Formal dining calls for specific placement of plates, glasses and cutlery.
Knowing where to place plates, flatware and cutlery on the table is a helpful skill when planning or hosting a formal dinner. The International Butler's Guild observes that setting the table properly for formal dining sets the mood for the affair.
Identification
Formal dining table settings include more items than the setting for a family dinner. At a formal dinner party, each place setting will have salad, dinner and dessert forks, tea and soup spoons and glasses for water and both red and white wines. Plates are provided for entrees and bread, as is a soup bowl.
Features
To properly set a formal dinner table, the International Butler's Guild states that cutlery handles must be at least 1 inch from the table's edge. The butter knife is placed on the bread plate with its blade facing the center of the plate. When setting glasses, the water glass should be slightly above and to the right of the dinner plate, with the white wine glass at the outside and the red wine glass in the middle.
Considerations
If you supply guests with individual salt and pepper shakers, they should be placed above the main course fork, notes the Butler's Guild. Napkins are placed at the far left of each table setting, and the soup bowl is set atop the dinner plate, which is flanked by the dessert fork and dinner knife. Additional forks and spoons are placed to the outside of the dessert fork and dinner knife.
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