Figuring out which fork to use for which course can be confusing enough, but having to actually set those forks—and everything else on the table? A recipe for disaster… or a chance to strut your etiquette stuff.

Step 1: Space plates around table

Space dinner plates around your table, leaving enough room in between to accommodate cutlery.

Step 2: Place bowls or appetizer plates

When applicable, place soup bowls or appetizer plates on top of the dinner plates.

Step 3: Fold napkin

If you haven’t used the napkin in the middle of the place setting, fold it and place it to the left of the plate.

Step 4: Place silverware

Place the knife to the immediate right of the plate with the blade facing in, the dessert spoon to the right of the knife, and the soup spoon on the outside.

Step 5: Place dessert silverware

If you’ve placed the dessert-spoon above the plate, place the dessert-fork directly under it, with the tines pointing right. If not, place the dessert-fork to the immediate left of the plate. Place the entrée fork to the left of the dessert fork, and the appetizer or salad fork on the outside.

Step 6: Place salad & bread plates

Place salad plates to the left of the outermost fork, and bread plates above the forks.

Step 7: Place glasses

Put water glasses just above the tip of the knife, and wine glasses to the right of the water glasses. If you’re serving more than one wine, put wine glasses in order of use with the glass to be used last next to the water glass and the glass to be used first on the outside.