How to Set a Table for a Formal Dinner

Paige Higerd
Table of Contents iii
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................. iii
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ v
Choosing Dinnerware ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Glassware ........................................................................................................................................................ 3
China ............................................................................................................................................................... 3
Flatware ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
Choosing a Centerpiece .................................................................................................................................... 5
Choosing a Centerpiece .................................................................................................................................... 7
Flowers ............................................................................................................................................................ 7
Other ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
Setting The Table ............................................................................................................................................. 11
Tablecloth ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Name Cards .................................................................................................................................................. 11
Napkins ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
Plates ............................................................................................................................................................. 12
Glassware ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Flatware ......................................................................................................................................................... 12
How Dinnerware Should Transition ............................................................................................................. 13
How Dinnerware Should Transition ............................................................................................................. 15
First Course .................................................................................................................................................. 15
Second Course ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Third Course ................................................................................................................................................ 15
Dessert .......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Index .................................................................................................................................................................. 19

Introduction v
Introduction

This manual was made to teach my friends who have never attended cotillion how to
properly set a dinner table for a formal dinner. They have frequently asked for my
assistance, and this manual will save time by clearly explaining the process.

This manual does not explain how to cook the food or clean the dinnerware.

All words that are in red are defined in the glossary on page 17.


Choosing Dinnerware
Choosing Dinnerware 3
Choosing Dinnerware

Glassware
Each place at the table should be set with all of the glasses that will be used during
dinner. A water glass should always be provided and is set to the right of the plate. If
you will be serving red wine, white wine, champagne, or all three, set a red wine glass,
white wine glass, and/or a champagne flute next to the water glass, in that order. If
you will be serving a different beverage besides those listed, you may set a
miscellaneous glass. All alcoholic beverages should be served in stemmed glasses.

China
The first piece of china to be set on the table is the charger. The charger is purely for
decorative purposes and may be excluded. If the first course is a salad, a salad plate
should be placed on top of the charger. If the first course is a soup, then a soup bowl
should be placed on top of the charger instead. Next, a dinner plate should be used
for the main course entre. With dinner you may choose to serve coffee or tea, in
which case a saucer and small cup should be used. A bread-and-butter plate and
dessert plate should also be set for their appropriate dishes.
1. Water Glass
2. Red Wine Glass
3. White Wine Glass
4. Champagne Flute
5. Miscellaneous Glass
1. Dinner Plate
2. Salad Plate
3. Cup
4. Saucer
5. Bread-and-butter plate
6. Charger
7. Dessert Plate
8. Soup Bowl
4 How to Set a Table for a Formal Dinner
Flatware
There is a variety of flatware that may be used when serving a formal dinner. If the
first course is a salad, you should set a salad fork. The salad fork is generally smaller
than a regular sized fork. However, if the first course is a soup, then a soupspoon
should be set instead. For the main course, you should set a dinner fork and dinner
knife. If seafood will be served, then a fish fork and fish knife should be set. Along
with the bread-and-butter plate should be a butter knife. It is common for the butter
knife to be shared amongst guests. If you choose to serve coffee or tea, you should set
a teaspoon. Lastly, there should be a dessert fork so guests do not have to reuse an
old fork for their dessert. You may substitute the dessert fork with a spoon if
necessary.
1. Salad Fork
2. Dinner Fork
3. Dinner Knife
4. Soup Spoon
5. Teaspoon
6. Butter Knife
7. Fish Fork
8. Fish Knife
9. Dessert Fork

Choosing a Centerpiece
Choosing a Centerpiece 7
Choosing a Centerpiece
A centerpiece is essential to create an elegant dinner table. It is important to consider
your guests in selecting what time of centerpiece to use.
Flowers
Flowers are a great option for a centerpiece because of their natural beauty, color
variety, and scent. It is important to make sure your floral arrangement is not too tall
because this could obstruct the guests view. It could also prevent conversation from
flowing because of lack of eye contact. Here are some examples of appropriate floral
centerpieces:

Other
If your guests have allergies, or youre just feeling a little adventurous, you may want
to try a more unconventional centerpiece. Here, you can really delve into your creative
side, or incorporate a theme into your dinner. Below are some examples:

Setting the Table
Setting the Table 11
Setting The Table

Tablecloth
The tablecloth is a decorative accessory that unifies the components of the table
setting. The right tablecloth should accent the dominant color, pattern and texture of
the other table elements. At a formal dinner, the tablecloth overhang should be
approximately 10 to 15 inches.

Name Cards
Name cards should be about the size of a business card. All persons should be
addressed by their title (Mr., Mrs., or Ms.) and then their first and last name. It is
standard to not seat married couples together, and to alternate male/female. The
name card should be placed above the dinner plate at the 12 oclock position.
Napkins
The napkins should match the color of the tablecloth, but napkins of a different color
or pattern may be used to create interest. Napkin rings may be used for decoration.
The napkin should be large (22-26 inches) and square. You may fold the napkin into a
rectangle, or into any shape you prefer.
12 How to Set a Table for a Formal Dinner
Plates
If a charger is used, it should be laid flush with the edge of the table. If not, the largest
plate, such as the dinner plate, should be set about 1 inch from the edge of the table.
On top of that should be the china for the first course, whether it be a salad plate or a
soup bowl. Bread-and-butter plates should be laid at the top left side of the dinner
plate.

Glassware
Glassware is placed at the top right corner of the charger or dinner plate The water
glass is placed closest to the plates because it is usually the most frequently used. Next
is usually the red wine glass, and then the white wine glass. The order may vary
depending on the meal and beverages being served.
Flatware
The rule of thumb for utensils is to place them in the order you will use them from
the outside in. Therefore, the first course spoon or fork should be the furthest away
from the plate. Forks should be placed on the left side of the plate, and knives should
be placed on the right side of the plate. Any spoons that will be used for the meal
should be placed on the right side of the plate as well, and should be placed to the
right of knives. The dessert utensils should be placed horizontally above the dinner
plate or charger
13
How Dinnerware Should Transition
How Dinnerware Should Transition 15
How Dinnerware Should Transition

First Course
The first course is usually a soup or salad. The salad plate should be chilled to
maintain the freshness of the salad. The salad plate or soup bowl should be placed
directly on top of the charger. The soup and salad should already be in their respective
china before being placed on the table. You should never dish out the food in front of
your guests. After everyone is finished, the salad plate, soup bowl, salad fork, and
soupspoon should be removed from the table.
Second Course
The second course is usually a seafood dish, but can be something else if you prefer.
For this manual, we will assume the second course is fish. The fish should be brought
in on its own new plate. When guests are finished eating their fish, they should place
their utensils in the 4 oclock position to signal to waiters that they are done. The plate
and fish utensils will then be removed.
Third Course
The third course is also called the main course. It is typically a hot dish and should be
served on a pre-warmed plate, which should be set directly on the charger. When
everyone is finished with the main course, the dinner plate, dinner fork, dinner knife
and charger should all be removed. To signal that they are done, guests should once
again place their utensils in the 4 oclock position.
Dessert
The final course of the meal is typically a dessert, and is usually served with coffee or
tea. The dessert is served on a smaller plate, unless it is a dessert that requires a bowl.
The plate or bowl should be set in the middle of the place setting. The coffee or tea
should be placed on the right side of the dessert, below the water glass. Cream and
sugar may also be brought out with the coffee or tea. When dessert is completed, all
the dishes should be removed, leaving a bare table.
Glossary 17
Glossary

Bread-and-Butter Plate a plate 5 to 6 inches in diameter used for individual
servings of bread and butter.
Butter Knifea non-serrated table knife with a dull edge and rounded point
Champagne Flutea stem glass with a tall, narrow bowl
Charger-- larger decorative plate used to dress up dinner tables
Dessert Forka fork approximately 6 to 7 inches in length
Dessert Platea small plate on which dessert is served
Dinner Forka fork that is 7 inches in length and used to eat the main course
of a formal dinner
Dinner Knifethe longest knife in a set of flatware, approximately 9 to 10
inches in length; has a serrated edge for cutting
Dinner Plate a plate 9 to 10 inches in diameter used to serve the main course
of a meal
Fish Forka fork 7 to 8 inches in length used to provide leverage is separating
fish from the body
Fish Knifea knife usually around 9 inches in length that features a wide blade
and dull edge
Miscellaneous Glassany glass for a specialty drink
Red Wine Glassstemmed glass with a rounder, wider bowl
Salad Forka fork approximately 6 inches in length with tines that are slightly
flatter and broader than those in a dinner fork
Salad Platea smaller plate used for individual servings of salad
Saucera shallow dish with a circular indentation in the middle on which a
cup is placed
Soup Bowlwide, shallow bowl with a flanged rim
Soupspoona spoon with a wide bowl used for eating soup
Teaspoona small spoon approximated 5 inches in length used for stirring tea
or coffee
Water Glassa stemmed or non-stemmed glass used for serving water
White Wine Glassa stemmed class with a smaller mouth and a narrower
bowl than the red wine glass, but not as narrow as a champagne flute
Index 19
Index

bread-and-butter plate, 3, 4
butter knife, 4
champagne flute, 3
charger, 3, 12, 19
dessert fork, 4
dessert plate, 3
dinner fork, 4, 19
dinner knife, 4, 19
dinner plate, 3, 11, 12, 19
fish fork, 4
fish knife, 4
miscellaneous glass, 3
red wine glass, 3, 12
salad fork, 4
salad plate, 3, 12, 19
saucer, 3
soup bowl, 3, 12, 19
soupspoon, 4, 19
teaspoon, 4
water glass, 3, 12, 19
white wine glass, 3, 12
21
Style Sheet for Manual Project

Team Members Paige Higerd

Page Elements Page Size 8x11
Margins 1
Layout standard hand out
Spacing single-space for text
Visual aids diagrams of supplies
Headings left-hanging

Type Elements Typeface Verdana for headings
Garamond for text
Size 14 point for text
12 point for index
18 point for headings
16 point for subheadings
28 for title
Color black for title
Purple for heading
Green for subheading
Red for index
Black for text

Text Elements Capitalization headings
Numbers numerical values
Lists numbered
Punctuation items in series use comma before last item
Style Handbook A Writers Reference by Diana Hacker