Place Settings: What is a Charger Plate?

What is a Charger?

This one question kind of separates someone in the event industry (or someone interested in events) from the rest of the world. Unfortunately the charger is commonly overlooked by the untrained eye, but is an essential ingredient when designing a place setting. Every single event planner should know the answer to this question.

Tablescape designed by Luxe Life Event Design. With custom-made place cards, menus, favors and table number!

All About Charger Plates

A charger plate, typically shortened to "charger" (also called service plate), is a large plate that is placed at each guests place setting. The use of the charger is derived from the concept that at a formal dinner your guests should never be seated at an empty table setting. Therefore the charger acts as a holder in between courses (as to not insult your guests!) and can also help to add to the overall deign of the tablescape.