First Lady Melania Trump's White House state dinner looks like an experience fit for god
President Donald Trump and First lady Melania will be hosting French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife to the White House's first state dinner at the executive mansion on Tuesday night. The White House showed off finishing touches of the arrangements for the same late Monday night.
When the French leaders arrive, they will be greeted by a military band playing strains of brassy notes and a 21-gun salute in a posh ceremony that will be followed by the state dinner, reported The St. Augustine Record.
Reporters were greeted by gold table settings, gold candlesticks, silverware, gold chairs and gold wine glasses, all placed elegantly around bouquets of white and green flowers in the state dining room which was lit by candles.
The White House seal and the fleur-de-lis decorated every menu in 130 places, which were also all in gold.
Melania went with a different theme outside the dining room, with giant black vases holding 1,200 cherry blossoms that would greet the guests as they approached the dining area.
The White House had released some details about the dinner earlier in the day, including the menu for the same.
Goat cheese gateau, tomato jam, buttermilk biscuit crumbles, young variegated lettuces would be served, along with a rack of spring lamb, burnt cipollini soubise, and Carolina gold Rice Jambalaya, with a nectarine tart and crème fraîche ice cream for dessert.
For washing down the delectable dishes, two premium wines from Oregon would be served along with a demi-sec champagne.
The state dinner would be prepared by longtime White House Executive Chef Christeta Comerford, who was appointed during President George W Bush's administration and stayed through the Obama regime.
Melania attended the funeral of former first lady Barbara Bush on Saturday alongside top Democrats such as the Clintons and the Obamas. Among others present were former Presidents George HW Bush, husband of the deceased, and George W Bush, her son, with his wife Laura.
She will be showcasing china from the administrations of President George HW Bush and President Bill Clinton on Tuesday.
Her office informed that selected pieces from Tiffany & Co. and S. Kirk & Sons, as well as the Vermeil and American Silver collections, will be included in the display.
Melania's spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham told the Washington Post: "Remember, she has a design background."
The publication was told by social secretary Rickie Niceta that the first lady, who is also a former model and the owner of her namesake jewelry line, "has amazing taste, which makes things very, very easy."
Arguably, state dinners are the highest profile entertainment the White House can do. For the First Lady, this is a golden chance to showcase her hosting strengths, said Grisham.
President Trump chose to host the French dignitaries in the State Room, the smallest and most exclusive of the White House venues used for events of this stature. The guest list counts to a modest 130-150, which makes it a more intimate affair than most state dinners of previous administrations.
White House aides said that the event is a reflection of the first lady's principles for entertainment. The First Lady believes that “it should never be too crowded,” Niceta said. “You should be able to move; you should be able to see the White House and feel special that you’re here.”
According to White House chief of staff Lindsay Reynolds, for Melania, a fitting presentation of the White House is one of his many preoccupations. Reynolds was the associate director of the White House Visitors Office during the George W Bush administration.
For instance, a crack was identified in the door between the Green and Blue rooms on the State Floor of the White House. Officials told Melania that repairing the fixture would take weeks, but she made sure that it was fixed and reinstalled just in time for the grand event.
“It’s just a constant back and forth with her on managing the residence and keeping the residence in a way that she wanted for folks who come through for tours and events,” Reynolds said.
Grisham said that her close attention to the intricacies of the arrangements such as the exact hue of napkins isn't only about the appearance.
"She doesn’t just choose colors or make things pretty. She really is wanting to make sure that people feel at home, that people look comfortable," he said.