Etiquette Proper Table Setting

Etiquette Proper Table Setting

Visual Example Formal Table

Having a dinner party tonight and your guests are coming over in twenty minutes?

Going out to a fancy restaurant and you're not too familiar with formal silver ware?

Easy references for you:

You can still be set your table properly even though it may not be that formal a dinner! Here is how to set a proper informal dinner table.

Visual Example Informal Table

Etiquette Proper Table Setting

Settings In Detail

Everything must be geometrically spaced.

For example, the centerpiece is in the actual center, the places at equal distance, and all utensils balanced.

A formal place setting consists of: Adapted and Adjusted from Emily Post on Etiquette

1. Service plate positioned so that patterns of the place face the diner (ignore it if it is white, or get white plates to make your life easier)


2. Butter plate should be placed above the forks at the left hand side of the place setting


3. Wine glasses, positioned according to size


4. Salad fork, placed directly to the left of the plate, assuming salad is served with or after the entree


5. If salad is served as a first course, the salad fork is placed to the left or the dinner fork) basic differences in Continental and American style.


6. Meat fork, positioned to the left of the salad fork.


7. Fish fork, positioned to the left of the meat fork. Since it is used first, it is the farthest from the place as we work outside in.


8. Salad knife, just to the right of the plate (as noted above, the knife placed to the right of the salad knife)


9. Fish knife, positioned to the right of the meat knife


10. Butter knife, positioned diagonally at the top of the butter plate


11. Soup spoon and/or fruit spoon placed outside the knives.


12. Oyster fork, if shellfish is to be served, beyond the spoons. This is the only fork ever placed on the right


13. And don't forget the napkins!

Note: No more than three of any one implement are ever placed on the table with the exception of the use of an oyster fork making four forks.

If more than three courses are served before dessert, therefore, the fork for the fourth course is brought in with the course, or the salad fork and knife may be omitted in the beginning and brought in when salad is served.

Dessert spoons and forks are brought in on the dessert plate just before dessert is served.

Check out the video tutorial that shows you how to set a proper dinner table

How to Set A Formal Table

For All Your Elegant Dinner Parties At Home

Make your dining experience at home similar to a restaurant! It is essential when you are planning a romantic dinner or your elegant dinner party.

Etiquette expert of Etiquette Now, Rebecca Black, instructs how to set a proper table and which utensil to use.

Note: You don't have to have everything!

Important tip: All Etiquette is really logical anyway.

Important Summary:

Starting from outside, then, left to right.

When in doubt, ask yourself scoop, stab or cut?

Where is your bread plate? LeftDrink glasses are on your right

Butter knife should be separate, as butter is on a 'communal' plate.

Remember : B on the left, D on the right!

Etiquette Proper Table Setting

Wrong Table Setting

It is quite interesting! I started to go to restaurants and checking out if the table setting is correct.

They are minor details but they separate the fine restaurants from the others.

Please don't take this too seriously by calling the waiter and complaining. It is for your own refinement only. Have fun!

Last Words on Proper Table Setting

In general, there are two types of table setting: Continental style and American style.

Continental style, you'll find the rest of the world dining to, and American style only in the United States.

You don't have to worry what style you are eating in, as long as you use the silverware from outside in.

The basic differences are order of foods come that first, such as whether you'll be served the salad first or after etc, so really, don't you worry about that!

If in doubt, just follow the person sitting in front of you, or perhaps the one whom you think will probably know best! *wink*

Good luck!

Please click here to read Table Setting Etiquette where I wrote about setting for a three course dinner, a family dinner and learning about the different types of wine glasses.

You might also be interested in:

Elegant Table Settings Gallery One

Elegant Table Settings Gallery Two

Elegant Entertaining

Elegant Table Decorations

Social Ease

Return to the top of Etiquette Proper Table Setting

Go back to homepage

Tags: etiquette proper table setting, elegant table decorations, table setting etiquette, dinner table etiquette, basic table manners, proper table manners, elegant table settings, table manners for kids, table etiquette, table manners, good table manners

“A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with excellency of heart.”