And when the time comes for our own birthday, we plunge into these pleasant preparatory chores, go through all the tried-and-tested recipes in our heads and try to find new ideas to surprise and delight our guests.
Basic Rules
Auxiliary devices must be present on the table, because they serve directly, so that you can comfortably take food. Individual tools are the familiar forks and spoons, as well as small tongs and many other common tools. It is important to remember that the spoon is invariably placed in the right hand, but the fork is in the other. Sauces should be applied with ladles, but this should be done as carefully as possible, since one awkward movement and the tablecloth can be ruined. Of course, these cutlery should also be present on the table.
The order in which the cutlery is laid out on the table
It wouldn’t hurt to place a set of napkins near each guest, as they can quickly remove dirt from the tablecloth without drawing special attention to your person. If we are talking about the traditional design of a table, then it will imply performing work in a certain order.
Example of festive table setting
What materials are table textiles made from?
One of the most practical options is polyester, which is highly wear-resistant. The list of advantages also includes the fact that the material is easy to clean and practically does not wrinkle.
Cotton is natural, soft and very pleasant to the touch. But to return the cotton tablecloth to a fresh look after the holiday, you will need to wash it. Wipe the surface with a cloth, as is the case with polyester, will not be enough.
Linen is an incredibly durable material that is stain-resistant. But in order to smooth linen fabric well, you will need to make an effort. A great option is a combination of materials, for example, polyester and cotton or cotton and linen.
How to arrange dishes
The first step is to place all the porcelain items on the table, then arrange the necessary cutlery in the correct sequence, and only then arrange the glasses, festive glasses and other glass or crystal items. You can decorate all this in many ways, but most often this is done using fabric and paper designer napkins. Their first type can be safely used in any situation, as they will look sophisticated and elegant. If guests are accustomed to following the rules of etiquette, then they should be seated on their knees before eating. This will prevent food from staining your clothes. As for paper napkins, it is customary to wipe your lips or hands with them while eating.
Options for decorating napkins for a birthday table
Name day is a holiday that is the most anticipated for people of different ages, so special attention should be paid to serving. It should be unusual and at the same time bright with festive notes. The tablecloth will also be important. You can choose a bright white option or resort to multi-colored counterparts. Using tablecloths with lace trim will make the table as formal as possible.
A lace tablecloth will add solemnity to the holiday
During the celebration, guests can smear a beautiful tablecloth, so to prevent this unpleasant event, you should put a transparent oilcloth on top. It is recommended to place several wicker baskets on the table in which all kinds of fruits will lie. You can safely use vases, glass and porcelain glasses, as well as beautiful plates.
Decorate your holiday table with porcelain vases
Beautiful ideas
A vintage-style table involves the use of gilded antique candlesticks, ornate napkin holders and antique cutlery.
The table decoration in the fashionable color Marsala looks solemn and colorful.
For a men's company, an excellent solution would be to use rich blue color in combination with black accents.
To learn how to properly set the table, watch the following video.
What you should pay attention to?
At the initial stage, it is worth knowing exactly how many people will come to you, since you need to calculate exactly how much cutlery you will need to use. Each person who comes should be given a separate seat, otherwise awkward situations will arise. It is important to immediately reserve a place for the birthday person. It should be perfectly visible, despite the vase of flowers placed near this place.
Name cards will help guests find their seat
As for fruit baskets, it is advisable to place them on different sides, since each guest should have free access to them. Next, you need to place a couple of stands with bread and sandwiches on the table, but they should be at the same distance from each other. It is customary to place drinks between them.
The distance between the plates should be at least 50 cm.
The only thing you need to know about the placement of plates is that they should be placed strictly half a meter apart from each other, but only a centimeter of free space should remain from the edge. It is not recommended to place multi-colored plates and coffee cups. It is advisable to use one or more identical services. The advantage of this solution is that all products will not only be bright and attractive, but also identical.
For harmonious serving, use plates from the same set
The first step is to place shallow plates on which the second dish will then be placed. It is customary to place deep plates on them for serving first courses. On top of them should be placed the smallest ones, which are intended exclusively for snacks prepared in advance. As for cutlery, there are special subtleties in their placement. The existing paper napkins should be placed next on the left side of the plate. Glasses and glasses should be arranged in descending order, but the largest vessel should be first.
Proper serving of plates for the holiday table
The celebration most often begins with the serving of cold dishes, that is, salads, various appetizers and other similar foods, and only then hot delicacies and dessert are brought. As for the hot, it should always consist of the first and second. At the stage of setting the festive table, you need to make sure that each salad bowl has a spoon, since otherwise it will be inconvenient for those who come to your holiday to put them on.
Cold appetizers are served first on the table.
If we talk about serving tol for children and adults, there are practically no differences. Most often, plastic disposable tableware is placed on the table for children to prevent the possibility of injury. Safety should also be given considerable attention, since children tend to spend their time actively and most likely they will fool around. It can be decorated in different ways, so that the style can fully fit into the interior of the table.
Table setting for a children's birthday
We all know that most children have a weakness for sweets and we need to take this fact into account. It makes sense to focus on cookies, candies and ice cream. All this should be in beautiful dishes within reach of every child. As for fruits, you shouldn’t forget about them. Cut them beautifully and place them on display. Drinks should also be taken care of. Most often, it is customary to delight children with juices, fruit drinks or coffee. The main decoration of such a table will be the cake, which must be ordered in advance.
Decorating a sweet table for a children's birthday
About self-service table setting
The main task of every housewife at the stage of preparation for the celebration is to ensure that the festive table is decorated as much as possible. It makes sense to think about what style it should be decorated in, because there are actually a lot of options. The first thing you need to take into account is the dishes and tablecloth you have. The latter is much easier to choose for a service, since the cost of this item is minimal compared to tableware. If you have a lot of crystal glassware, it makes sense to use a white tablecloth and the same napkins. This combination will look solemn and conducive to a meal.
A white tablecloth is ideal for table setting with crystal.
You can also place several beautiful bouquets on the table, but they must be in crystal vases to fit into the overall design of the festive table. As for porcelain dishes, choosing a suitable canvas for it is extremely simple, since almost any accessories will look harmonious on it.
Beautiful bouquets in crystal vases will decorate the table
If you want to make your holiday table as elegant and aesthetically attractive as possible, then it makes sense to use colored napkins. They can be folded into different figures, which will look very unusual.
Beautifully folded napkins will decorate the festive table
It is important to pay attention that all applied attributes are in harmony. The most suitable option would be a single-color large tablecloth, since it can harmoniously match almost any of your stylistic decisions. When you need to achieve the most formal look, you need to use silk ribbons.
If you have a beautiful set, it also makes sense to resort to using a lace tablecloth and napkins. They will harmoniously complement all the dishes that will be placed on the festive table. Paper napkins can always be arranged in a special way and it makes sense to use this, since in the end it is this solution that will help complete the look of the holiday table.
Method of folding napkins
Today, the range of such products is simply huge, so at the stage of preparing the festive table for any celebration, you can choose a thematic option. It is recommended to use special napkin holders, which are available in a wide range.
Original napkin holders
It makes sense to install a number of beautiful candles, which will decorate the overall design, creating a festive atmosphere. Such accessories are always appropriate, but it is unacceptable to use them as the main source of light, because in the end the table must be illuminated as much as possible. The color of the candles should be in harmony with the dishes installed on the table and everything else. You can use classic white candles and be sure that they will not stand out from the overall interior. Most often they are placed near bouquets or form a separate composition.
Candles will create a festive atmosphere
Currently, it is customary to set a festive table using various additional items. For example, all kinds of silk ribbons will look great. They should be in harmony with the dishes and tablecloth, but otherwise there are no strict rules. You can use them to form rings and other figures going from bouquets of flowers to the bottom of the table. As a result, a feeling of smoothness of all lines and unusual solemnity will be created.
Ribbon decor for the festive table
It makes sense to use silver items, as they will also fit perfectly into the overall interior, regardless of its style. Flowers are almost always present and have essentially become an indispensable attribute of the holiday table. It is important that the bouquets are properly decorated and present on the table in a certain sequence.
Bouquets should fit harmoniously into the birthday table setting
Most often, serving is done on weekends, because you will need to gather the whole family and invite guests. It is unpleasant when one of your loved ones will not be able to come to the celebration and you need to take this circumstance into account. You need to prepare all the dishes that each family member likes more than others.
You can prepare the table for a birthday with your children
If the table is set well in compliance with all the basic rules, then it will allow children from a young age to learn how to use all cutlery correctly. It will also be conducive to a pleasant meal and will bring pleasure to every family member. You need to set the table correctly, regardless of the occasion. If you do everything right in the morning, a comfortable meal is guaranteed to lift your spirits for the rest of the day. The first step is to place the plates where the appetizer will be placed, and only after that the glasses on the saucers.
Baked goods are placed on special dishes
It is noteworthy that the handle of the cup and spoon must certainly be on the right side. There are special dishes for individual dishes that should be used. For example, boiled eggs should be served in a bowl with a long handle. Porridge should be placed exclusively in special plates, and those are placed on top of the previous ones. But all hot drinks are always served in special vessels installed in the center. Baked goods should be placed in spacious, wide containers and also placed in the central part if there is free space. If there is none, then you can put them on the side, where the mugs are.
Layout of cutlery on the festive table
Decoration with flowers
Not a single anniversary or other celebration is complete without flowers. In this case, flowers are not only a compliment from guests, but also a wonderful decorative composition for decorating the table. Original and aesthetically designed bouquets will set the mood for the holiday and make it truly royal. Often, to create such compositions for an anniversary, they turn to the help of florists, but at home you can create a flower island yourself.
Following several recommendations for creation and design will allow you to create a competent composition for the festive table:
- Decorating the table in this way should be balanced. That is, a bouquet of decent size should be singular and decorate the central part of the table or the place of the birthday person. Miniature compositions can be located along the entire length of the table.
- When choosing the size and splendor of the bouquet, you should take into account the fact that it should not block the interlocutors from each other. In addition, you should not place voluminous flower islands on a richly furnished table, but during tea drinking an impressive bouquet would be quite appropriate.
- To decorate a feast, you should choose specimens with a subtle, subtle aroma. This will allow you not to overpower the smells of the food, and will also protect your guests from developing allergies or headaches.
- The color scheme of the composition should also be chosen wisely. A colorful bouquet will look great on a classic snow-white tablecloth, but if there is an abundance of brightly colored decor, it is better to give preference to a monochromatic composition that echoes the main color scheme.
- The choice of vases is another important point. The best option is simple shapes and materials that echo other dishes. Laconic glass vases are universal. For round tables, you can choose oval flower stands; it is better to place voluminous bouquets in the center of the table, and small identical compositions - in a circle. The square shape of the tabletop determines the choice of vases with clear lines, and on a rectangular table it would be successful to place vases of any shape along the center on a strip of fabric contrasting with the tablecloth.
How can you style your holiday table?
This can be done through the use of unusual dishes and accessories. You can start with the same napkins, the range of which is simply huge. If you are preparing a table for a birthday celebration, then it makes sense to buy themed napkins. Their cost will be low, but the arriving guests will immediately understand what the reason for the celebration is, even though it has long been announced.
Decorative elements for stylizing the festive table
It may seem that doing this makes no sense, but it is precisely such nuances that form a holistic perception of the situation. Special attention should be paid to the birthday cake. Although it comes to it at the very end of the feast, it should be not only tasty, but also beautiful. You can order a birthday cake that will also highlight the theme of the celebration.
The cake must correspond to the chosen birthday theme
Bottled drinks can be decorated with ribbons and thereby give them an unusual look. You should not avoid using table decorations, which are also available in almost every store. The more different stands and other accessories there are, the more solemn the table will look. The tablecloth must be chosen with full responsibility, and the use of nameplates and menus should also be resorted to. All this is guaranteed to surprise and please every guest, and you won’t need to spend a lot of time and money organizing a festive table.
Use ready-made decorative elements to decorate your holiday table
Shabby chic
Make your celebration feel like relaxing in the thickets of a greenhouse. To prevent decorations in the form of flower pots from looking too simple, combine them with bronze or gold-plated dishes. Also use accessories inspired by nature, such as jute napkins and twig-shaped candles.
Let's sum it up
As you understand, table setting is always carried out subject to certain rules, but you should not avoid showing your own initiative. As for the arrangement of dishes, there are certain limits, but with table decoration there are no restrictions and you can realize even your wildest ideas. The more unusual things there are on the table, the better. The main thing is to first make sure that its size is sufficient to use all these elements.
If we are talking about decorating a small table, then there is no point in cluttering it with useless accessories. Dishes should be arranged so that there is still free space between them. If this rule is ignored, then it will be inconvenient for guests to take them, and visually the table will look cluttered. You need to approach the matter with maximum responsibility and then you will be able to achieve the desired result in a short time.
Glasses and glasses
Yes, they can also be used not only for their intended purpose and even not only in the way that is familiar to us. All you have to do is...turn them over. And inside you can hide a flower in a small pot. Guests will be absolutely delighted.
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Of course, glasses can also be used as vases. If you fill them completely with flowers, it will feel like the most unusual dessert in the world has been placed in front of each guest.
