Setting A Table 101

I always try to set my table the day before my party. It makes the day of the party flow so much smoother. It also helps me get into the party spirit. And lastly, I like the way a fully set table looks, so I get to enjoy it for an extra day!

For this meal I knew I was going to start with a soup and then serve the salad and main course together, and then follow with dessert.

Here is a picture of the place setting:



I purchased these lovely dishes on EBay right before I moved, and then just kept them in their boxes for the past two years, so this was the first time I have ever used them! I placed the soup bowl on top of the plate, and then set the table.

The napkins are just plain white cotton napkins that I got for my wedding a hundred years ago, and the silverware is our everyday silver. I have a really nice set of silver that has been passed down in my husband's family for generations, but the meal was a fairly casual one and therefore I didn't want to break out the silver- or the silver polish!

The wine glasses and cut crystal glasses were also wedding gifts. I use the crystal as water glasses, but they are supposed to be low ball cocktail glasses. My next big purchase will be these or these. I just can't decide. Any opinions?

For those of you who are really just starting out, I would suggest using some paper plates. What?! Paper!! The horror! Except there are some really beautiful paper plates out there, especially at Target. I have been using paper for two years now because I never unpacked my fancy dishes when I was living in the rental home- plus I didn't want to do the dishes. And guess what? They looked great! So if you don't want to invest in a set of fine china, go ahead and use paper.

**Glamorous Housewife Time Tip**
You can always set the table days in advance of your party, just cover the table with a sheet after you have it set to keep the dust (and kids) out of your plates.