You don't have to be Martha Stewart to learn how to set a beautiful table for a formal dinner. All the process really consists of, is the necessary tools and the basic know-how.First, choose an appropriate table cloth. A linen tablecloth is a fine choice for covering your dining table. Linen and lace are often combined, with the smaller lace covering placed on top of the linen cloth. Sometimes all-lace tablecloths are used in order to create an elaborate look for the dining table. When a lace table cloth is used alone, it is placed on a bare table. The tablecloth may be any color that you desire, but a white one signifies cleanliness and elegance. It also makes the silverware and the dishware stand out better. Your napkins should match the color as well as the fabric of the tablecloth. Keep in mind that dinner napkins are large in size, and are not to be confused with luncheon napkins which are considerably smaller.
Next, decide on how many guests are going to attend your dinner, and have the appropriate number of silverware and dishware pieces on hand. In order to correctly set the table, you will need the napkins, a sufficient number of water glasses, wine glasses, bread dishes, bread knives, dinner plates, soup spoons, salad plates, salad forks, dinner forks, dinner knives, dessert spoons, coffee cups and saucers, Notice that each course of the formal dinner requires a different set of silverware and dishware.
Your silverware should be a complete set and the patterns on all of the pieces should match. Your dinnerware should also be a complete set of fine china or crystal. Do not try to put together odds and ends of different sets as this will create a tacky, broken effect.
To set your table, every piece of silverware and each piece of dishware has its distinctive spot on the formal dinner table, and must be put in its proper spot. Start with the largest plate which is the dinner plate. It is placed in the center of each place setting. The soup dish is then placed in the center of the dinner plate. Next, place the dinner fork to the exact left of the dinner plate, with the salad fork to its left. Up above the salad fork, and to its left, place the salad plate. Directly above the dinner fork, place the bread plate with the bread knife horizontally across it. To the exact right of the dinner plate, place the dinner knife, and position the soup spoon to its right. Now, right of the soup spoon is where the coffee cup and saucer are placed. Directly above the coffee cup, place the wine glass, with the water glass placed a little above it and to its left. The napkin is folded and placed either in the empty water glass, or on the dinner plate. Lastly, the dessert spoon is placed in the center above the dinner plate.
Add a stunning centerpiece, usually consisting of a flower arrangement, and your formal dining table is complete! (Keep in mind that the centerpiece should be low and not obstruct the view of each dinner guest.)
Your guests will marvel at your next formal dinner with the table set correctly with silverware and dishware!
Source: essortment.com
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