There is a lot to consider when selecting your food for a special event. The first thing to note is that if you hold your event at a hotel, oftentimes, the hotel catering service will provide the food. This will save you a ton of time and stress. The flipside, is that you can't be quite as creative with the menu as you might want to be.

I am going to outline a few important items to keep in mind when booking your caterer. 

1. Do you want hors d'oeuvres? If you are having a VIP reception, I would highly suggest 2-3 passed appetizers. For the main event, a nice cheese and cracker station in the entry area is fine.
2. For a lower price, consider a buffet. For 300 guests, you will need two, double sided buffet lines. You can fancy up your buffet by adding a carving station. 
3. You can certainly opt for a plated meal. The main concern here is that you will serve every guest the same option. If you ask for a meal selection, please note that you will end up with guests that cannot...