The right plate and cutlery combination depends on what you are serving. Here's how to match them for weddings and banqueting events.
The right plate and cutlery combination depends on what you are serving. Here's how to match them for weddings and banqueting events.
Cutlery and crockery hire may not be the most exciting part of event planning, but it is essential. No banquet or function works without them.
Working out which cutlery and crockery go together does not need to be complicated. This guide helps you understand how plate and cutlery hire can be matched to create the right place setting for your event.
The starting point for any crockery and cutlery order is calculating the total number of place settings required. The formula is straightforward:
As a general rule, hire 10 percent more than your confirmed guest count. This accounts for breakages, items that go missing between courses, and guests arriving unexpectedly. For large events over 100 guests, the buffer also absorbs the items that end up in bin bags during clear-up.
The biggest choice for anyone ordering cutlery hire is which range to choose. We offer four ranges at Expo Hire, each with seven components: table knives and forks; dessert knives, forks and spoons; soup spoons and teaspoons.
The differences between the ranges are mainly aesthetic. Bead cutlery has a decorative bead outline on the handles, Kings cutlery features a honeysuckle motif, and the Harley range is made in an Art Deco style without a motif.
Our Virtue range is the exception. While it looks similar to the others, Virtue cutlery is made from a higher-grade stainless steel (18/10), giving it the sharpest finish of the four. For formal events where table presentation matters, the difference is visible.
All of our cutlery ranges are stainless steel. The difference lies in the grade of steel used.
Standard stainless steel cutlery is made from 18/0 steel, 18 percent chromium, no nickel. This is durable, dishwasher-safe and resistant to rust. It is the right choice for outdoor events, high-volume functions where quantity matters more than finish, or events where cutlery will be used heavily.
Our Virtue range is made from 18/10 steel, 18 percent chromium, 10 percent nickel. The nickel content gives the steel a brighter, more reflective finish and increases resistance to corrosion and staining. This is the grade used in professional catering and fine dining, and the improvement in appearance is noticeable at close range.
The key to getting your place settings right is knowing your menu.
Plated starters and desserts work best on 8" plates, while 6" plates are most commonly used as side plates for bread rolls. Main courses suit 10" plates, or 12" for larger portions.
Cutlery follows the same logic. Dessert knives and forks can also serve for starters. Soup spoons have a slightly different bowl shape to dessert spoons and should not be confused. Working backwards from your menu makes these decisions straightforward.
For a full three-course setting, the layout from outside in is: starter fork and knife, main fork and knife, dessert fork above the plate. Side knife on the side plate. The logic is that guests work from the outside in, picking up the first cutlery they touch at the start of each course.
We have made ordering cutlery hire as straightforward as possible. Product pages include availability and pricing, and we have added quantity sliders so all cutlery from a single range can be added to your basket in one step.
There is no need to wash cutlery or crockery before returning it. Our send it back dirty service is mandatory for both. Scrape off food residue, put everything back in the boxes it arrived in, and we handle the washing at our warehouse. You may also want to add tablecloths and linen to complete your table settings.
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