12 Rules for American Formal Dinners

 

From 1 to 4 —1. Service plate, 2. Water glass, 3. White wine goblet, 4. Red wine goblet. A to H — A. Large dinner making, triple folded, B. First course fork, C. Main course fork, D. Salad fork, E. Main course knife, First course knife, G. Soup spoon (oval bowl for formal meals and soup plates, H. Seafood fork or Appetizer cocktail spoon.— Patricia Easterbrook Roberts — At very formal dinners, bread and butter is not served, so the bread plate is omitted. 

1. Invitations are sent in the third person, answered by the guests in writing, and in the third person. 
2. Full evening dresses required. This means white tie and tails for the men. 
3. While still in the hall, each male guest is given a card naming his dinner partner. 
4. Guests are announced by the butler as they enter the drawing room. 
5. The indicated dinner partners go arm in arm into the dining room. 
6. The table is covered with a cloth, white or in the palest of tints. The candle-and-flowers and fruit arrangement is lavish and elegant. 
7. Place cards have the names written in full. 
8. There are menus written in French. 
9. There are usually 6 or 7 courses of food, which is strictly traditional in type. 
10. The 6 or 7 courses are served with meticulous form. There are never second helpings. 
11. Large, broad rim suit plates are customarily used and the soup spoon is the large table-size. 
12. Unless specific entertainment is provided, one usually leaves earlier than if dining at an intimate little dinner, but not until after the guest, or guests, of honor, no matter how long they stay. — Helen Sprackling

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