Planning the picture-perfect dinner party can be an exhausting task. Between finalizing the menu, perfecting the décor and triple checking your RSVP’s, the last thing you want to do is stress about your place settings. You don’t have to be a professional to set a stunning table that is practical, beautiful, and won’t overwhelm your guests! Take a look at Carthage.Co Stoneware’s guide to the perfect table setting that is guaranteed to impress!

Establish a Theme

You can create a visually appealing setting by establishing a theme. Choose a color scheme that compliments your dinnerware pieces and the theme of your gathering. Warm and bright colors are best used to spice up a summer affair. Cooler, muted colors can create an inviting atmosphere during the autumn and winter months. Once you have chosen your main splash of color, select one or two complimentary colors to use as accents. Gold and navy accents will warm up your table, while silver and black will create a more polished tone.

Décor

Depending on your chosen theme and the reason for hosting your event, your décor pieces will vary. It is hard to go wrong by incorporating fresh floral accents that match your color theme! Bright flowers contrasted on a neutral table cloth or table runner will add vibrancy and energy. Using dark greens and white flowers can complement a rustic theme and allow your culinary dishes to take centre stage! Other fool-proof décor options include candles – a perfect opportunity to tie in those accent colors – succulents, or ornamental gourds for an autumn occasion.

Keep It Simple, Sweetheart

Setting your table can be as complicated or as simple as you decide to make it. If this is your first time planning an important event, it’s best to stick to some basic rules so you don’t overcomplicate and crowd the table. Keep your guests in mind throughout this process – everything in front of them should look inviting and follow a logical pattern.

  1. To seamlessly guide your guests through their dinner courses, all the glasses you will be using should be placed on the table to the right of each plate. Beginning with the water glass, line up subsequent glasses in the order they will be used during the meal. A multiple-course meal typically begins with a water glass, a red wine glass, followed by a white wine glass and a dessert wine flute.
  2. Arrange your cutlery from the outside in, placing the first utensil – typically the salad fork – on the outside, and continue until all the courses have accompanying silverware. This way, your guests can work their way through their cutlery with each new course that is served.
  3. Plates are typically placed on a charger, a Carthage.Co decorative plate used to display one of your gorgeous accent colors! Food is never served on the charger, but rather the dining plates are placed on top of them. If you are serving multiple courses, it is best to bring each new plated course to the table after the previous one has been cleared.

It will take some trial and error to get your table looking the way you envisioned. Be sure to leave yourself enough time before your guests arrive to give different arrangements and placements a try until you find the right one. Our last piece of advice? Enjoy yourself! Admire your hard work and dedication to design by joining your guests company and being present in the moment. Trust us, the dishes can wait.