How to Set A Proper Table

How many forks do you need to eat one meal? Where does the bread plate go? What do I do with my beautifully folded napkins? If you’re wondering how to set a proper table for a dinner party, there are a few simple rules to follow in place settings.

There is a reason for rules on the right way to set a table. Winging it and not following formal table setting rules are not going to make or break your dinner party. But a properly set table is convenient for guests, looks fabulous, and tells everyone you know what you're doing!

That said, there is more than one correct way to set a dinner table and lots of liberties to be taken. OnlineSterling.com posts this formal table setting diagram that shows where each item in your dinner place setting should go. Other suggested diagrams for formal table settings, family dinners, lunch and buffets are at the Emily Post Institute , Replacements Ltd and in this eHow Video on Setting a Classic Dinner Table.  You'll notice some differences among the different diagrams. Use the table setting that best serves your dinner party.

Plates and Bowls

With the dinner plate in the center of the place setting, if you’re serving soup, place the soup bowl on top of the dinner plate. The bread and butter plate goes above the forks, above and just to the left of the dinner plate. The salad plate goes to the left of the dinner plate.

Depending on what serving style your using for your dinner party, you may be keeping dinner plates in the kitchen until you serve them with food. If that's the case, leave dinner plates off the table until you're ready to eat. If you're passing a bread basket, set bread and butter plates at place settings.

Flatware

Forks go to the left of the dinner plate. Starting next to the plate and working outward, place the fork you’ll be using last closest to the dinner plate and the fork you’ll be using first on the end. If there’s a salad, main dish and dessert in your dinner party menu, place the dessert fork closest to the plate, then the main fork, then the salad fork on the far left. If you’re serving salad after the main entrée, place the salad fork closest to the dinner plate.

Knives and spoons go on the right of the dinner plate. Main knife closest to the plate, then working outward, steak knife, spoon, and soup spoon on the far outer edge, since it’s served before the main meal.

Dessert knives and spoons may be placed above the dinner plate, fork tines facing to the right, and above that the dessert spoon facing to the left.

A butter knife can be placed on the bread and butter plate.

Glassware

All glassware is placed above the knives, above and just to the right of the dinner plate. Some guides suggest glasses be placed in order of use from left to right, while others suggest from right to left. The Emily Post Institute advises that up to five glasses can be placed at a formal table.  Glasses should be staggered so that smaller glasses are slightly in front of larger ones, and from left to right in this order: Water goblet, champagne flute, red wine glass, white wine glass and sherry glass.

Linens

Napkins may be folded and placed to the left of the forks, or in the center of the dinner plate, or on the charger, if one is used. If you are planning to prepare plates in the kitchen and serve them already filled, place a folded napkin in the center of the flatware, where the dinner plate will go.

Creatively folded cloth napkins are an opportunity to dress up your table and add to your table style. Try folding napkins into a fan, a rose or other interesting shape, or fan it out in a napkin ring.

Some Rules for Table Setting

• For convenience sake alone, work from the outside in. It makes sense that if you’re eating a salad before a main course, the salad fork will be on the outside, for easy use.
• Knife blades are always placed with the cutting edge toward the plate.
• Is it necessary for everything to match? No, especially now with popular mix-and-match styles. Silver cutlery experts say that even at a formal dinner, place settings for flatware don’t necessarily have to match.
• When setting a proper dining table, keep your guests comfort in mind. Don’t squash place settings too close together. Remember to leave some elbow room for your diners.
• Keep place settings balanced and individual items equidistant from one another. Uneven spacing may leave your guests wondering whose soup spoon that is or whose wine glass is whose.
• Use a centerpiece to tie together the colors, style and decor of your table.  If you're using place cards or dinner party favors, place them at each place setting last, wherever they best fit and look best.