Emily Post's great-great-grandaughter Lizzie Post shares how to properly set a table for casual dinners, informal events and formal gatherings ...

Not sure how to set a table properly? Whether you're planning a casual gathering or a formal, intimate dinner, this is table-setting etiquette you need to know.

A well-appointed table —from linens and china to glassware and centerpieces —strengthens a chic setting. But the beautiful accessories are useless if you don’t know how to set a table properly.

A formal place setting has a standard way to arrange silverware, plates, and glasses. The fork goes on the left, and the glasses on the right.

SAVE ROOM FOR THE FOOD: If you’re serving a buffet, centerpieces can be more elaborate. However, if you plan to put food on the table Norman Rockwell style, they may be in the way.

Young Huh, an interior designer, relishes setting an outdoor table when she’s entertaining guests at her house in Hyde Park, N.Y. Stefano Ukmar for The New York Times ...