Planning a summer outdoor dinner party? Get everything you need — from menu ideas and table décor to lighting, timing tips, and what to do if the weather turns.

Setting a table properly is one of those skills that looks instinctive in other people and feels elusive until you understand the logic behind it. Cutlery, plates, glassware — once the rhythm makes sense, you can build on it however you like. Here is how to get it right every time, and a few of my favourite variations for when the occasion calls for something a little different.