How to Set a Wedding Table
The rules for setting a table for a formal dinner, such as a wedding, may seem like a lot to remember, but they are quite simple. To make certain the big day goes off without a hitch, have the person who will be setting the table that day practice with your supervision. Coordinate the place setting pieces with the menu and the order in which it will be served. Make certain you have all the pieces you need, then set it all out in place on your practice runs. Take a picture of one place setting to refer to on the big day, in case jitters affect your memory.
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Things You'll Need
- Tablecloth China to be used for the wedding meal: dinner plate, salad plate, bread and butter plate and other pieces, if needed Silverware to be used for the wedding meal: forks, spoons, knives, butter spreader Glassware: water goblets, wine glasses, champagne glasses Napkins Place cards Salt and pepper shakers Floral arrangements
Instructions
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1
Spread your perfectly laundered and ironed tablecloth over your table. There should be no creases in the tablecloth except for one down the exact center lengthwise. This crease, if it is present, should go precisely down the center of the length of the table. The tablecloth should be large enough so that 12 to 15 inches hang over each side. White linen damask is the most formal fabric choice, but there are other fabric blends today that look nice.
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2
Allow 24 inches for each place setting horizontally, if possible, which is measured from the center of one plate to the center of the next. Allow 15 inches of depth for each place setting, which is from the edge of the table to the top of the place setting.
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3
Place the main plate in the exact center of each place setting, positioned so that the china's design is shown to its best advantage. The plate and all the utensils should be about one inch from the edge of the table.
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4
Place the knives you will need to the right of the plate, parallel to each other, and with the tips of their handles forming a straight line, even with the bottom edge of the plate. The cutting edge of the knife should be toward the plate. The knife that will be used first in the course of the meal should be placed farthest to the right. Place spoons to the right of the knives, bowls up, also parallel with each other. The spoon used first, such as the appetizer or soup spoon, should be placed to the farthest on the right.
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5
Place the forks to the left of the plate, again, parallel with each other. The fork to be used first, such as a salad fork, will be at the far left. The fork for the main course will be next, and the dessert fork will be closest to the dinner plate.
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6
Lay the napkin to the left of the forks. If it is folded, the open corner is the lower corner nearest the plate.
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7
Place the bread and butter plate, if you are using one, above the forks, with the butter knife laid across the plate's top. The butter spreader will be parallel to the edge of the table, with the handle toward the right and the cutting edge down.
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8
Place the water glass above the tip of the dinner knife. If there will be other glasses, such as one for wine and one for champagne, they are placed to the right of the water glass or positioned in an aesthetically pleasing way to the right of the water goblet.
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9
Set each place card directly above each plate in the horizontal center of the place setting.
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10
Set small salt and pepper shakers between each place setting or several sets down the center of the table in between flower arrangements.
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