Setting the Dinner Table

My grandma was always delighted to have guests over for dinner. She would dress the dinner table with her best silverware and Chinaware. It was fun watching her setting the dinner table according to basic rules of etiquette. By the time she would finish setting the table properly, it would add elegance and sophistication to the look of the dining room. In today's age of fast food and pizza meals, an elegant and polished table setting becomes quite a task. When one is entertaining guests for dinner, the first question that runs through our mind is how to set a dinner table. The following paragraphs will cover some information related to dinner table etiquette and help you put your best 'table', I mean foot forward.

How to Set a Dinner Table

Setting the dinner table proves to be a walk in the park, provided you know the basic golden rules of table manners and etiquette. Setting a dinner table depends on the food you serve and the dinnerware that you use. For example, if you have invited guests over for a casual dinner, you need to provide them with 3 basic pieces of silverware. You need to make sure you lay out plates, bowls, silverware, napkins and glasses according to the food served. Let us have a look at some of the basic etiquette to be kept in mind when setting the dinner table for a casual gathering.

Setting a Dinner Table for a Casual Gathering

Table Cloth: You need to use a white or pastel colored clean and starched tablecloth. Place it properly over the table and you can keep place mats over the tablecloth, before keeping the plates.

Plates: You need to keep the dinner plates on the table in front of each chair. The plates need to be kept one inch away from the table edge. The salad and bread plates should be kept slightly to the left and above the dinner plates.

Knives and Spoons: Let us begin placing the cutlery from the right side of the plate. You need to place the dinner knife and spoon on the right side of the dinner plate. You need to keep the knife closest to plate, followed by the spoons. Place the silverware in the order they will be used. The knives that is to be used first needs to be kept furthest from the plate. You will need to keep the blade of the knives facing the plate.

Forks: The dinner forks are to be kept on the left side of the plate. Place them in the same order as the knives. The first one to be used furthest away from the plate. You can fold napkins and place them under the forks. If not, you can place the napkins on the plate center of your dinner table setting.

Salad Plate: The salad plate or bread plate needs to be kept next to the dinner fork towards the left.

Glasses: You should keep the goblet or glass on the top right side of the dinner plate, one inch above the knife.

Setting a Dinner Table for a Formal Gathering

Table Cloth: The choice of your table cloth will depend on the type of dinnerware you choose. If you are using a single colored or plain dinnerware, you need a printed tablecloth. In case you dinnerware has some patterns, you can choose white or pastel colored tablecloth. Place a place mat under your tablecloth.

Plates: The dinner plate is kept in the center of your cutlery settings. You need to fold a napkin neatly and place it over the plate. If the entree or first course is already served, you can place the napkin on the left side of the forks. You need to place the butter plate or side plate on the left of the dinner plate towards the forks. Place a butter knife across the butter plate. You can even try different napkin folding styles and explore your creativity.

Knives and Spoons: As I have already mentioned above, you need to place the knives and spoons in order of their use. Remember the golden rule, Work from the Outside, In. The knife for the entrée needs to be kept furthest away from the plate. This is followed by the second course knife and then the third course knife (in some cases fourth course) needs to closest the plate. The soup spoon should be kept to the extreme right side of the plate, after the knives. If you are serving the spoon after the first course, you need to place it after the first course knife. The blade of the knives should be facing towards the plate.

Forks and Dessert Cutlery: Forks too need to be kept according to the golden rule, Work from the Outside, In. The first course fork should be to far left side of the plate, followed by second and third course forks. The dessert cutlery should be kept on the top of the place setting. The fork will be facing right and the spoon will be facing left. The oyster or cocktail fork is kept to the right of the dinner spoon.

Glassware: You need to place the glasses or goblets according to the number of wines you plan to serve. These glasses should be place one inch about the knives. You need to place the water glass above the knife followed by the wine glass(es) on the left side of the water glass. The placement of the glasses should be as follows (right to left): dessert wine, followed by red wine, white wine, champagne and water glass. If you are serving coffee, you need to place the cup and saucer to right side of the knife and spoon. .

This was how to set a dinner table when entertaining guests at home. You need to follow these simple rules for table setting for formal or casual dinner. And remember, place centerpieces on the table. You can go in for a candle stand or flowers vases. Just keep in mind they are not so tall that your dinner guests cannot see the guests on the other side of the table. As you can see, it is not so difficult setting the dinner table, once you know what goes where. Do not worry much, if you have a small guffaw. It will be overlooked and forgiven. Just remember, entertaining guests is fun, so go ahead and enjoy being a perfect host or hostess.