Intro:
Before you begin
Step 1:
Check what you have
Step 2:
Understand the basics
Step 3:
Master the standard placesetting
Step 4:
Master the formal placesetting
Step 5:
Master the napkin variations
Step 6:
Adapt to your circumstances

2torial #0608: Learn2 Set a Table Don't drink from the fingerbowl! You've just invited the boss to dinner at your house, and TV trays just won't do. Or you want to impress that special someone with a hot, home-cooked meal, but can't remember which side the fork goes on. Never fear. Here are some basic guidelines and rules of etiquette to setting tables from intimate tête-à-têtes to banquets for a crowd. Some forethought and organization will allow you and your guests to spend the dinner hour enjoying food and conversation rather than navigating the flatware. The basic placesetting discussed here has been developed over centuries of European and American dining. Some differences exist from country to country and even family to family and are often argued with remarkable passion. Still, a few basic guidelines are generally accepted and will be adhered to in most American banquet halls. This tutorial will show three types of placesettings: a basic setting, a formal banquet setting and variations on folding the napkins. Step 1