Planning an event, large or small, can get expensive. Due to lack of planning and laziness, planners turn to “professionals” for tasks they could have easily completed themselves. Table settings and decor is one of the easiest areas to cut costs by doing it yourself.
Don’t try to make the setting too formal by adding eight dinner forks if you are only serving three courses. Cater each place setting to the style of your event. If you are accustomed to eating out of GLAD containers and off paper plates, have no fear. With this just-formal-enough place setting guideline, you’ll wow guests effortlessly.
Set the plate directly in front of the chair, one inch from the end of the table. Diagonal to the right of the plate should be the water glass. To the right of the water glass and slightly lower is the wine glass. If offering red and white wine, place the red goblet higher than the white, or to left. Flutes complete the top of the triangle created by the water and wine goblets. Dinner fork goes to the left of the plate and salad fork goes on the outside of the dinner fork. The dinner knife is always placed to the right and make sure spoons go in size order outward. The napkin is most often placed in the center of the plate, folded in whatever origami style you prefer. The bread plate is to the left of the dinner plate with the butter knife lying on top. Cake for and dessert spoon are placed above the dinner plate. The dessert spoon is placed just below the place card the spoon facing left, while the fork is placed to the right. Guests will feel elegant while eating. Remember, a good rule of thumb is to start from the outside and work your way in with all utensils. Yes, I learned that from the Titanic dinner scene.