Whether you are throwing a formal dinner party or inviting friends over for a cozy meal, proper tablesetting can be an entertaining nightmare! With over 100 flatware serving pieces to choose from, it's hard to know where to begin!
Helpful tip: Always start with the basic 5-pc place setting: teaspoon, place spoon, salad fork, place fork and place knife. Then, build from there. With fine sterling, acquiring the total number of 5-pc sets you desire may take time. Begin with four place settings and then build up to eight place settings, which is the most popular configuration.
Need help on how to set a table? Simply click to read more about formal, information and creative table setting guidelines and ideas.
Formal Place Setting
Don't just wait until holiday gatherings to use your sterling. Any time is a good time to use silver! Remember, a well laid table says "welcome" to both family members and guests. Today's entertaining has no limits and few boundaries ... so have some fun while entertaining. Pair a traditional pattern with china or a modern design with ornate dinnerware.
Please use our illustration as a guideline.
What Sterling Pieces Do I Need?
A formal table setting should use sterling silver flatware. It is not necessary that all the sterling silver match, although all forks or all spoons should be of the same pattern. Knives and forks should match as well. Dessert flatware doesn't need to match the dinner flatware.
- Butter knife
- Place Fork
- Salad fork
- Place spoon
- Tea spoon
- Dessert spoon and cake fork
Individual Place Settings
The distance between place settings at the table should allow guests elbow room. About two feet from plate center to plate center is ideal. Plates are first put around the table at equal distances. Fold linen napkins and place in the center of the dinner plates. Sterling flatware is placed in the order of its use, with silver to be used first farthest from the plate.
Forks
Place forks to the left. Use no more than three: one for first course, one for main course and one for a salad course. The salad fork is placed next to the left of the plate, then work inwards to the place fork. (Dessert forks come out with the dessert plate of course.)
Knives
Place knives to the right of the plate. You can use up to a maximum of three: one for first course, one for main course and one for a salad course. Blades face the plate, not outwards.
Serving bread or rolls? You'll need a butter plate, located above the forks at the left of the place setting. The butter knife lays across it, with the blade facing the table edge.
Spoons
Outside the knives are the spoons. You can use up to a maximum of three: a place spoon comes first, followed by a soup spoon and a tea spoon. (Dessert spoons come out with the dessert plate of course.)
Time for Dessert!
Dessert spoons and forks are brought in on the dessert plate just before dessert is served.
What about the Beverage Glasses?
Beverage glasses chosen for the formal table setting depend upon the menu. However, their table setting arrangement is according to size, so that little ones are not hidden behind large ones. Set out glasses in order of use above the knives. Usually that means setting water glass to the left, then to its right are the red wine, white wine, sherry and then champagne glasses. A water goblet and one or two wineglasses are usually all that are necessary. If wine is not being served, substitute iced-tea glasses or beer mugs.
If you plan to serve coffee with the meal, the cup and saucer go to the right of the setting, with the coffee spoon on the right side of the saucer.
Formal Table Setting Helpful Tips:
- If you are having more than six people for a formal dinner, place cards should be used for seating. Alternate seating with a male and then a female.
- Be sure to assemble enough tableware and glasses for a five-course meal.
- Advance food preparation is a must with only garnishes and minor details to wait until serving time.
- Appetizers and soups are served on the charger plates and then removed before the main course.
- Use a white, damask tablecloth for sophisticated style.
- Use chairs that have narrow or low backs. That way, people can sit closer together.
- If you like, an old-fashioned finger bowl might be presented on the dessert plates after the meal.
Follow these rules and your formal table setting will always fit proper dinner table etiquette.
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Informal Place Setting
You're serving Mac-n-cheese with your sterling silver?! Why not! Setting a pleasant informal table and serving food graciously can make even the simplest meal a fabulous experience! Find out more on how to create a dining experience that will make even hotdogs look good.
What Sterling Pieces Do I Need?
Don't just wait for some formal occasion to use your sterling silver. You paid for it! Use it! All your pieces don't have to match, although all your forks or spoons should be the same pattern. Knives and forks should match as well. Dessert sterling silver flatware, which is not brought to the table but is brought in with the desert plates, need not match the dinner flatware.
?
- Place Fork
- Salad fork
- Place knife
- Tea spoon
Setting the Table
Whether you are dining formally or informally, everyone needs elbow room. Be sure that your place settings are at equal distance - about two feet from plate center to plate center is ideal. Put your silver flatware an inch or so from table's edge at settings equidistant to each other. Then, center the napkin on the dinner plate or fold it to the left of the forks. Silver which will be needed first is set farthest right and left to the plate.
Forks
You always work your way from the outside in. For informal table settings, place two forks to the left, salad fork on the outside and place fork on the inside. Remember not to put out more than three forks.
Knives
Knives go on the plate's right side. If you have two knives, the outside knife is used first. Don't use more than two knives maximum.
Only provide butter knives if you're putting out butter or bread plates. Your butter or bread plates go on the left side - about 11:00am on the "dinner clock".
Spoons
Soup spoons, if needed, are set on the table to the right of the knives. If soup is not being served, then set a tea spoon next to the knife.
Having Dessert?
Your dessert spoon and fork are laid head to toe at dinner plate's top.
Where do the Beverage Glasses go?
Place the water glass at the right side of dinner plate (about 2pm on the "dinner clock"). Any wineglasses should go to its right. The outside glass will be your champagne flute if champagne is to be served.
Informal Table Settings Helpful Tips:
- An easy to eat main dish, one or two vegetables, a salad, bread, dessert and coffee or tea. See Table Settings for arrangement of service.
- First course plate is simply replaced with main course plate (unless you're serving another course in between, in which case the plate for that course is set before first course).
- Rules are less formal than they used to be, of course, but some traditions are based on good sense.
- Remember to make all shared tools, like salt and pepper, accessible to everyone.
- Only use the silver that will be needed.
- Huge centerpieces can block lines of communication.
- Accidents are usually the result of cramped quarters, so make sure that everyone has room to breathe ... and eat!
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Creative Table Settings
Flaunt your silver with style! There are lots of ways to set up a dinner party table with your silver...and we are always looking for new ideas! Have a great suggestion you'd like to share? Please tell us! We'd love to add it to our list!
Bistro style
Set up a group of separate small tables to create your own Bistro Chez Moi! There should be no more than two or three place settings per table. To keep the mood cozy, make little centerpieces from a single rose (or other full-petaled bloom) and sterling julep cup.
Buffet style
For a convivial, yet still formal setting, line up tables end to end to create one long buffet table. Drape the buffet table in flowing linen and sheer chiffon. Spice things up by using your sterling holloware to hold nuts, condiments, drink garnishes or candy. Accent with silver candlesticks. Use glass blocks to add height to your sterling pieces and create visual interest.
Creative place settings can establish a theme for celebrations large and small. A neutral-toned tablecloth and colored linen napkins radiate style without the dressed-up air of plain white. Snap a Polaroid of each guest as they arrive — then place each photo between fork tines — and use as a place setting card to add an enticing personal touch.
Use silver bookmarks to hold menu and name cards at place settings. Or simply tie a sterling ornament or wine glass marker with ribbon or metallic thread to a handwritten card. Your guests will appreciate the beautiful results!
What says celebration better than champagne? Use your sterling ice bucket not only to chill your champagne — but as a centerpiece as well. Create "mini ice buckets" for the champagne flutes by filling julep cups. Arrange them with hors d'oeuvres and encourage guests to indulge.
Keep the mood casual by serving dessert in the living area. Instead of serving one large cake, arrange cupcakes, piled high on a sterling cake stand as an inviting alternative that also makes it easy for guests to help themselves. Arrange your silver coffee spoons in a pretty glass or bowl, so that people can serve themselves easily.
Who needs fancy flowers when you can fill a silver ice bucket with a beautiful bouquet of lollipops? Use a florist block to hold the lollipops in place. When the party is over you can eat the bouquet!
Dine by candlelight. The candles will bring warm glow to your dinner party - and add extra sparkle to your sterling candle stick holders. And candlelight makes everyone look younger too!
Using mismatched dinnerware is not only okay, it's fun. Try creating a separate and distinct place setting for each guest — from napkin colors and napkin rings to glassware, silverware and china.
Wrap your silverware in vintage monogram napkins (it doesn't have to be your monogram) and use beautiful ribbon to tie a bow arround the napkins. Accent the bow with a sprig of rosemary. Or for extra glamour, vintage rhinestone earrings!
Take a wreath and place it, face side up, on the center of the table. Place a silver serving bowl in the center of the wreath. Use to hold napkins, fruit, ice, candy — anything your heart desires!
Use sterling containers or julep cups as condiment holders.
Group three sterling vases together in the center or on each side of the table and fill with wild flowers. Use different flowers for each vase.
Use your sterling Christmas ornaments as decorative accents at the table ... they can be attached to ribbons to create impromptu napkin holders or simply hung from overhead chandeliers with silver metallic thread.
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