Table setting formal and informal

Types 

There are two main types of table settings: formal and informal. 

1. A formal table setting is usually set for a meal that will have many courses and a variety of wines. For a formal meal, each place setting will need the appropriate number of plates and cutlery. You may have wait staff changing out courses, so the initial setting will only need the appropriate dinnerware for the first course. 
   When planning for this type of event, make sure that all of the additional tableware for successive courses is present and accounted for before the meal. 
2. Formal setting
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For an informal meal, you will need significantly less dinnerware. A very casual meal may only require a single plate, spoon, knife and fork. A larger informal meal will probably require a dinner plate, salad plate and butter plate. Separate dinner and salad forks are optional.

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2. Informal setting