11 Mistakes You Could Be Making While Setting the Table—and How to Fix Them

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'Tis the season for turkey, dressing, family, and proper table settings to befit the occasion. How do make sure you set an impeccable dinner party table for holidays or other gatherings? It turns out, there are several common table-setting mistakes people can make. While they may seem harmless, they can actually ruin the vibe of your meal and make things confusing for guests.

Whether you have a formal or informal tablescape in mind for a holiday or other evening, here we cover everything you'll need to know (including various types of table settings, the best linens to use and which utensils to place where). How should you fold the napkins? How large could the centerpiece be? Do you need dessert utensils? Should you set out fragrant tables or florals? This table setting guide answers all of those questions and more to free you up to focus on what really matters as you gather around the table: connecting with loved ones over food and conversations, laughter and memories.

Follow these guidelines for proper dinner table settings that will make your table feel far from basic, and once the dinner starts you can simply pour that festive cocktail and enjoy the festivities.

Common Table Setting Mistakes to Avoid

Using the wrong table linens.

The first step in setting the table is the linens, and you'll want to make sure your runner, placemats, and tablecloth fit the shape and size of your table. For table runners, the width should be about one-third of the width of your table. The "drop" should be about six inches over each end. For tablecloths the drop should be 10-15 inches on all sides for formal meals or 10 inches for informal meals.

Oversetting the table.

Yes, the holidays provide the prime opportunity to put your finest china and crystal to work. But if you’re not serving multiple courses with multiple wine pairings, there’s no need to clutter up the table with extra plates and stemware. Bonus: The fewer pieces you use to set the table, the fewer dishes you’ll have to wash later.

Overcrowding the table with too many settings.

It can be tempting to pack in the place settings at your table to accommodate all of your loved ones and friends. But this is one time when more may not actually be merrier. If your guests are uncomfortable, they won't be themselves, enjoy the conversation, or want to come back. A general rule of thumb is to allow for 24 inches per person at your table. And, consider placing left-handed guests at the left end, or even the head, of a rectangular table.

Mixing up which utensil goes where.

Forks go on the left and knives go on the right, with the blade facing in towards the dinner plate. Salad forks go outside the dinner fork, to the far left, while spoons should be placed to the far right, outside of the knife. Keep your menu in mind, too. For example, if your serving soup, you’ll want to make sure you set the table with soup spoons; if you’re serving steaks, swap out dinner knives for steak cutlery.

Confusing the napkin and glass placement.

Although napkins can be placed in the center of the plate, their traditional position on the table is to the left of the plate. Stemware is always placed on the right side of the plate, above the knife and spoon. A water glass belongs on the inside, with wine glasses going on the outside.

Placing the bread plate on the right, not the left (correct) side.

A bread plate should always be placed to the left of the dinner plate and slightly above the forks. Set the bread plate with a butter knife across it and pointing left, with the handle facing towards the setting the and the knife blade facing down (not at the setting across the table).

Taking a bigger-is-better approach to the centerpiece.

Now is not the time to go big with flowers, as doing so will only make it difficult for your dinner guests seated across the table from one another to see each other and have a conversation. Instead of soaring, artful arrangements, go low, consider multiples (for a longer table), and check yourself by taking a seat. If you can’t see over or around your centerpiece, swap it out for something smaller.

Overpowering the dining room with fragrance.

Let’s face it: spiced wine, savory casseroles, and freshly baked sweets are the only scents you want wafting through your dining room during a holiday celebration. To keep your table free of other smells, skip scented candles and overly-fragrant blooms.

Forgetting serving spoons.

Picture this scene: Your guests are happily chatting and eagerly awaiting the tasty dinner you’ve prepared. You’ve timed everything just right so that all dishes are ready at the same time. You bring it to the table, where you discover there are no serving spoons for dishing out the deliciousness. So that you’re not scrambling when it’s time to serve dinner, go ahead and set out serving utensils ahead of time.

Forgetting dessert utensils.

Every great holiday meal features a sweet ending, and you don't want to have to scramble for spoons or forks while pie cools...or the ice cream melts. To cover your bases, set out a dessert spoon and cake fork above each place setting, with the cake fork pointing right and the dessert spoon pointing left.

Using only matching sets of tableware.

With the ten other mistakes above mastered, you’re ready for the advanced placement course in table setting. Which means: It’s time to think beyond your matching set of china, linens, and stemware and mix in a woven material, colorful glassware, or a patterned linen. This layered look keeps formal settings from feeling fussy.

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