Have you selected the perfect dinnerware for your upcoming event? If you haven’t, check out The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Disposable Dinnerware Set for Your Event for inspiration. If you have, congratulations! You’ve crossed one of the biggest hurdles to planning your event. But you’re not in the clear yet: the way that you arrange your dinnerware can make or break your event, so you should take the time to select an appropriate table setting before your guests arrive. Not sure where to start? Keep on reading to follow our step-by-step guide on how to set up three foolproof table settings.
Follow This One Rule
With so many parts to move around, setting the table for an event can feel overwhelming. It seems obvious that the plate should go in the middle, but where should you put the utensils, cups, and napkins? Regardless of whether your event is casual, formal, or in-between, there is one rule that will always apply to any table setting: the order of utensils, from left to right, is fork, knife, spoon. Specifically, the fork should go to the left of the plate, followed by the knife to the right of the plate, and the spoon to the right of the knife. If you can follow this one rule, preparing any table setting will be a breeze.
Basic Table Setting
Now that you know the main rule of setting a table, let’s start with the basics. If you’re planning a simple, easygoing event like a picnic, barbecue, or day-to-day dinner at home, you don’t need more than a basic table setting. Keeping it simple will place the focus on the food without sacrificing functionality. For each guest, you will need the following dinnerware:
- Fork
- Knife
- Spoon (if soup is served)
- Napkin
- Dinner plate (or bowl, if soup is served)
- Cup
- Place the plate in the middle.
- Place the napkin on the left side of the plate.
- Place the fork on top of the napkin.
- Place the knife on the right side of the plate.
- If you are serving soup, place the spoon on the right side of the knife.
- Place the cup in the upper right corner.
And that’s it! If you don’t plan to serve soup, there is no need to include a spoon. This table setting is ideal for large families or events with a lot of guests, where it is perfectly suitable to provide the most basic table setting. Check out our plates & silverware sets and linen-feel napkins to see some great options for this table setting.
Casual Table Setting
For informal events that are a little bit more upscale but not entirely formal, try using this casual table setting instead. This is great for small dinner parties and birthdays. You will need:
- Dinner fork
- Appetizer fork and/or spoon (if soup is served)
- Knife
- Napkin
- Dinner plate
- Appetizer plate and/or bowl (if soup is served)
- Water cup
- Wine cup
Preparing a casual table setting is straightforward:
- Place the dinner plate in the middle.
- Place the appetizer plate and/or soup bowl on top of the dinner plate.
- Place the napkin on the appetizer plate.
- Alternatively, if you are using a soup bowl, place the napkin on the left side of the dinner plate.
- Place the dinner fork on the left side of the dinner plate.
- Place the appetizer fork on the left side of the dinner fork.
- Place the knife on the right side of the dinner plate.
- If you are serving soup, place the spoon on the right side of the knife.
- Place the wine cup in the upper right corner.
- Place the water cup on the left side of the wine cup.
This is the perfect in-between table setting for special events that aren’t too upscale. Check out our all-inclusive dinnerware sets with everything you'll need for this table setting. If you’re looking to go a step further, consider opting for a formal table setting instead.
Formal Table Setting
If you’re planning a wedding, business event, or generally upscale party, your best bet is to go with a formal table setting. We recommend using a dinnerware set that comes with pre-wrapped utensils to add an extra touch of elegance while saving you time setting the table. To prepare a formal table setting, you’ll need:
- Tablecloth
- Pre-wrapped utensil set (fork, knife, spoon, napkin)
- Dinner plate
- Appetizer plate (or bowl, if soup is served)
- Water cup
- White wine cup
- Red wine cup
- Mini spoon (for dessert or tea)
- Placecard (optional)
Although the formal table setting has a few more components, it’s not much more complicated to set up. Just follow these steps:
- Cover the entire table with the tablecloth.
- Place the dinner plate in the middle.
- Place the appetizer plate (or soup bowl) on top of the dinner plate.
- Place the pre-wrapped utensil set on the appetizer plate.
- If you’re using a soup bowl instead, place the pre-wrapped utensil set on the left side of the dinner plate.
- Alternatively, if you’d prefer not to use pre-wrapped utensils, follow steps 2-7 of preparing the casual table setting.
- Place the red wine cup in the upper right corner.
- Place the water cup on the left side of the wine cup.
- Place the white wine cup below the red wine cup and water cup, in between the two.
- Place the mini spoon above the plates.
- If you plan to make custom placecards for your guests, you can place the placecard either above the mini spoon or next to the pre-wrapped utensil set.
The formal table setting is certainly the most complicated of the three, but your guests will be impressed by the level of detail that you put into preparing their table setting. With so many components, it’s crucial that you select a dinnerware set that provides everything you need. Check out our dinnerware set collections below to find the perfect one for your event. No matter which table setting you choose, Select Settings has got you covered.