flyinglentris
Disabled and Retired Veteran
How many members ever find it necessary to use formal table settings and if so, are you aware of how to layout the silverware, plates and glasses?
Formal Table Settings
- Thread starter flyinglentris
- Start date
I used to do so on special occasions (Thanksgiving, Christmas, anniversary), but we haven't bothered so much the last few years.
When I was married, we had all the utensils, crystal and china, and I think we used it once. BTW, you only use the utensils and such necessary for the food and beverages to be served. It is especially true for a steak knife.
CD
CD
garlichead
Über Member
Special occasions, dinner parties or when I feel like it. And yes I know how a table is to be set formally, got that honestly through my Mother.
garlichead
Über Member
I'm nit picking here but formal settings never use place settings and the dinner plate and any cutlery that is adjacent to the dinner plate should be approx 1' off the edge of the table with all cutlery level at the bottom. Also wine, water and port or sherry glasses or the like if using should be part of a formal setting.
I regret to say (because I rather enjoyed the pomp and circumstance) that formal table settings have become a thing of the past - unless you move in high circles.
I was 19 and in the University choir, obliged to sing at special dinners. We once had a 7-course event, different wine with each course, different cutlery/wine glass with every course...
WOW! Was I happy to be sitting next to my professor.
" the first course - the spoon on the right"
" the next dish - fork and small knife"
"No - it´s the small glass on the left"
And I´d always thought eating was fun, not education.
I was 19 and in the University choir, obliged to sing at special dinners. We once had a 7-course event, different wine with each course, different cutlery/wine glass with every course...
WOW! Was I happy to be sitting next to my professor.
" the first course - the spoon on the right"
" the next dish - fork and small knife"
"No - it´s the small glass on the left"
And I´d always thought eating was fun, not education.
In a proper fine dining restaurant, the wait staff will add and remove utensils and glasses according to what you order from the menu.
CD
garlichead
Über Member
Yes, that's what I meant lol.
The Velvet Curtain
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Of course I know the correct way to set a table, I'm British, we all know how to eat correctly, both for French and Russian service obviously. 
Thanks, I needed a good chuckle this morning, and that hit it.Of course I know the correct way to set a table, I'm British, we all know how to eat correctly, both for French and Russian service obviously.
Not laughing at you, of course, but your "I'm British" comment brought forth an old memory of a Thunderbirds episode, where some British dignitary (along with Miss Penelope) had been kidnapped and locked away in a room.
After the ne'erdowells locked the door, the stuffed shirt banged on it and loudly proclaimed, "I say! Let us out of here at once! We're British!"
kaneohegirlinaz
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Isn't this funny, I was just thinking about all of my "formal service" etc last night!
When we got married, we received Wedgewood China service for four, my Great-Aunt's Sterling Silver Cutlery, Waterford Crystal glasses (I forget how many pieces now), beautiful table linens, Sterling Silver serving dishes-lined with glass bowls, Sterling Silver Water Pitcher and Napkin Rings, ya know, the full monty.
All gorgeous and I was very grateful to our different family members who gifted these to us, but I've only ever used them
ONCE!!
As my husband and I are now contemplating moving yet again, I was thinking what the heck should I do with all of this stuff?
I've paid to have them moved three times now, I think I need to let them go.
I have no one to bequeath these to, so do I sell them, donate them, I'm not really sure.
When we got married, we received Wedgewood China service for four, my Great-Aunt's Sterling Silver Cutlery, Waterford Crystal glasses (I forget how many pieces now), beautiful table linens, Sterling Silver serving dishes-lined with glass bowls, Sterling Silver Water Pitcher and Napkin Rings, ya know, the full monty.
All gorgeous and I was very grateful to our different family members who gifted these to us, but I've only ever used them
ONCE!!
As my husband and I are now contemplating moving yet again, I was thinking what the heck should I do with all of this stuff?
I've paid to have them moved three times now, I think I need to let them go.
I have no one to bequeath these to, so do I sell them, donate them, I'm not really sure.
The Velvet Curtain
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- Joined
- 13 Oct 2012
- Local time
- 1:20 AM
- Messages
- 4,178
Miss Penelope????? That's Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward to you.Thanks, I needed a good chuckle this morning, and that hit it.
Not laughing at you, of course, but your "I'm British" comment brought forth an old memory of a Thunderbirds episode, where some British dignitary (along with Miss Penelope) had been kidnapped and locked away in a room.
After the ne'erdowells locked the door, the stuffed shirt banged on it and loudly proclaimed, "I say! Let us out of here at once! We're British!"
Isn't this funny, I was just thinking about all of my "formal service" etc last night!
When we got married, we received Wedgewood China service for four, my Great-Aunt's Sterling Silver Cutlery, Waterford Crystal glasses (I forget how many pieces now), beautiful table linens, Sterling Silver serving dishes-lined with glass bowls, Sterling Silver Water Pitcher and Napkin Rings, ya know, the full monty.
All gorgeous and I was very grateful to our different family members who gifted these to us, but I've only ever used them
ONCE!!
As my husband and I are now contemplating moving yet again, I was thinking what the heck should I do with all of this stuff?
I've paid to have them moved three times now, I think I need to let them go.
I have no one to bequeath these to, so do I sell them, donate them, I'm not really sure.
We had Royal Dalton china, with Waterford crystal. I don't recall the silverware. We figured we would get maybe six-ish partial place settings for wedding gifts. We ended up with 12 full place settings. We were shocked.
We used them three times??? Maybe?
Don't be surprised if you have a hard time selling your china. People these days don't do formal dinnerware, at least not in the US. We got garage sale prices for my parent's china and crystal (Wedgwood and Waterford).
CD