How to Serve Formal Dinners

Lavish dishes, fine china and beautiful flowers are all common elements of an elegant dinner setting. The thought of putting together a formal dinner for others can be overwhelming, but it need not be. Let this article guide you step-by-step and impress yourself and your guests.

Things You'll Need

• Planned menu
• Best tableware
• Best dishes (plates, bowls, glasses and stemware)
• Cloth napkins
• Fine tablecloth
• Table centerpiece
• Napkin holders (optional)
• Candles (optional)
• Formal salt and pepper shakers (optional)
• Name cards (optional)
• Fine music (optional)
• Other servers (optional)

Instructions

Planning a Formal Dinner

1. Plan out what you would like the theme of your dinner to be. Ask yourself if you would like to have a theme, such as a tropical theme or a Mediterranean theme. Or, you can choose to do a traditional dinner that requires no extra efforts in decorations or meal planning.

2. Plan your desired menu according to the theme planned. Make sure that all of the dishes complement each other and fit in with your desire for a formal event. Though very expensive dishes may not be necessary, you would still want to avoid the more casual dishes. Do not forget to plan the beverages as well. Cocktails, coffee and other after-dinner drinks can really add to the formality of the evening.

3. Consider what you would like to do for decorations. Decorations could be as simple as single rose lying in the center of the table to dramatic large vases of elaborate flowers, though flowers may not always be necessary. There are an infinite number of possible decoration ideas. In formal events, candles, printed menu cards, party favors and name cards may also be a consideration.

4. Make a guest list and organize your seating arrangements. You may want to consider sending out formal invitations to each of your guests. It is also a good idea to have confirmation from each planned guest that they are planning to attend your dinner. When setting up the table for the dinner, it will be a lot easier if you know how many people plan to attend. Make sure your guests are also informed of what kind of clothing you expect them to dress in.

5. Consider the dishes that you have available to use as well. If you are using your own dishes, they need not be very fancy. The decorations can make up the difference if your dishes are not the most formal. Even at the finest restaurants they often use simple plain white dishes. The most important consideration is making sure you have enough dishes for each of the planned guests. If you are serving twelve people and only have a set of eight dishes, consider purchasing a simple set of six additional dinner dishes in order to mix and match with the ones you already have. Do not forget to consider how you will serve the meal. You may need platters and other serving items, or you might elect to serve the meal directly onto the dinner plates.

Setting Up and Serving Formal Dinners

1. Schedule each element of the dinner before the day of the event. You may want to have the table set the day before. It is important that the meal be punctual. Having a schedule of when each dish should be prepared and cooked can be very helpful.

2. Set the table, with the plates about an inch or two from the edge of the table. Have all glasses and stemware set to the upper right-hand side of the plate. Forks should be set to the left of the plates and knives and soup spoons to the right. Desert tableware may be placed above the dinner plate. A salad plate may be placed on top of the dinner plate or can be set at the upper left-hand side of the dinner plate. Cloth napkins can be folded and placed either on top of the dinner plate, in the stemware or under the knife and spoon. Do not forget to have a centerpiece in place as well as any other decorations.

3. Take the coats of guests as they arrive and offer them drinks and appetizers before the main meal. Once the dinner is ready, you may serve the dinner yourself or have others attend to serving each course of the meal. It is important to serve all of the guests their meals before you serve yourself (unless the dishes are served by platters). Etiquette also suggests that the guests wait until the female host (if there is one) begins eating, so make sure you are there to get the meal started.

4. Serve the meal in at least three courses instead of serving it all at once. Start your guests off with a salad or a bowl of soup. Then serve your main entree, along with any side dishes. Follow up with desert and coffee after the dinner plates have been removed. For very formal events, you may even want to offer a palate cleanser before the main entree.

5. Make sure that all of the guests have their needs met and be sure to ask if they would like any more food or beverage. A nice touch is to have a water glass for each guest refilled halfway through the meal. Your guests as well as yourself should be greatly impressed and have a good evening together.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are having a theme to your formal dinner, consider getting fine music that coordinates with the theme of the evening. If you are serving a formal Japanese dinner, for example, Japanese music would greatly enhance the atmosphere.