Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 11, 2016 - 27

by Nitsa Knoll
Director of Hospitality & Events

T

here's always a reason to celebrate at Jordan, whether it's
harvest or summer meteor showers or a wedding proposal
on our terrace. We pride ourselves on creating meals,
parties and tasting experiences that leave a lasting impression.
One of the things that makes Jordan events memorable is our focus
on details. In my role, I'm in charge of making sure our parties,
lunches, dinners and private tastings capture gracious wine country
hospitality in ways you'll want to replicate at home. This process
takes effort, but it's not impossible; recreating our style at your own
celebrations is doable if you keep a few concepts in mind.

CAPTURE CASUAL ELEGANCE

When people think about wine country, the word "casual" often
comes to mind. We do, however, desire some formality, a sense
of elegance. Simple table settings might be adorned with corks to
signify assigned seating in an outdoor dining area. Or you might
find an Instagram-worthy centerpiece that's nothing more than
a beautiful bowl of ripe, seasonal fruit, such as pomegranates
and pears. I like to think of it as casual elegance.

CHOOSE A THEME

When you're hosting a party, it helps to identify a concept or idea
that's going to be a common thread throughout the celebration.
For example, we created our Starlight Dinner in conjunction with
the Perseid meteor shower and planned all aspects of the event
around a stargazing theme. In terms of decor, that meant selecting
elements that related to the sky, stars and planets. We used navy
linens as dark as the night sky, and arranged LED string lights
down burlap table runners to look like stars. Another example
is our Sunset Supper. When we decided to host a hilltop dinner
party, I brought the color palette of a summer sunset to the table,
incorporating orange roses, sunflowers and cone flowers in the
floral centerpieces, and even a single pink rose bud on each place
setting. One of the great things about having a theme is that it
provides guiding parameters, making pre-planning easier.

DON'T FORGET TO GREET

Without question, one of the most important parts of any event
is the greeting. How you welcome guests upon arrival sets the
tone for the party, and gives them a favorable first impression of
the occasion. At Jordan, we often ask a host to stand near the
parking lot, anticipating the guests' arrival for a subtle welcome.
We also greet our event guests with a glass of Chardonnay or a
flute of Champagne. Offering a warm greeting, that feeling of
being waited for, that guarantee that nobody is going to get lost
on their way inside, helps make guests feel welcome.

27
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 11, 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 11, 2016
