How to Set A Proper Dinner Table with Place Settings

I remember holiday meals as I was growing up were always on Grandma's best china. She brought out the silver and polished it. There were so many forks, spoons, plates and glasses for everyone. She taught what each were and how to set the table "correctly." Long since gone are the days of sitting at the table eating several courses of dinner, let alone at a proper set table. Something of that extravagance is often found at a 5-star restaurant. But if you want to set your table "properly" for your next special occasion meal, follow these steps.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Table setting for 4
• Salad fork
• Dinner fork
• Dessert fork
• Dinner plate with salad or soup bowl on it
• Knife
• Small spoon
• Soup spoon
• Bread plate with butter knife
• Coffee cup
• Water glass
• Wine glass
• Liqueur glass

1. Each place setting should be set in two rows. Start with the bread plate and drinking glasses. Set up left to right with the top row.

2. Place the bread plate down first with butter knife. This plate will be to the top left of the dinner plate, at approximately 11 o'clock, if the dinner plate was the face of a clock. Next the coffee cup is placed to the right of the dinner plate at 1 o'clock. Then comes the water glass, to the top left of the coffee cup, at 1 o'clock of the cup. The water glass will be filled with main course.

3. The bottom row is set from left to right starting with the salad fork. The dinner fork comes next followed by the dessert fork. The dinner plate with salad or soup bowl on it are next. Then a knife, teaspoon (for tea or coffee) and finally the soup spoon

4. 
   Beautiful Setting

   Repeat these steps for the remaining place settings and you will have an elegant table for any meal.

Tips & Warnings

• This is the basic table setting there is also a seafood fork, and dipping bowl which is filled with hot water to be used to dip a cloth napkin into when eating foods like lobster with butter sauce or other messy meals.
• There are many folding variations so napkin placement depends on your preference, but it is important add a napkin to your place settings.