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The Cannibal Cookbook. Recipes From Around the World.
Well, depending on a particular person's moral limits, there is never truly a food shortage. This book comes to mind:
Tablescapes are Bugsy's "thing" -- see "The Art of Tablescaping with the Queen of Theme".
Heavy eye roll. But hey, I'm just jealous I didn't figure out how to capitalize on spreading tchotchkes about a dinner table.
Speaking of cannibalism, for those ahead of the curve:
https://www.amazon.com/Cannibal-Cookbook-Human-recipes-around/dp/B08SGR2W6M
This particular wedding was venue + caterer. The servers and some of the kitchen staff are paid by gig. Those who are employees of the catering firm would/should have a different arrangement and the caterer should follow the law. Unfortunately, the US restaurant industry is notorious for being a bad employer. Servers completely rely on tips. If the venue is all inclusive, their servers and kitchen workers may be gig or they may be employees. The above applies to them, too. That's why you need to ask the tippees if they see any of your gratuity money.
Good read: https://www.amazon.com/Hotbox-Inside-Catering-Riskiest-Business/dp/1627792619
Downloaded but Amazon charged me for it, not sure why :(
Edit: the problem is that there is another version of the book which costs $14.95. The free one is this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GD3U8HW/ (kindle edition)
I don't have any particular advice for your question, but I do have some unsolicited advice.
You should check out the book Tea Party: 20 Themed Tea Parties with Recipes for Every Occasion, from Fabulous Showers to Intimate Gatherings. I have it, and it's lovely!
Yes, there is a method and it depends upon the season and the foods that are in season as well as complementary tastes and also variety.
James Beard wrote a book on menu planning and you can see some of it on Amazon here.
The problem with a five course meal is that there can be a lot of fussing and preparation and it often won't give you much time with your guests. Choose foods that can sit in a warm oven without being ruined or things that can be made well in advance.
There are some good cookbooks that will have sample menus in their appendices that you can use.
In general, you want variety in flavor, color and texture. Try to avoid too many starches and if you have something spicy, ensure that there is another food served that can counter that spiciness (something sweet like candied yams or perhaps caramelized onions). If you serve something creamy, ensure that there is something bright flavored and acidic to cut through it -- a vegetable prepared with vinegar or lemon or lime or wine or perhaps rely on cilantro and fruit.
A five course meal usually consists of an appetizer, soup, salad, main course and dessert. Two or more side dishes of vegetables would be appropriate and would include perhaps one starch (potatoes or rice etc.). Try to have some red and yellow in there to break up the green color of the salad and other vegetables.
So it's pretty much wide open for you. I would suggest looking at menus in the backs of your favorite cookbooks first and then try experimenting on your own. You will pick it up very quickly. As long as you don't bore your guests' palates with the same flavor throughout the meal, you should be fine.
I hope this helps.