Are you shopping for a Memphis-area caterer who can pull out all of the stops? Unless you’re planning on working in the kitchen yourself, or sending unsuspecting friends and family back behind the counter to dish up grub, your best bet for feeding a wedding crowd is going to be to hire a caterer who will take care of creating a dining masterpiece that your guests will salivate over.

An experienced caterer—one who has been in the business for several years and who has all of the required licensing and health inspections as well as liability insurance—will be invaluable to you on your wedding day. Ask if they can comfortably handle a crowd the size of your guest list. If they are not used to serving a crowd that size but feel confident they could pull it off, they still may need to purchase additional equipment to serve your wedding guests.

Your reception hall may suggest a caterer they typically work with, or you may have to start your search at square one. Budget and type of cuisine will narrow down your selections further. You’ll need to ask what is included in the price (taxes, service charge, equipment rentals, event-day staff, and more may be added on). Ask if your caterer will provide linens and table settings. Otherwise you may need to rent these separately.

If you’d like to serve wine or other alcohol at the wedding, you should make sure your caterer has a liquor license. There may be an extra “corkage fee” for providing your own wine. Finally, ask about the deposit required to reserve your wedding date.

Once you’ve interviewed the caterer, you should be able to sample some of their fine cooking. They may make up a special menu for you or let you pick from several selections. Depending on how many courses you’d like to serve, you should be able to sample the appetizers, salad, soup, main course, and desserts. Don’t be afraid to leave something off the menu if you aren’t crazy about it. After all, it’s your day and other guests may be as picky as you. When all else fails, choose a variety of cuisines that can meld together.

If the food is to your liking, it’s now time to sign paperwork. Make very clear your ceremony date, time, and location during this time, and ask plenty of questions if you don’t understand some of the contract points. There may be additional fees if the event runs overtime, so decide whether or not this is a possibility.

Memphis’ best caterers are diamonds to be discovered. Start your search with the list below, or run a full Internet search to book your wedding catering today.

Bombay House (901-755-4114; www.bombayhouserestaurant.com)
Coletta’s Italian Restaurant (901-948-7652, www.colettasrestaurant.com)
The Cockeyed Camel (901-683-4056, www.cockeyedcamel.com)
Lucchesi’s Ravioli & Pasta Co. (901-309-9300, www.lucchesis.com)
Tootsie’s Catering (901-752-1996, www.tootsiescatering.com)
Delectables Catering (901-726-0079, www.delectablesmemphis.com)
Just Catering (901-362-7477; www.justcateringtn.com)
The Whole Hog Cafe (501-664-5025, www.wholehogcafe.com)