Learn this one tip and master fine-dining etiquette

Erika Preval is proprietor of Charm Etiquette, an Atlanta-based business that teaches people "proficiency in social protocol and manners." Her classes are popular enough to have a waiting list- but we've got some of her top tips for mastering social etiquette:

  • There are lots of distractions these days, however, the person your feet are facing gets your full attention until you excuse yourself from the conversation.

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  • Allow for the flow of traffic by standing to the side while waiting for elevator or train doors to open and walk to the right on sidewalks and stairways.
  • When invited to a gathering, let your host know the status of your RSVP as quickly as possible so that they can plan for the event and accommodate you properly. Unless it states "Regrets Only" they're waiting for your response.
  • Notify your host, ahead of the event, of any food allergies or restrictions. If being held within a home, offer to bring a dish to share so that he/she doesn't have to rearrange the menu.

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  • Worried about sipping from the wrong glass or nibbling from the wrong bread plate? Remember BMW – detailed in the video above.

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