We often receive questions on how to use Chargers and what their purpose is in a proper place setting. We absolutely love Chargers because of the elegant touch that they lend to any tablescape. Our custom monogrammed Chargers made from exquisite European porcelain that can not only be personalized with one of our Sasha Nicholas hand drawn monograms, but also by adding a custom message on the back - even handwritten. To best answer all of your questions about Chargers we asked founder of the etiquette school Beaumont Etiquette and our close friend, Myka Meier, for her advice and proper use of the pieces.
Keep reading for all her table tips about Chargers and for more about Myka. Is there a proper way to lay a table before a dinner if I want to incorporate chargers?
A few points to remember: chargers should be equidistant from one another around the place setting. They should not ever hang over the end of the table.
I tend to set mine half an inch from the end of the table so that the plate sits a little further in…however there is no exact measurement in formal etiquette that you must know. The main point is that you never want someone to have to pull a charger closer to them in order to properly eat. Chargers can be on the table with the napkin in the middle or napkins to the left of the place setting when your guests enter.
Remember that silverware should all line up at the bottom and should also be equidistant so you create a gorgeous mirror effect across the table. No food or drink not even water! The service plate, or charger, is laid down at the beginning of the meal and typically stays for some or all of the courses before the main entree. Once the entree is served, the charger is taken off the table and replaced with the main dining plate. Dessert should never be served on a charger.
Chargers serve a few purposes pending the table and meal. Chargers may come in all different materials, both formal or informal, and can be used to protect tables from heat and condensation of plates, or can simply be decorative.
Food should never be placed directly on a charger, and instead only on plates. Check to make sure the size is correct. Most chargers are typically up to 14 inches in diameter.
I always make sure to match the formality of the place setting with the material of the charger. For instance, if you are having a beautiful 4 course holiday dinner with a white table cloth, I would choose a beautiful porcelain material.
Whenever I want my table to really pop, I always include chargers. I think when the table is set and guests walk in, it adds the wow factor that makes a guest feel extra special that you created such a beautiful welcome.
Hosting and table setting etiquette is all about making your guests feel special and taken care of. By picking up on design elements related to the table setting, the choice of colors, and the pattern used for the china, the plate will enhance the beauty of the other pieces and create a sense of a fully prepared table.
With so many different styles and materials to choose from today, it is relatively easy to purchase chargers that will fit into just about every budget. Many home stores, general retail dealers and china shops will carry them in a wide range of colors and designs, making it easy to find something to compliment any china pattern. After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer.
Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including DelightedCooking, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm Tatum. Please enter the following code:.
Your work is very important to me so I liked it. PIER 1. Spread your tablecloth over your table. Set place mats if using them. Set a charger at each chair, centered over the place mats or placed 1 inch 2. Make sure to space the chargers 2 feet from one another, from center to center the size doesn't matter. Adjust the edge of the chargers to be an inch away from the edge of the table Place a dinner plate over each charger, centering it evenly. If you will be offering soup or salad, place the bowl for this over the dinner plate and center it as well.
Fold cloth napkins as desired or put them in a ring to make a decorative presentation. Set a prepared napkin on each plate or bowl to complete the look of the charger and service.
Set out utensils, stemware and any serving dishes.
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