Sometimes you just want to prepare and enjoy a perfect dinner... You prepare some fancy (or simple) perfect food, get some nice napery, maybe some candles and decor, and all that’s left is to setup nice dinnerware.
Well of course that everyone knows how to setup a table! Spoon goes to your right, fork to your left, knife next to spoon… But on some occasions, your meal is prepared perfectly, your table linen and napery look extra fine, maybe you can add some more elegancy to dinnerware as well… We got this for you! Here is a short guideline on how to set a table for any and every occasion, whether you need a basic, casual, or formal table setting.
Basic Table Setting for Everyday Dinner
For this method it’s just the simple rules that everyone already knows… Of course, you can make it a bit nice, but it’s a matter of dinnerware you have available and some extra time.
Basic dinner table setting instructions:
- Put the placemat or tablecloth (if you are using one) on the table
- Place the dinner plate in the middle of the table
- Place the fork on the left side of the plate.
- On the right side of the plate, place the knife next to the plate (blade pointing in, towards the plate). Then place the spoon next to the knife
- Place the (water) glass slightly above the plate, and little to the right of the plate (somewhere above the knife)
- Lay the napkin to the left of the plate; usually it would go under the fork.
Casual Table Setting for a Laid-back Dinner Party
Casual table setting is kind of an informal table setting for a casual get-together or a relaxed, friendly dinner party. In essence, it is quite similar to the basic table setting, nearly identical, but in a casual table setting, there is the addition of a soup bowl and a wine glass.
Casual dinner table setting instructions:
- Put the placemat or tablecloth (if you are using one) on the table
- Place the dinner plate in the middle of the table and the salad plate on top of the dinner plate (if you’re serving salad)
- Place the soup bowl on top of the plate (or salad plate if using one)
- Place the fork on the left side of the plate; If you are serving salad, you might add a salad fork, it goes next to the fork, on its left side
- On the right side of the plate, place the knife next to the plate (blade pointing in, towards the plate). Then place the spoon next to the knife
- Place the water glass directly above the knife and place the wineglass to the right of the water glass.
Formal Table Setting
Formal or elegant dinner party, usually consists of a three-course meal and regarding the dinnerware, a few more items than for the casual dinner…a tablecloth, placemats, chargers, different dinner plates, soup bowls, bread plates, napkins, two or more different forks, two different knives, two different spoons, water glasses, 2 wine glasses.
Formal dinner table setting instructions:
- Lay out a crisp tablecloth
- Place the dinner plate in the middle of the setting (place a charger plate beneath the dinner plate for more traditional effect)
- Place the salad plate on top of the dinner plate
- Place the bread plate above and to the left of the dinner and salad plate; Place a butter knife horizontally, on top of the bread plate, with the blade facing inwards and the handle pointing to the right
- The dinner and salad fork are placed as for the casual dinner table, to the left of the dinner plate
- The dinner knife and the spoon as also set as for the casual dinner table setting, to the right of the dinner plate (place the knife next to the plate (blade pointing in, towards the plate) and place the spoon next to the knife)
- Place the dessert spoon horizontally above the dinner plate (with the handle pointing to the right).
- Water and wineglasses go in the upper right corner or the place setting (same as for the casual dinner setting). The red wineglass goes just behind the white wineglass. Three glasses should form a sort of a triangle with the water glass being closest and red wine glass furthest from the dinner plate
- Fold the napkin and place it on top of the salad plate (you can find many elegant and stylish folding methods, just don’t overdo it)
- The coffee/tea cup and saucer can be set below the glasses with the dessert course
- If using a place card lay it above the dessert spoon and plate.
Now all that is left to do is enjoy your dinner and most of all enjoy the company you have dinner with!