Most gatherings are informal, and place settings reflect a more casual attitude. Try your best not to crowd table settings, because that's when spills and accidents happen. And keep floral arrangements low, so that conversation isn't blocked. Some other guidelines include:

• Allow two feet from the center of one dinner plate to the center of the next plate. If a buffet service means there are no plates on the table, a napkin can be put in the center of each setting. Click here for a simple napkin fold.

   

• Silver goes in "outside in" order. Guest reach for first-used tools on the outside edge of place setting and work their way inside the arrangement. The salad fork goes to the left of the dinner fork, or example.

• Put two knives to the plate's right. The outside knife is used first.
• Soup spoons, if needed, are set on the table to the right of the knives.
• Only provide butter knives if you're putting out butter or bread plates in the 11:00 position.
• Salad plate goes on top of the dinner plate, in the center of each setting.
• Desert spoon and fork are laid on the table at dinner plate's top.
• Put the water glass at 2:00 position to dinner plate and any wine glasses to its right. The outside glass will be your champagne flute if champagne is served.