Hi, Marty Richardson here.  I have a few more thoughts about setting the table.

What Are Tables Without Chairs?

Yesterday, I talked about the table and forgot to talk about the chairs, so I am going to double back and cover that. Your chairs. There is every chance that you don’t have enough dining room chairs for all the people that you invite to your party. So, it’s a-ok to use any chairs that you’ve got. I know I keep talking about ‘The Rules’, but you have what you have. If you are concerned about consistency, you might want to try slip covers. Those fabric forms that go over the backing of the chair and the seat might provide the consistency you are looking for if you’ve got enough of your place settings that are all consistent and you want to try and make everything match. Otherwise, chairs are no different than your glassware, silverware or plates. Feel free to mix and match.

Take A Seat

That leads me to seating. Do not leave seating up to chance, even for an informal occasion. It reminds me of the last party that we were at for Miss Barbara’s anniversary. We were there early. It was a time zone mis-understanding. We live in the Eastern Standard Time Zone, and the party was in Central Standard Time Zone. It didn’t say on the invitation if it was eastern, or central… and I was bringing rolls, so we ended up being an hour and a half early. Anyway, it gave me a chance to see how people sat themselves because there weren’t place cards at the tables. When people came in and saw tables of seven or eight seats, each group drifted to separate tables as they came into the room. They didn’t join another group that was already sitting at a table unless they knew them. The “click factor” was working. I felt like I was back in high school! This is something you want to avoid at your party. Now it is going to happen anyway. It can happen during cocktail time, but at dinner, it is time to mix and mingle. That is why you want to try and control the seating and you can do that by using place cards.

Girl/Boy/Girl/Boy

Now, here are ‘The Rules’ . You always go back to the rules, and you probably know this. The hosts are seated at either end of the table. That is pretty common. But did you know that the female guest of honor is seated to the right of the male host, and the male guest of honor is seated to the right of the female host. Then, you seat the rest of your guests, boy/girl/boy/girl/boy/girl, as much as possible, separating couples. Pair guests that have common interests, if you know them. This stimulates conversation. It gives your guests a chance to meet and get to know all the other people who came to your party. That is why you are having a party hopefully.

Place Cards

The place cards give you another opportunity to carry your theme through the party. They don’t have to be elaborate, but they can also be very creative. It can be a small piece of paper printed with their name, placed in an empty glass even or on the plate. Use this as another chance to be creative and to follow either your seasonal theme, or the theme of your party or your color scheme. I know I tell you the rules and then I tell you to break them. It’s about attention to the little details. Think about this stuff ahead of time.

The 5 “Ps”

Remember, ‘Pre-Party Planning Prevents Panic’. You’ve got a month until the biggest home holiday of them all. I know some would argue that the biggest home holiday is Christmas, but it is not as much about food as presents. Thanksgiving is all about the food. So you are trying to set the stage. And that is what this tip series is about. Pay attention to these tips. I know not all of you are cooking or entertaining this year. Pass these tips on to someone you know who is hosting a holiday party. I hope it will be very helpful. Party planning is something that I’ve done as a chef and also being a butler for almost 30 years. I’ve seen my share of holiday meals.

Create A Sensual Atmosphere

These tips are very important. Setting the table is about entertaining. You are setting the stage. If you do it properly and you’ve got weeks, or a month, before the holiday arrives, you can pull a lot of little things together to make a big impression. It is not about having “the right stuff”. It’s about having “your stuff”. If you think about a theme, or the holiday, or the occasion all of these little things will come together for you. Keep in mind how to stimulate the senses. Think about the dinner music ahead of time, so you are not scrambling at the last minute. The textures of your tablecloth or your place mats or napkins, the fragrance and colors of your flowers, the lighting, the candles…all of these things set the atmosphere and tone of your party before any of your guests put a fork full of food in their mouth.

This is the point I am trying to get across here. If you do all these things, and keep these tips in mind while you are preparing for your party, when you get to the meal, everyone is already impressed. The food is the “icing on the cake” as it were. Pre-planning takes the pressure off. You have already created an atmosphere of welcoming and relaxation for your guests. That is what entertaining is all about.