How to Set Formal Tables

A formal dinner is a luxurious way to entertain your closest friends, loved ones, co-workers and romantic interests, as well as an excuse to pull out the fine linens, dinnerware and utensils. But few people know the proper way to set a formal table. With a few simple rules, you can wow your dinner guests with a wonderful table that reflects the time, effort and care you put into it. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Decide whether you would like to use a tablecloth or not. If you have a beautiful dining table that you want to show off, then you may not want to use one. Otherwise, place a thick white linen cloth on your table. Make sure that your tablecloth lies on the table smoothly and that it hangs evenly on each side.

2

Align your dining chairs to the table so that you have the exact number per guest and they're spaced equally apart.

3

Place a serving plate precisely in front of each guest's chair.

4

Place a soup bowl in the middle of each serving plate.

5

Place salad forks, dinner forks and dessert forks to the left of each setting, in that order (with the salad fork being farthest from the plate).

6

Fold the napkins and place one at the far left of each setting. They should be equally as close to the forks as the forks are apart. You can choose to fold the napkins creatively or traditionally.

7

Place the bread and butter plates directly above the dinner forks, with the butter knives lying across the top of each plate (blades facing left).

8

Place the dinner knives, teaspoons and soup spoons on the right side of the each serving plate, in that order (with the knife closest to the plate). They should be set equally apart.

9

Place the water glasses and two wine glasses above the utensils on the right side of each setting, in that order (with the wine glasses on the right side of the water glass in the order that they will be used). They should be set equally apart.

10

Make sure that each setting is placed equally apart and that each guest has an even amount of space.