When A Dignitary Visits

If you are planning an event where you are hosting visiting dignitaries or heads of state, be sure to do your homework. There are many different protocols to follow for things like creating a seating chart, placement in a receiving line, and selecting the meal. It will be important to research the specific profession of the guest or the host, and visiting country’s guidelines for these events before even thinking about making plans. Not only basic event plans, but different factors are at play depending on whether or not the event is a professional or a social one.

I would love the opportunity to plan a social event with visiting dignitaries. I love the formality and the detail of it all! There are extraordinary nuances like additional specialized responsibilities that need to be carried out, announcement and name cards to print, and a lineup of limos to engage. There would surely need to be sparkling chandeliers, an excessive amount of silverware on the table, and a decadent dessert involved.

There seems to always be a receiving line for the hosts and any guests-of-honor to receive visitors when they arrive. As visitors enter the receiving line, consider having a purse runner (or two) available. They are handed the purse or other items of a visitor to carry for them as they shake hands with the hosts and other members in the line. This way they are not juggling things in their hands along with handshakes. As they exit the line, offer the visitors a hot towel to cleanse their hands before reclaiming their items from the purse runner and moving on. You can imagine how long a formal receiving line like this might take so be sure to factor this into the event’s schedule and request guests arrive early enough to complete the welcomes before dinner.

Because not everyone knows each other and it’s tacky to put a name tag on military dress or a ballgown, an announcement card should accompany the invitation or be available as guests arrive. This card can be handed to the host in the receiving line, be carried ahead of a visitor by an usher on a tray so that each person in the receiving line can view the card, or be used by the photographer if photos of each visitor are being taken.

When seating visiting dignitaries at a table, the guest of honor or highest ranking official is seated to the host’s right. If there is a co-host, they are seated across from the host. The next highest person of honor is seated to the hosts left. Moving down the rank, the next guest is seated to the right of the co-host if there is one, then to their left. Back to the right and left of the host, then to the right and left of the co-host and so on. Sometimes men and women are alternated but it is not a requirement. Designated seats should be identified using name cards to indicate where a person is seated as well as provide the names of those at the table.

When training wait staff, it will be important to insist on not only in which order the tables are served but in what order the people at the table are served. This is one of those little details that many people may not notice or care about but a visiting dignitary is certainly watching for. And, train the waitstaff to provide consistent service. Placing meals on the table from the guests right and removing dishes from the guests left keep things orderly.

Another important detail to consider is the dietary needs of the guests. Depending on their cultural or religious preferences, special dietary alterations may need to be made. These should be indicated on the place card and all waitstaff made aware of any exceptions. This way there does not need to be a conversation between the guests and waitstaff at the table and everyone receives the correct meal. It would be awful if a visiting pescatarian guest received a fat, juicy steak on their plate.

I would love to watch the event unfold; watch the purse runners go back and forth, observe the orchestrated dinner delivery, and see how many different dresses cross the threshold. I envision a live band, maybe some dancing, and perhaps a brief speech by the host before the evening ends and everyone is whisked away by their limos.

Who out there has had to coordinate an event with dignitaries? What did you learn? Share it here or send me an email. I’d love to hear about it!

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