Sooner rather than later! Contacting a wedding caterer far in advance of your event is recommended, as it takes a while to go through the steps of the process. You will need to plan your menu, do a tasting, choose options for the bar, order any rentals you will need, and more. Giving yourself more time also has the advantage that your caterer may be able to guide you in other parts of your process, such as choosing a venue for your reception.