Proper table setting at home

Proper serving is always a sign of attention to guests, a way to create a festive atmosphere, and also an indicator of the artistic taste of the hostess.

• In this material we will look at the rules of informal serving, that is, those that are appropriate for receiving guests at home in everyday life and on holidays.
• Serving at home depends on the occasion, time of day, theme and menu, but in all cases the purpose of serving is the same - to arrange the dishes and cutlery so that it is convenient and pleasant for the diners to eat.

Based on this goal, table setting rules were invented. In everyday life, all these canons need to be observed only on the most solemn occasions, but once you have mastered their essence, you will be able to set the table with your own hands for any occasion - from a romantic dinner to a family New Year celebration.

Before you begin, take a look at two sample table settings. As you can see, setting a home holiday table for guests is much easier than setting a formal reception!

So, how to set the table? We have compiled step-by-step instructions in a certain sequence, describing each of the stages. In short, the most convenient procedure is as follows:

• Tablecloth – Plates – Cutlery – Glasses – Napkins – Decor (vase with flowers, candles, themed decorations).

Keep in mind that a few days before the event you need to resolve all organizational issues and prepare:

• Decide on the number of people, create a menu, tidy up the tablecloth, check the quantity and quality of napkins, dishes, cutlery, and think about the decor.

On the day of receiving guests, wipe all dishes and cutlery clean, and then start setting the table.

And a little about the arrangement of dishes

In addition to serving cutlery and dishes, you need to lay out the food dishes themselves. Here is a small reminder on how this can be done beautifully and correctly.

OK it's all over Now. We wish you successful practice and happy, heartfelt holidays!

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How to present dishes beautifully

When you start setting the table, pay attention to what utensils should be used for which food and how to arrange them beautifully.

How to arrange dishes

Of course, when setting the table at home, you should pay close attention not only to how to place the dishes and cutlery, but also to how the food dishes are arranged. So, how to do this conveniently and beautifully?

• When setting the table, place the largest appetizer dishes in the center. Please note that usually fish appetizers are offered to guests in large or small oval plates, and meat appetizers in round ones.
• If you plan to invite many guests, then take this nuance into account when setting the table and place several salt and pepper shakers on it. It is recommended to place bread bins at the edges of the table.
• When the time comes for the hot dish, the tureen is the first to be sent to the table, which should be to the right of the hostess, and subsequently it will be she who will pour the soup into deep plates, passing it on to the eaters.
• The center of the table is usually under a large dish with the main hot dish.

Please note that if we are talking about a dessert table, then in its center it is worth placing milk jugs, sugar bowls, vases of fruit, large dishes for pastries, cookies and pies.

All these recommendations for setting the table at home are quite simple, and can only confuse you if you have practically not followed their points before. A couple of times of practice and you will skillfully handle any table setting.

Serving hot dishes

• Various utensils are used to serve fish dishes, although oval plates are often preferred. Fried fish is laid out on plates, baked fish is often placed in frying pans, and boiled fish is often placed in oval dishes with a lid. The sauce is served in a separate gravy boat. If you are dividing fish into portions in front of guests, then try to ensure that each of them gets the same portions. Typically, fish dishes require special forks and knives, or one table fork is placed to the right of the plate.
• When setting the table, meat dishes are usually served on small plates. For example, breaded chops, schnitzels, and steak are usually placed in plates of different sizes. Stews and roast beef are usually served in individual pots with a lid.
• Game and poultry are served in pots or on dishes. When laying out chopped turkey or chicken, each guest should be given two pieces - from the leg and from the breast (light and dark).
• Hot vegetable dishes should be offered in frying pans or small plates. Sauces for vegetable dishes should be in separate gravy boats. Often, when setting the table, baked vegetables are served in the pans in which they were cooked.

Features of table decor for the New Year and Christmas

If the serving is timed to coincide with a specific special event, this should be emphasized. Here various thematic decorative elements are used. To celebrate the New Year, pine needles are used in any quantity and form. These can be real or artificial branches, placed either in a vase on the table or on guests' plates. Homemade or industrial compositions with pine cones and Christmas tree decorations are also used. Crystal figurines of hares and deer will look very good. The New Year theme can be represented by textiles with appropriate patterns. Candles on the table, lit closer to midnight, are a typical decoration for New Year's feasts. A Santa Claus figurine is also an easy way to add a themed theme to your celebration.

Christmas is one of the most important holidays of Christianity. According to tradition, on this day they sit down at the table in the evening, after the “first star”. The main symbols of Christmas are a wreath of pine needles or mistletoe and candles. Unfortunately, not all tables are large enough to accommodate a spruce tree. But candles do not require much space, so the Christmas table can be generously decorated with wax products. A wreath of pine needles or mistletoe should be placed above the entrance to the dining room.

Features of table setting

Each type of meal has its own nuances, which are reflected in the placement of cutlery and utensils. The number of guests is of great importance. For a magnificent crowded feast, some rules of etiquette are taken into account, for an intimate dinner for two - others. The occasion of the meeting is also a factor influencing the characteristics of the serving. For example, a casual lunch with close friends allows you to neglect some of the subtleties of etiquette. At a business meeting, it is inappropriate to use a large number of decorative elements, but the rules for serving dishes and the order of serving must be strictly observed. Children's parties require a non-standard approach to decoration.

For breakfast

Most people consider this type of meal to be the most important. The business and emotional mood for the whole day depends on how breakfast goes. During this meal, people receive the calories they need to start working. Ignoring breakfast can subsequently lead to gastrointestinal problems.

Many people rush to work in the morning and eat in a hurry. Such a breakfast can hardly be considered healthy. However, if you sit down at a beautifully set table in the morning, you are unlikely to want to rush.

Breakfast does not involve an abundance of snacks and changes in dishes. Most often, scrambled eggs or porridge are served. In addition to bread, there should be pancakes, pancakes, and buns. In the center of the table there is a rosette with jam or preserves and a milk jug. The absence of glasses for alcohol is a distinctive feature of serving for the morning meal. In some cases, you can put a sherry glass or a red wine glass.

Dishes and textiles with floral motifs are used as decoration for breakfast. Beautiful fresh bouquets in the center also contribute to a pleasant time at the table.

For dinner

This meal is the most plentiful. During it, it is customary to eat appetizers, first course, second course and dessert. The abundance of dishes on the table is a distinctive feature of serving dinner. This factor also affects the number of plates and cutlery for each guest or family member. As already mentioned, forks are placed to the left of the plate, knives and spoons to the right. At the extreme positions are the devices that will be needed first. To create a cozy atmosphere, you can use elegant sets, silverware, and textiles of appropriate colors as decorative accessories.

For dinner

This type of design has much in common with dining. The main differences are due to the number of meals and snacks served. If you need to organize a festive dinner, then in terms of the number of courses, this meal can surpass lunch. An abundance of choice of drinks is one of the features of the evening service. This can be a variety of wines, as well as stronger drinks, as well as juices, fruit drinks, mineral and fruit waters. At the end of the meal, tea or coffee is served with dessert.

In the evening, it is appropriate to decorate the table with artistic candelabra with lit candles. This detail will make the dinner more formal and respectable. Fine tableware is also one of the ways to create an unforgettable meal for guests and household members. In the evening, fresh flowers are not placed on the table. An exception may be an intimate dinner for two - in this case, you should place a vase in a minimalist style with one rose or place a bouquet presented by your partner. Porcelain figurines or ceramic compositions are used as table decor for dinner.

For two

Serving an intimate meal involves creating a romantic atmosphere. Most often we are talking about dinner, although other options are not excluded. When preparing for a date, it is important to take into account your partner's preferences. There will be no romance if the style of decoration is unpleasant to the guest or guest, and the dishes served cause an allergic reaction.

Serving for two does not imply an abundance of food and drinks. You should choose foods that both of you like. The same goes for alcohol. The best option is for partners to drink the same drink, although this is not always possible.

The decoration of such a table should be fresh flowers. If you need to prepare breakfast for two, you can put a lush bouquet of colorful field plants. Elegant vases with roses, dahlias, and lilies will look good on the dining table. The intimate atmosphere of a dinner for two will be conveyed with the help of an exquisite bouquet of red or white roses.

To make the evening unforgettable, the table can be decorated with hearts cut out of paper. Candles are another essential attribute of a romantic date. To create the necessary atmosphere, aroma lamps with essential oils are used. It is important to remember that for a dinner for two the main color of decoration is red and its shades. It is important not to overdo it, since the abundance of such a tone causes nervous tension and aggression.

Children's

A special feature of this table setting is the need to combine practicality and tradition. It is at a young age that a child should be taught the rules of good manners and etiquette. However, it is important to consider that children cannot behave like adults. The abundance of devices and a number of etiquette requirements can cause boredom and irritation in children.

Setting the table with exquisite crystal and porcelain is risky - restless children often break the dishes. For children, you should purchase simple but bright plates and cups with lots of patterns. Modern industry offers disposable products made of high-quality cardboard with drawings from cartoons and books. These dishes will make dinner more lively because no one will have to worry about the integrity of the plates. An abundance of colors will help turn every meal into a small holiday for the child and his little guests.

Also, to organize a children's feast, it is necessary to think through an adapted menu. Do not overfeed capricious babies. First, second, salads, appetizers and sandwiches - such a variety can only be appreciated by an adult. It is better, when there is a reason, to please the children with an abundance of various desserts and exotic fruits, unless, of course, none of the guests suffer from allergies.

Sweet

This type of serving is simple, but has a number of features. The design should use 3-4 bright, saturated colors. Unusual color combinations are welcome. To place sweet dishes, you can resort to multi-level stands - this will double the number of desserts served at the same time. In this case, asymmetry in serving is not only not prohibited, but is also part of the decor. For desserts, dishes in the shape of fruits, flowers, and animals are widely used. The main dish of the sweet table is the cake, which is placed in the center. It is expected to serve 3-4 desserts - mousses, cupcakes, eclairs, cakes. As additional dishes on the table there are sweets, cookies, marmalade, lollipops, marshmallows and more.

Wedding table in detail

If you are celebrating a wedding, then the most important thing in decorating a wedding banquet is setting the wedding table. Of course, you should start decorating it after the outfits for the bride and groom have been purchased, the menu has been discussed, then it’s time to think about the details of table decoration. Follow the general theme of the wedding when serving.

Spectacular wedding table setting

The tablecloth of the wedding table should echo the overall design of the wedding. If it is white, then the picture can always be diluted with colored napkins, draperies, and lace runners of ribbons. The design in different shades of the same color looks very stylish. Make voluminous arrangements of flowers; they should be in abundance on the wedding table.

Let's talk about glasses! Since champagne is always drunk at a wedding, it is worth knowing that there are two types of champagne glasses - a narrow tall one in which the drink “plays” and a bowl, the advantage of which is the well-transmitted aroma that the drink exudes. Important! Do not limit your guests to the number of glasses. Guests should not try to quickly finish one drink in order to try another. Four glasses for each cutlery are good table setting rules for a wedding.

Wedding table setting in golden beige tones

Wedding table setting in beige and white colors