A Brief History of White House State Dinners
Ron Sachs / Corbis
Big Moment
The menu awaits Queen Elizabeth II at the state dinner held in her honor in 2007. "A state dinner is so much more like a Broadway play than a dinner," says former White House chef Walter Scheib. "People will be watching closely for Mrs. Obama's personal style."
Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.