Proper table setting: photo. Beautiful festive table setting - photo ideas Ideas for table setting

Serving a festive table is not just preparing it for a gala dinner or a dinner party.

This is, first of all, the creation of a certain mood, in which the final result is influenced by the tablecloth, and the selected appliances, and napkins, and dishes.

Of course, there are some rules of etiquette, the observance of which is strictly mandatory. But the decisive factor is the taste and creativity, which ultimately determine the aesthetics of the served table.

Table decoration

Serving a festive table is the basis for any holiday and creating a festive mood for guests. Compliance with the rules of serving is necessary for any celebration. Beautiful table setting is the key to the success of the entire celebration. Over the years, a huge number of formulas and rules have been deduced, which must be followed when decorating a table. Hastily arranged plates and glasses, cutlery, appropriate only for certain occasions - this is the wrong approach. You need to know a lot of nuances, thanks to which you can bring your event to the highest level.

First of all, the theme of the holiday is taken into account. Children's or adult birthdays, weddings, romantic dinners or just gatherings with friends - any occasion requires a clear thought of the future table. To make dinner unforgettable, just delicious food will not be enough. You need to dress up the hall in which the event is held, decorate the table and convey a festive mood to your guests. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it, since a table cluttered with dishes and decorations can cause a completely opposite impression, show the hostess's lack of taste. The main goal is to create a positive impression on the guests both about the holiday and about the hostess herself.

Classics - white plates and transparent glass goblets. They are versatile and harmoniously fit for any serving.

If this is a formal or business dinner, then it is worth stopping at a neutral, rather restrained style. If only relatives or friends are among the invitees, then the serving can be made less formal and free by using decorative elements. At the same time, the elements of decor and table setting should not only be combined with each other, but organically fit into the overall interior of the room.

Therefore, first you should decide on the style of the festive table. First, you need to clearly know what dishes will be on the table. From this fact it will be possible to build on the choice of tablecloths and napkins. After that, decor elements are chosen, such as napkin holders, flower vases, and so on.

Serving rules

There is a certain algorithm of actions when decorating a festive table:

1. Tablecloth. Naturally, first you need to wash and iron it so that there is not the slightest hint of spots and folds. Snow-white tablecloths look great - this is a classic option. Now more and more often they use several canvases of contrasting colors at once, they can be bright, or they can be pastel. Metallic fabric is in fashion.
2. Arranging plates at such a distance from each other that guests can sit comfortably and not hurt their neighbors.
3. Disposition of cutlery. How many of them should be - directly depends on the dishes offered and the number of guests. It is not necessary to lay out a complete set of cutlery. For example, fish can be eaten without a special knife and fork.
4. Arrangement of glassware - glasses, wine glasses and vases. Each of them is a decoration of the table and is very functional. It is very important that these devices are polished to a shine, without streaks.
5. After the above steps, the turn of napkins comes. It is best to arrange them in special rings, put them on holders, or fold them individually for each guest. Both cloth and paper napkins are allowed.
6. Spices must necessarily have the correct location on the table, because everyone has their own taste and, perhaps, guests will want to make up for the lack of pepper, salt or vinegar in the served dish. Spices should be placed in several places on the table so that everyone can easily get them.
7. The last thing to put on the table is snacks.

Advice! Vases with flowers (low) will be a lovely decoration for a dinner, both family and business.

Dishes

Plates often set the tone for the entire table, so their choice is approached very responsibly. A formal reception requires the purchase of new tableware. There are special rules according to which plates should be placed on the table:

1. The edge of the table is not the best place for a plate, it is worth stepping back 2-5 centimeters from it (two fingers apart)
2. For a particularly solemn event or business presentation, it is customary to use “double plates”, laying a napkin between them to prevent the dishes from slipping
3. Near the main one you can put a plate for pies. The distance between them should be no more than 5-12 cm
4. You need to set the plates clearly on the same line. This applies to both basic and pie.

You need to arrange the plates, immediately considering that the place will be needed for salad bowls, vases and appliances.

Cutlery

During a typical lunch, each of us uses a minimum of cutlery, laying them out in random order. But a festive event requires a special layout and a certain number of forks and knives. When serving, the knife must be placed with the blade towards the plate and on the right side. Knives, as a rule, use several, so their location at the plate is very important. The closest should be a table knife, and the farthest - for snacks, between them put a knife for fish. The spoon turns upside down and lies between the knives. The fork is placed on the left side of the plate. The sequence of laying out the forks is the same as that of the knives: canteen, fish and diner. They are placed upside down at a distance of half a centimeter from the plate.

Dessert utensils may also be required. Put them in front of the plate in the following order: knife, fork and spoon.

Properly laid out cutlery on the festive table is a very important point.

Glassware

Glassware plays a practical and decorative role. The shape of the glasses can be assessed by some guests as convenient, while others will simply find it impossible to hold them in their hands. Such dishes also need to be able to properly arrange:

1. glasses for juice and mineral water are placed to the right of the plate or in front of it in the center;
2. fruit drink and kvass drink are consumed from a mug, the handle of which must be turned to the right;
3. alcoholic beverages are usually drunk from a glass or a shot glass, depending on the type. Maintain a distance of approximately 1 cm between glassware.

As mentioned earlier, all glassware must be polished to a shine.

Glasses of colored glass on the "autumn" table

Use of napkins for the festive table

Snow-white, brightly decorated napkins will add special solemnity to the table. You can make some kind of figure out of them or just fold it four times. You can choose napkins as the same color as the tablecloth, or contrasting with it. It is very good when napkins not only match the color of the tablecloth, but also combine with its texture. Now you can buy special sets of kitchen textiles, which include everything you need to set the table in the right style.

Usually a starched napkin is placed on top of a plate or to the right of it. Cloth napkins are designed for decorative purposes, they do not blot the mouth. For this there are paper.

Is it worth keeping the table setting in one color?

Holiday tables made in one color scheme are becoming more and more popular. Very often lately you can hear: “What color will your wedding be?” or "I'm having a raspberry birthday!"

The color of the holiday should be chosen, first of all, from your own preferences. Guests are guests, but you are the hosts of the holiday, and the choice of decoration color is one of the ways to express your “I” or convey your mood.

… And why not match the color of the serving to the tone of your eyes?

Serving in one scale is perfect for a romantic dinner. As a rule, it will not work to set the table in one, “pure” color. But the use of several shades - always by the way. Red napkins, glasses and candles will perfectly support the duet with a snow-white tablecloth and the same plates.

It will be interesting to look at a table in a marine style. It is perfect for a home dinner and gatherings with friends in nature. In addition, much for this option is done by hand, for example, napkin holders with intricate shells.

Serving a festive table on the street

The absolute lucky ones are those who have the opportunity to organize their own celebration in the fresh air. This can be done in your own yard, in the country or on a rented plot. Describe the benefits of such a holiday does not make sense. After all, this is fresh air, and stunning landscapes for photographs, and a diverse potential for organizing festive leisure.

You can serve a table on the street in green tones - under the natural colors of nature, or, conversely, use contrast techniques. Both the first and second options will leave a lasting impression on your guests!

A blue linen tablecloth and napkins in the design of the festive table are suitable for a celebration in the summer garden

In addition, table setting "in nature" does not require special embellishment - all the beauties, as they say, are around. It uses either domestic style or the contrast of nature and the "artificiality" of complex decorative techniques. Each event is considered individually, and the choice of dishes and other attributes of the festive table is also considered.

Table decor with lanterns with candles and tablecloths with a Chevron pattern has not gone out of fashion for many seasons in a row.

Festive table for a child's holiday

A children's holiday is a theme in which the flight of fantasy never stops. Children love to imagine, so you can connect the hero of the occasion to the preparation of the holiday. First you need to decide on the topic - here the child will also tell you. After all, you need to do what he likes. Ask him what cartoon or fairy tale he likes now, and then there should be no problems with design. At this point, professional animators distinguish three types of themes for a children's holiday:

1. Themes of cartoons, books and films. It can be both classic "Kolobok", "Little Red Riding Hood", and modern "Smeshariki", "Minions" and other popular cartoons.
2. Themes of interesting professions. Here every child will be able to feel what he wants to become: a fireman or an astronaut, a singer or a cowboy.
3. historical themes. This is the design and setting of the children's table under the theme of pirates, knights, princesses or other characters.

Regardless of the theme of the holiday, you need to clearly maintain the color scheme of the table - no more than 2-3 colors. It is very fashionable now to expose a candy bar with sweets for guests. It can be arranged away from the main table on a coffee table or chest of drawers. It will also need to provide for the correct design, which does not run counter to the rest of the decor. You can set two tables - for children and adults, so as not to interfere with each other.

For a children's party, you will also need cutlery, plates, glasses for drinks with straws, shelves for sweets, vases for sweets, a cake stand, dishes and trays for desserts and snacks. It’s not worth overloading the table too much, first you can offer the little guests to taste the main course and salads, and only after that let them eat plenty of sweets. You can change dishes while the kids are busy playing.

Advice! It is very convenient to use disposable bright dishes during a children's holiday. It does not need to be washed, and children will not be able to break it. In addition, the choice of themed dinnerware sets for children's events is huge.

Every holiday, even at home, can be raised to the proper level. To do this, you need to know the basic nuances of serving, observing which guests will be satisfied with a great evening spent and the excellent taste of the hostess.

A beautifully decorated table is the visiting card of the hostess. The first thing to consider when decorating a festive table is, of course, the theme, the purpose of the holiday. The festive table for a children's holiday will be somewhat different than for an adult holiday; New Year's table decoration will be different from decoration Easter table etc.

How to decorate and arrange a table for a holiday?

Decor and table setting

In order for your holiday to become the best and most interesting, it is not enough just to have delicious and varied dishes. You will also need to properly decorate the room, table, dishes, utensils, then dress up yourself ... And the most important thing is to convey a sense of celebration to your guests. And therefore, when they come to visit you, they should see the best, most beautiful and uniquely decorated table. Is it really possible to do without a snow-white tablecloth, without intricately folded napkins, name cards, menus, candles, etc. when decorating a table?

❧ Each hostess will decorate the festive standing, trying to make it as good as possible. The main thing is not to overdo it: a huge number of different trinkets on the table will only annoy.

Before setting the table, decide in what style you want to do it. The choice of style depends only on the availability of dishes and tablecloths of this style. And the dominant role still belongs to the dishes, since it is easier to pick up a tablecloth for dishes than vice versa. For example, if you are a happy owner of a crystal service, then you should set the table with a “ceremonial” white starched tablecloth, starched napkins and beautiful sophisticated bouquets in crystal vases. And if you have porcelain dishes, then you can fantasize endlessly with it, since you can choose tablecloths of any shape and color, as well as a variety of accessories for it.

Table setting. Rules

Festive tablecloths and napkins

Interesting napkins, colored or snow-white, folded into original figures, will give the table a special solemnity. Therefore, when choosing accessories for the festive table, you must determine what color they will be: the same color as the tablecloth, or shade and complement it. The main thing - do not forget that the tablecloth and dishes should go well with each other. If you have not yet purchased a suitable tablecloth for a table or tea set, then take your time - it can be made from an ordinary plain linen. Such a tablecloth will go well with any tableware, even plain colored ones. A bright “floral” service looks especially good on a plain tablecloth if the color of the tablecloth resonates in its design. If desired, you can decorate a plain tablecloth with a silk ribbon. This will give originality to your table, especially if the color of the ribbon matches the color scheme of the service. But for a coffee service, made with special elegance, a tablecloth and napkins decorated with simple lace are suitable. You can also give new life to an old tablecloth by topping it with beautiful tulle or sheer fabric with lurex.

Piquancy to your table can give paper napkins, designed in a special way. There are several interesting ways to fold paper napkins. Now on sale there are a wide variety of napkins of various colors and with any pattern, so you can easily pick up napkins on the theme of the celebration. There are special holders for paper napkins, which are usually included in large sets. If you found only white (or colored plain) napkins, then they can be arranged as follows: for example, roll shapes from them: rolls, triangles, “fans”, etc. For napkins designed in this way, if there are no special holders , use a glass or crystal goblet.

Options for using napkins in table setting

More complex napkin folding options (step-by-step napkin folding patterns)

Simple, but no less original options for using napkins.

In this case, napkin rings are used, as well as flowers (live, artificial), ribbons, ribbons, snowflakes and other accessories.

Candles and candlesticks in the festive table setting

Burning candles on your table will add a special, romantic note to the holiday atmosphere and decorate any event. By the way, do not replace full-fledged lighting with candles: the festive table should be well and brightly lit. With poor lighting, your guests may get bored, in which case the holiday will be ruined.

The color of the candles must necessarily match the rest of the table accessories (in the same range as napkins, plates or wine glasses). White candles will add special solemnity to your holiday, and red candlesticks decorated with spruce branches will decorate the New Year's or Christmas table. At the same time, you can arrange candles in different ways: put them in a flower arrangement, or place them in candlesticks between bouquets, arrange candles in small groups, and also screw them to flower holders so that the candles rise above the bouquets.

And you can arrange candles in various candlesticks, which can be made of a wide variety of materials: metal, glass, porcelain, ceramics, wood, etc.

❧ At the same time, remember: the candlestick must be combined with the dishes: do not put a ceramic candlestick served with crystal on a standing position.

If you don't like how the candlesticks look on your table, put the candles in short glasses where you can even pour water - it will look especially impressive. If you want to enhance this effect, then “serve” to the table a deep tray filled with water, on which a whole “sea” of candles can fit.

Candlesticks come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They also come in various heights. According to etiquette, it is customary to put long candles in low candlesticks, and low candles in high ones.

And in order for the candles to stand evenly in the candlestick, they must be burned from the ends or placed in hot water, and then, when the ends of the candles become soft, put in the candlestick's nest or pierced on its metal needle.

You can also make beautiful compositions from candles. For example, having fixed two, three or four candles of different sizes in a clay bowl, water is poured into the container, and the space around the candles is decorated with various fresh or dried flowers - and you have an original “floating” flower arrangement, which is enlivened by the fire of candles reflected in the water.

If you want to somehow decorate the table in a special way, then place small candles in low candlesticks near each guest’s device, as well as boutonnieres and name cards that will fit well into the overall composition.

Usually candles are lit before the arrival of guests and left to burn throughout the evening. However, you should not turn off the general light at the same time (this can only be done at the end of the evening in order to pacify the guests after a fun celebration).

And finally the owl t: in order for the candles to burn longer, before the holiday they should be placed in the refrigerator for several hours.

Options for using candles in the decor of the festive table

Decorating with imagination

Additional elements of table decoration will help create a special holiday atmosphere, they will also give a topic for conversation and make the feast original. As such elements, you can use all kinds of things and objects. For example, you can beautifully lay out large lettuce leaves on the table and sprinkle spices on them - this way of decor will refresh the table and eliminate the need to put salt and pepper shakers. The coffee table can be decorated with scattered coffee beans and chocolates laid out on carved paper saucers.

Interesting, touching and cute silk ribbons look on the table. They are selected depending on the color of the dishes or flower arrangements. Given the space on the table, the ends of the tapes can be made freely falling or fastened with wire. Ribbons can be put from bouquets to devices, creating intricate lines, rings, but they should not touch the water in vases with flowers.

At parties, the festive table can be decorated with various silver figurines: as a rule, these are figurines in the form of birds, flowers, etc. Large figurines are placed next to flower bouquets or along the edges of the table, small ones near each device.

You need to beautifully set not only the dining table on the occasion of the arrival of guests, but also for the family. Even the kitchen and coffee tables deserve special treatment. Here are a few tips to help keep your set table simple and stylish. The main secret lies in the combination of texture, color and accessories.

1. Porcelain and glass

You don't have to spend a fortune on plates or glasses to have an elegant table. If properly decorated, it will look like a million. First of all, you need to pay attention to porcelain and glass.

We start with porcelain. On the table there should be a small plate, a salad plate, a bowl.
Use a stand plate. It is large enough and perfectly frames the dishes, outlining its boundaries. You can use a special rug, which, if desired, can be made with your own hands from decorative paper. Simple wreaths and even leaves will do.

Grouping glasses. If you put more than one glass on the table, then only this trick will already give the table a stylish and elegant look. Glasses should be grouped, there should be glasses for wine and glasses for water.
Cutlery can be connected with a ribbon or twine. In addition, they can be beautifully wrapped in a napkin.

2. Tablecloths

Tablecloths can completely change the mood, immediately creating a festive mood. Now there is a huge selection of all kinds of tablecloths, napkins, paths, which must certainly be of different colors, textures and patterns, it is desirable that they all be combined with each other. In addition, there should be themed sets that are suitable for certain holidays.

table track- a tablecloth in the form of a narrow strip passing through the entire table. This is one of the most modern ways to decorate a table, especially if you do not want to hide a beautiful wooden or glass table top completely under the fabric. These tracks are universal. They can be easily laid out on top of a regular tablecloth along the table, you can put them across and designate places for guests.
tablecloths must be on the festive table, especially if you want to emphasize the theme or color scheme of the set table.

Napkins. There is no need to abandon tissue napkins in favor of disposable ones. They are an integral part of the table design. If you really don’t feel like doing their laundry after the holiday, then you should take a closer look at paper ones in a banquet style.
Placemat for cutlery determines the place for each guest. They can be not only rectangular, but also square (give a modern look), and round (break the angularity of the table).

3. Central composition

On the festive table, there must certainly be a central composition that will decorate it. It will add volume and unite the entire table, but you need to remember that it should be low and narrow.
The main rule is that at least 35 cm should remain on each side for a person and his cutlery. Therefore, we subtract at least 70 cm from the width of the table, the rest of the space can be used for composition. For desktop composition we use flowers, candlesticks, twigs, pebbles.

There is no hostess who would not like to surprise the invited guests with her culinary dishes and feast. But in order for the guests to be completely satisfied with the event, the hostess must be able to sort and prepare the home table beautifully and correctly. Properly placed cutlery and treats produce the maximum effect on guests. What serving rules should any person know, as well as how to set the table?

Proper table setting is not only the arrangement of tableware, but also its decoration and decoration. Types of jewelry and dishes mainly depend on the upcoming holiday (birthday, wedding, family breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.).

Basic rules of etiquette:

To quickly and easily cover the home table with a tablecloth, you need to place the folded fabric on the surface of the table, and then, lifting it by the edges, quickly lower your hands. Thanks to such actions, the fabric will lie evenly and beautifully.

Whether you are celebrating a birthday, or just going to have dinner with your family, in any case, the rules of etiquette for all situations are the same. Table setting should take place according to a certain order and rules:

Basic rules for placing cutlery

From the first minutes, it seems to any person that it is impossible to remember the placement of all cutlery and dishes. In real life, all these rules are quite simple and are designed to facilitate the serving process. Each cutlery is arranged in the order of its priority. So, the most extreme of the devices are needed for first courses.

Most often confuse the correct location of cutlery, so before using, you should carefully consider their layout.

Important elements in table decoration

Napkins are considered the most important items in table decoration. There are several types of napkins: linen and paper. The first type of napkins is used under plates with great depth, if there are no snack dishes on the table, or on legs. Paper napkins are usually placed in the center of the table at arm's length from the guest. For a special look, the napkin can be folded into some beautiful shape, such as a rose, a ship, a swan, or any geometric shape. If napkins are used not only as an additional table decor, then it is important that they easily and simply unfold into a regular shape.

Also, when serving, you need to remember about seasonings and additives in the form of spices. Salt and pepper must be on the table without fail. At the same time, you do not need to fill the entire spice dish, it is enough that you fill the spices in half of the container. If meat dishes are included in the banquet menu, then mustard and horseradish should also be present on the table.

Table setting at home

When the weekend comes, families usually gather in one common circle at home, and the hostess prepares many different dishes. During the meal, relatives communicate with each other and tell interesting news or stories. This is the best time to with table decoration and setting give the conversation a special cosiness and comfort. So, even at home, you can easily create the feeling of a small holiday. If there are children in the family, then such a dinner, lunch or breakfast will serve as a good indicator of how to behave at the table, why various appliances were created and how to use them correctly.

• Breakfast. Correct and cozy breakfast able to give a good mood to the whole family for the whole day. In order for all dishes to look beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, you need to follow some rules and instructions. To begin with, you should put plates with snacks and sandwiches on the table, and then cups with saucers and teaspoons. In this case, the cups are located in the middle of the table, at the optimal level from the person. If breakfast will include boiled eggs, then they should be served in a special stand with a high leg. Porridge is placed in a bowl with a deep bottom and placed on a plate for snacks. It is customary to put dough products on a wide dish, while honey, butter, jam or jam should be on the table. To use oil each family member should have a small knife nearby. Also, the table must be decorated with napkins. It will be better if the napkins are made in the same style as the heater for the kettle. Remember about salt and sugar on the home table.
• Dinner. For lunch, first and second courses are usually prepared, sometimes dessert. So, to decorate the table for lunch, you will need use a lot more parting than for breakfast. For general dishes, you will need additional spoons, forks, as well as shoulder blades. Deep-bottomed plates and broth cups are placed on top of diners, and dessert plates are usually served towards the end of the meal, when the main courses have already been eaten and the dirty dishes have been removed. It is important to remember about the knives that you will need for fish or meat. For dishes such as zrazy, meatballs and cutlets, it will be enough to put one fork.
• Dinner. Serving and decorating the table for dinner is similar to the morning. Pancakes, pancakes or a pie are usually prepared for a common dish. Plates for dessert are taken out immediately, and next to them, on the right side, are forks and knives. If the dinner has a romantic focus, then candles in special candlesticks are placed on or near the table.

For a festive meal, the hostess should prepare with special effort and take care of all the details that decorate the table. Here the main thing is not only the classic rules of table setting, but also the combination of colors, and the sense of style of the owners of the holiday.

What rules should be followed when setting a festive table?

• Napkins and tablecloth. The color and color of things can be chosen at your choice, but it is important that both the napkins and the tablecloth are combined with each other. In this case, you can use the common white color or light shades of blue, cyan or green. For a romantic dinner, red, burgundy or pink tablecloths and napkins are the most suitable. It is better to construct unusual geometric shapes from napkins or simply roll them up in the form of a tube and decorate with a satin ribbon.
• Cutlery and crockery sets. A banquet table will go well with dishes of an unusual shape: geometric shapes, beautiful curved handles. A set of snow-white porcelain dishes will look best on the table. If the tablecloth and napkins on the table are also white, then you should choose dishes decorated with a kind of border.
• Candles. This table decor is well suited for wedding or romantic feasts; for a birthday, it is better to use candles only on the cake itself. It is also important to remember that candles must be placed in a special candlestick. It can have a narrow shape and a large height, or candles can be in bowls filled with special water and flower petals.
• Bouquets of flowers. To harmoniously decorate the table with flowers, you need to choose vases of the correct shape and type. Tall types of vases are best used for birthday bouquets. For table setting, low vases will be more appropriate, which will not prevent guests from looking around. You also need to take into account the smell coming from the flowers, it should not be too harsh and should not interrupt the smell of the dishes.
• Unusual compositions. Various fruit compositions will look beautiful and unusual on the festive table. Depending on the season, you can decorate the table with fir branches, mountain ash, cones, sea stones and sand on the street. Such unusual compositions can later be used to decorate the house.
• Table setting for a birthday. For a birthday for children, you should pick up plastic dishes and choose only those cutlery that do not have very pointed ends. The tablecloth for the table should be fun and colorful, you can choose the one that will show your favorite cartoon characters. Near unusual napkins, you can put a small gift next to it. If a girl celebrates her birthday, then various bouquets of flowers can be placed on the table. However, you should not overdo it with flowers, it is better to add more balloons or garlands. Also, near each chair there should be a sign with the name of each little guest, this will help to avoid various problems in the process of seating at the table.

Wedding table setting

Table setting for a wedding takes place in a special way. The color of the tablecloth and napkins that will decorate the table can be of any color. The main thing is to keep the entire wedding table setting in the same style and color. You should also take care of the plates with the names of the guests so that there are no difficulties with landing. Such things should be prepared in advance: it can be a cover with the name of the guest, an embroidered napkin, a piece of paper, or even a cookie decorated with an elegant inscription.

It is also a good way to decorate the interior of the table and complement the bouquets of flowers and the usual balls. t use beautiful ribbons. To do this, place the ribbons above the table or decorate the guests' seats with them.