I don't know what the proper thing to do is, but I wouldn't use individual butter knives if I didn't have b&b plates. I put the butter dishes (or maybe 2 butter dishes, one at each end of the table) on a plate that's large enough to hold a larger spreader/knife as well. Guests can use the spreader/knife to slice off a pat and place it on their plate and put the spreader/knife back and pass it on.

Again, I don't know the proper etiquette.

Well, I looked it up on Google and apparently it's a no-no to use the butter spreader if you don't have the B&B plate. Although I have been known before to have no-no's in my table settings. LOL!

I didn't think about putting the butter dish on a plate with a spreader. OA, that's a great idea. Thank you for the suggestion!

I do the same as OA!
However, if you are serving soup...presumably in a rimmed soup bowl, where are they going to put their bread??? Inquiring minds need to know these things :^)
J

Jaybird, good question! Ok, what I have is the dinner plate with the soup bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl is sort of tall and deep rather than short and larger around. I was thinking there would be room on the plate for bread and the soup bowl. I'm not sure though...I'll have to see once I get the actual dishes on the table.

If that won't work, I'll have to go with Plan B. Although right now I have no clue what Plan B is!