The table setting, often called mise en place in Italy, is the full laid table: tablecloth and runner, charger plates, plates, water and wine glasses, cutlery, napkins, menus and place cards. It is usually handled by the caterer or the venue, while the flower designer brings the flowers. If no one coordinates, the centrepieces crowd the glasses or the linen clashes with the palette.
The right moment to align them is the mock-up of a table, with real tableware and flowers. The guide on table and flowers: settings, linen and centrepieces covers sizes and spacing; the one on flowers, caterer and venue clarifies who lays the table first; the one on table layout starts from the floor plan.
What to ask: who supplies linen and charger plates, who lays the table first, and how many centimetres stay free in the middle.
