The Best Wedding Fragrances
The Best Wedding Fragrances
The way we celebrate love and weddings has changed. Traditional weddings are not a thing of the past, but creating a more personal experience is more popular.
Maybe you want a Boho-style wedding or get married in a red dress instead of traditional white?
Traditionally, weddings often took place during the summer. Although this is still the most popular time of the year, many couples opt for getting married in autumn or Christmas.
Weddings are beginning to turn into true personal experiences reflecting the couple’s lifestyle and convictions.
What does this mean for the finer details? What perfume should you wear with that red wedding dress of yours?
Choosing the right perfume for a wedding is as challenging as picking the right outfit.
On this page, we are taking a look at wedding fragrance top tips for brides, grooms and guests.
What perfume should you wear if you are the bride’s mother?
Buying
Tips For Wedding Perfumes
One of the things you don’t want to do is to overshadow the bride and groom.
Of course, you want to look your best and smell your best. Just remember it is their day,
Many brides don’t want to go over the top with their fragrance. I have had many perspective brides tell me they don’t want to be “the Hostess with the Mostest.”
I get it. You want your guests to remember your dress instead of your perfume.
One of the best buying tips I can give you is not to go for intense and explosive fragrances. Sensual perfumes such as Opium are fine as they have a soft edge.
Remember this is likely to be a long day. If you can pick up a gift set in the perfume you are going to wear on the day.
Box sets often contain a body lotion and a mini-me perfume. Applying the body lotion first thing in the morning helps your perfume last longer.
Bringing a big bag or purse to the wedding is the last thing you want to do. A mini-me perfume easily slips into a small handbag or clutch bag.
A New
Perfume or Something Tried and Tested?
I would always recommend buying a special perfume for the day. It makes the day special.
Once the day is over, you still have the perfume. Maybe the perfume bottle becomes a treasured memory. I often save the bottles of perfumes I have worn on special occasions.
Should you spend more money on your perfume than you normally would? If you are planning on splashing out on a new outfit, why not treat yourself to a new perfume?
Is it okay to go slightly avant-garde? There is no reason why you shouldn’t. But, this is not date night - it is a wedding. Don’t go completely over the top and choose a perfume that does not fit in.
How Long Does My Perfume Last?
Perfumes do have what you can call a shelf-life. Essential oils are volatile and you should finish your perfume over the next couple of months.
Remember to store your perfume or cologne away from sunlight and at ambient room temperature.
Don’t buy your fragrance too far in advance. Weddings are normally at least six months in the planning. By the time the wedding comes around, your fragrance may not smell the same.
Also, try wearing the fragrance before the big day. You don’t want to discover you are allergic to your new perfume and break out in hives on the day. The same thing goes for the makeup and skincare you are planning on wearing. It is best to do a trial run.
Inside
or Outside?
Where is the wedding taking place? Today, we are just as likely to hold wedding receptions in gardens as we are holding them indoors.
It could mean that you need to adjust your choice of perfume. The scent of summer flowers risks overpowering your perfume and cologne.
Make sure you know if the wedding is being held indoors or outdoors.
There are many things to think about when it comes to wedding fragrances.
The
Best Wedding Fragrances For The Bride
Yves
Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau de Parfum
Black Opium for a wedding day? Why not? This is a very sensual perfume.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to Black Opium. By all means, you can wear it during the day, but you can also choose to wear it only at night.
Many brides change their outfits in the evening and put on something different. In particular, this is true when you plan to sneak off to a 5-star hotel with your new husband.
What does Black Opium smell like?
Black coffee carries through this fragrance. Many say it dominates the fragrance but I don’t agree. I easily pick up on the other notes including vanilla, pink pepper and the deepness of orange blossom. For sensuality, you have accords of patchouli, cedar and jasmine. All three are great aphrodisiac tones for the wedding night.
YSL Black Opium is also available as a slightly shimmering body lotion. A great accompaniment when you want to sparkle on your special day.
Don’t be afraid to choose this rather strong fragrance. It helps to keep you alert during the day.
Chanel Paris-Biarritz Eau De Toilette
This is a lovely refreshing scent with a few aquatic notes for fun. It is vibrant and likes to get up and dance around the room.
Sicilian mandarin is responsible for the fresh notes in the fragrance. If you have Lily of the Valley in your bouquet, Paris-Biarritz compliments your choice. The same flower has a strong presence in the scent but does not overpower it.
Guests will wonder if they are smelling your bouquet or your wedding day fragrance.
Jo
Malone Wild Bluebell
I call Wild Bluebell another top choice. It Probably has something to do with the fact we had our wedding photos snapped in a clearing in a Bluebell forest.
The scent of Bluebell is nice in this fragrance. If you are looking for a nice clean fresh scent, Wild Bluebell is a top choice.
The fragrance offers powdery qualities and highlights of fresh green leaves with notes of spicy carnation. Wild Bluebell has a balsamic quality which ensures it lasts for a long time.
Best
Wedding Day Fragrances For the Groom
Bleu de Chanel
I know many men like to wear their regular fragrance on their wedding day. However, I like to encourage you to buy a dedicated perfume for your special day. Bleu de Chanel is a fantastic fragrance for special occasions not only wedding days.
What does it smell like? Bleu de Chanel is an adult very confident cologne. It is fresh with woody aspects and aromatic nuances.
Warm notes are quickly followed by smoky, balsamic aspects. Yet, thanks to citrus and greens, the fragrance manages to stay fresh and upbeat. It is almost like it wants to celebrate with you.
I love the spicy hints that you sometimes catch a waft of as the cologne warms up on the skin.
Jo Malone Myrrh & Tonka
Myrrh is such a sensual fragrance. It is rich and seductive at the same time. A balsamic accord also runs through Myrrh & Tonka. Then you got the wonderful soft addition of tonka bean backed up by almond and vanilla.
Overall, this is a warm welcoming fragrance with a backdrop of amber. Its warm ingredients almost make it glow. A rich fragrance which is highly decadent.
A surprise from Jo Malone.
Emporio Armani Stronger With You
Are you looking for a fragrance which is simply warm and spicy? If so, you should buy Stronger with You from Emporio Armani.
This is another warm scent but it gets its heart from a slightly rum-scented center. Lavender also mixes with a rich but creamy vanilla.
It has to be said it is masculine and gentle at the same time. What does this mean? It makes you a gentleman just for today.
Best
Wedding Fragrances For Female Guests
Viktor
& Rolf Flowerbomb EDP
What can I say about this fragrance? It is really a bomb packed with flowers waiting to go off.
A lovely scent which wears well during the day and continues to back you into the night. It is a rather strong fragrance. Remember not to overdo it when you first put it on.
It is also rather sweet which means it is better to top up your scent during the day. If you can find a mini-me sample or size, slip it into your bag.
Dolce
& Gabbana Dolce Peony EDP
Would you like to stand out in a crowd? When you do, check out Dolce Peony EDP.
This fragrance manages to capture the scent of cyclamen beautifully. Very few scents can do that.
In the fragrance, cyclamen mixes beautifully with other rare flowers including peony and freesia. A hint of Bulgarian rose makes the fragrance very luxurious and almost velvety. A delicate aroma of ripe plums runs through Dolce Peony.
Best
Wedding Fragrances for Male Guests
Versace Eros Eau de Parfum
Mint is one of the highlights of this fragrance. It is a wonderful fresh essential oil for crowded rooms.
Other fresh notes of Eros EDP are lemon and green apple. Then you have the softness of tonka bean combined with sweet vanilla. All of this is set against a sky of vetiver which gives Eros it sensual vibe.
A lovely warm fragrance which invites romance and energy. If you are looking for a fragrance offering longevity, Eros is a great choice.
Jean
Paul Gaultier Le Male
Unless you are single, keep away from the bridesmaids when wearing this scent.
The strong masculine aspect of this fragrance will have them falling into your arms.
What does Le Male smell like? Strong notes of lavender and cinnamon are toned down by vanilla. Freshness comes from mint which is another scent many ladies like.
I think this is a great scent for single males. If you are married, go for Versace Eros instead.
Wedding
Day Fragrances for Bridesmaids
When you are a bridesmaid, you don’t want to outshine the bride. However, that does not mean you don’t want to smell nice.
Cartier
Carat
I went to a wedding recently. The bride had very generously bought her two bridesmaids new fragrances. It was a way of saying thank you and making them feel special.
What was the scent? The fragrance she had bought her two bridesmaids was Cartier Carat.
The fragrance was first launched in 2018. It is on its way to becoming one of those classic Cartier fragrances. Carat is perhaps the ultimate fragrance for bridesmaids.
The bride in question made the right choice.
What does Cartier Carat smell like? This fragrance is like a diamond packed with wonderful notes.
Lily flowers and narcissus mix with hyacinth and tulips. There is a touch of honeysuckle and bergamot makes an appearance.
When I spoke to the bride, she said she had chosen Carat because it made her
think of her bridesmaids’ bouquet.
I think she was right - Cartier Carat is a lovely modern, floral fragrance.
Marc
Jacobs Perfect Eau De Parfum
Staying on the theme of floral perfumes, we have Marc Jacobs Perfect.
This is a celebratory scent which manages to be comforting. Weddings have a habit of putting everyone on edge.
I love the softness of almond milk in this fragrance - that’s the comfort factor. The fragrance is gentle raised by notes of rhubarb and hints of daffodil. Finishing accords are cashmeran and cedar. They add to the longevity of the fragrance.
A lovely scent for a busy day.
Final
Thoughts
As I mentioned, before you buy, consider the venue and what style of wedding you are going to.
A very sophisticated and elegant perfume is not the right choice for a Boho style wedding. It is great to have as much information about the wedding at your fingertips before you buy your wedding day fragrance.