Formal table setting: how to set a formal dinner table

What makes a table setting formal

Emily Post describes the formal place setting as the one used for a meal of more than three courses, such as a dinner party or a holiday meal, and at high end restaurants that serve several courses. It is the informal setting taken further: more glasses, more plates and more cutlery, because more foods and drinks are coming. An informal table setting suits a three course dinner party and usually has one or two wine glasses. A basic table setting, with one fork, one knife, a spoon if needed and a water glass, suits everyday meals.

A formal table also has a particular look. White linens are still considered the most formal, though colored or patterned cloths and napkins can be just as elegant. The most formal table is symmetrical, with the centerpiece in the exact center, candlesticks in even numbers and every place setting spaced the same distance apart and the same distance from the table edge. Keep flowers and candles low enough that guests seated opposite each other can see and talk across the table.

Start with the menu and work from the outside in

Diners use utensils from the outside in, so the piece for the first course sits farthest from the plate and the dinner fork and knife sit closest to it. Forks go on the left, knives and spoons on the right, and every knife blade faces the plate. The one exception is the oyster fork, which, if you serve shellfish, is the only fork placed on the right, beyond the spoons.

Emily Post adds two limits that keep a formal set up from sprawling. No more than three of any implement are placed on the table at once, apart from the oyster fork. If more than three courses come before dessert, the utensils for the fourth are brought in with that course. Set only what the menu needs: if there is no soup, there is no soup spoon. A table with fewer, correctly placed pieces is more formal than one with every fork you own.

Set a formal table step by step

If you picture a formal table setting diagram for a menu of soup, fish, a main course and salad, the line of cutlery reads, from left to right: fish fork, dinner fork, salad fork, then the plate, then dinner knife, fish knife and soup spoon. Emily Post places the salad fork next to the plate here because the salad is served after the main course. If you serve salad first, it moves to the outside. The steps below build that layout.

1. 01

   Lay the cloth or mats

   Spread the tablecloth so it hangs evenly on all sides. Emily Post gives a typical drop of 12 to 18 inches (about 30 to 45 cm); what matters is that it does not fall into guests' laps. Place mats sit about 1 to 2 inches from the table edge, centered in front of each chair.

2. 02

   Space the settings evenly

   Put a charger or dinner plate at each seat, spaced at equal distances around the table and set back the same distance from the edge. In her 1922 book, Emily Post suggested using a tape measure if your eye is not reliable.

   CheckYou should see a regular rhythm of plates with enough elbow room for each guest.

3. 03

   Place the forks on the left

   Lay the forks to the left of the plate in reverse order of use, so the first course fork is farthest out. The dinner fork, the largest, sits nearest the plate unless the salad comes after the main course. Line up the bottoms of the handles so they sit about the same distance from the table edge.

4. 04

   Place knives and spoons on the right

   Lay the dinner knife nearest the plate, then any fish knife, then the soup spoon on the outside, with every blade facing the plate. An oyster fork, if you need one, goes to the right of the spoons. The right side should mirror the left in length and alignment.

5. 05

   Add the bread plate and butter knife

   Place the small bread and butter plate above the forks, on the left. Lay the butter spreader across it diagonally with the handle toward the right and the blade facing the diner, which is easiest for a right handed guest to pick up. A useful memory aid from Emily Post: make a lowercase b with your left hand and a d with your right, for bread on the left and drinks on the right.

6. 06

   Set the glasses

   Place the water goblet directly above the knives, then the wine glasses to its right in the order they will be used, as described in the next section. You should be able to reach each glass without stretching across your neighbor's setting.

7. 07

   Fold and place the napkin

   Lay the napkin on the charger or in the space for the plate, or to the left of the forks. If space is tight, it can sit under the forks. A simple fold looks more formal than an elaborate one guests have to unpick.

8. 08

   Finish with the place card

   Set a place card above each plate. Check the whole table from one end: settings aligned, knives turned in, glasses in a neat line, nothing crowding the next guest.

Arrange the glasses in order of use

Glasses sit on the right, above the knives and spoons, and follow the same logic as the cutlery. Emily Post places the water goblet directly above the knives. The red or white wine glass goes just to its right, and a sherry glass or champagne flute, for a first course or an opening toast, goes to the right of the wine glasses. Reading from the outside in, the glass for the earliest course is the one farthest to the right, and the water goblet stays nearest the plate all evening.

A formal setting can hold up to five glasses. When there are more than three, arrange them with the smaller glasses in front so each is easy to reach. Glasses used for a particular course are removed when that course is cleared, which keeps the table from filling up as the meal goes on. At an informal dinner, one or two wine glasses to the right of the water glass are enough. For guests unsure what to do once the glass is poured, our guide on how to hold a wine glass covers the stem, toasting and the fork and knife.

Dessert cutlery above the plate, or brought in later

There are two correct ways to handle dessert. The first, common at informal and semi formal dinners, is to set the dessert fork and spoon above the plate for the whole meal. The fork lies horizontally with its handle pointing left, and the spoon lies above it with its handle pointing right, so each is picked up by the hand that will use it. Emily Post calls spoon above fork the traditional order, though you will now also see the two the other way round.

The second, and the more traditional for a fully formal dinner, is to bring the dessert spoon and fork in on the dessert plate just before dessert is served. This keeps the setting uncluttered through the earlier courses. Whichever you choose, clear the bread plate, the butter knife and any unused cutlery before dessert, so the table is ready for the final course.

Place cards and seating

Place cards save guests the awkward moment of hovering behind chairs, and they let a host seat people thoughtfully. Emily Post's 1922 guidance put the card above the plate on the tablecloth, noting that some hosts set it on the napkin where it is easier to read. Above the plate, near the dessert cutlery, remains the usual spot today. Write each name the way you would address that guest at the table; for a large or official event, full names or titles are clearer.

Seating is the host's decision, and Emily Post says the only mistake a guest can make with place cards is switching them. Traditionally the guest of honor gets the best seat, at the host's right, and at official dinners Emily Post seats guests by rank on either side of the hosts. At a private dinner party, you have more freedom: seat people who will enjoy each other, and place a shy guest beside someone generous with conversation.

Adapt a formal setting to what you own

You do not need a complete set of specialist cutlery to serve a formal dinner. Emily Post points out that salad or luncheon forks can double as dessert forks, and the Institute's own set uses a fish fork for dessert; it only draws the line at using an oyster fork for salad or dessert. Many skilled hosts manage a formal meal with limited tableware by washing a few pieces between courses and bringing them in with the next plate.

If you are short of glasses, serve one wine through the meal and set only one wine glass. If the table is narrow, move the dessert cutlery off the setting and bring it in later. The aim is that every guest can eat each course without wondering what to use. If you are also deciding what to wear, our guides to black tie, semi formal attire and what to wear to a gala can help you pitch the invitation.