterers? How will you know you're getting the best value for your dollar? Realize when the final candle is just a memory, you may have spent an amount equal to the purchase of a new car or a down payment on a modest home. You would certainly exercise great care with these purchases and your reception should be no different.

Here is some advice that will help you sort out the apples and the oranges:

- Don't select a caterer by thumbing through the yellow pages. Surely you know someone who was recently married. Perhaps you've attended a wedding or two within the past year. Call friends and family members and seek some advice first, then make some phone calls.

- As you interview caterers, ask for current references. A caterer is only as good as the last party they catered, not the party they catered two or three years ago. Call the references.

- Make sure the caterer is on sound financial ground. There literally may be dozens of caterers that do business in your city or town. They also can open and close just as fast as restaurants. The last thing you need is a phone call a month before your wedding day. Consider doing a credit check on your own, or ask the caterer for a bank or credit reference. Also find out if they carry liability and worker's compensation insurance. You could be held liable if one of their workers injures themselves and the caterer does not have proper insurance.

- Ask the caterer about the type of foods they use. For example: Do they use white shrimp or tigers, U.S. choice beef or ungraded, fresh vegetables or frozen, butter or shortening? The difference in quality can be night and day in taste and cost.

- Don't make shortcuts on the menu at you reception. Be sure quality ingredients are used in the preparation of the food, whether you?re spending $10 or $100 dollars per person. It is always better to have less variety and better quality food than more variety of just mediocre dishes.

- If your menu is priced per person, ask for a full itemized of costs. Have the caterer outline the number of service staff that will work, the type and style of the rental equipment, the portion sizes of the food (especially expensive foods, such as shrimp), and so forth. If you're having a hard time making a decision or comparing costs, an itemization of costs is essential.

- Ask to taste the food the caterer wishes to serve at your event. Pay a nominal fee if required. Everyone will remember a poor meal, especially if they leave hungry.

- Find out who from the catering company is going to be in charge at your reception. Request a meeting or introduction to that person in advance. This will help put you at ease.

- Ask for a tour of the caterer's kitchen and facility. If that's not possible (it should be), ask to see an event in progress, or at least during the time the caterer is setting up. Though it may not be appropriate to view and event on their schedule they can invite you to for a glimpse.

- A unique location can pose several challenges to the caterer. Preparing dinner for 100 guests from a fully equipped kitchen is a lot different than preparing dinner from under a tent or in an out-building. Ask the caterer about the extent of his/her experience working in not so perfect conditions. Ask the caterer what recourse you will have if, say, the cook burns the brisket, the wedding cake collapses, or the wine is served warm.

- If the quality, taste and presentation of the food are important to you, use these tips as a guideline for making an educated decision and to compare caterers apples for apples.