It used to be that the hard part of a wedding was the cold feet on the morning of the big day, but these days that certainly isn’t the case.  In fact, the prospect of a life-long commitment is nothing compared to the stress of trying to work out exactly what wedding favours you need to buy for your guests, who are already eating for free I might add, not to mention the overarching theme you have to pick to tie everything together, or the chair covers, or the menu…  Have you thought about a photo booth or a light-up dance floor?  Why not?!  Do you want people to think you have no taste!  I kid, of course and whilst putting a wedding together is hard work, it is totally worth it, even if your Grandma does have one too many Pimm’s and tries to cop off with one of the waiters.

There’s a lot to think about when scheduling a wedding, even for the gents out there.  First and foremost you need something dapper as heck to wear (scruffiness is purely inexcusable, just ask the bride, she’ll tell you), you’ll need to write a speech and buy presents for your parents, not to mention the selection of the venue, invitations, food, rings…. OK, I’ll stop.  It’d be easy to neglect an important element of the wedding attire: the wedding scent.  With smell being the closest link to our memory, it’s vital to pick a scent for the day that you’re going to want to be your olfactory time capsule to that moment in time.  If you choose the right scent, it’ll be the finishing touch to your special day and luckily for you, we at Escentual are here to point you in the right direction, whether you’re the groom, best man or father of the groom!

The Groom

Classic: Guerlain Vetiver

There’s not much of an argument to be made when it comes to Guerlain’s Vetiver.  It needs no introduction and it shouldn’t take much convincing to get it on the necks and wrists of a blushing groom-to-be.  To me, Vetiver is a gent’s old faithful – a fragrance so classic and comfortable that it can be worn to the gym just as well as it can be worn at the top of the aisle.  Vetiver is the perfect groom scent because it is effortlessly elegant in every.  With it’s vibrant citrus notes, ginger fizz and earth, and almost ashy vetiver, this classic Guerlain paints the image of a worldly man with a sensitive soul.  Like I said, Vetiver doesn’t need me to promote its talents, it’s handsome enough to sell itself, so I’ll say just this: Guerlain’s Vetiver makes the perfect groom scent because it’s beautiful. No other description is necessary.

Modern: Etat Libre d’Orange Antiheros

For brides, it’s traditional to wear flowers on their wedding day, usually a spring bouquet of white flowers such as gardenia, tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom and freesia – something pure and beautiful.  But what about the gents?  Can they rock flowers too?  Well, the answer to that question is a great big matrimonial yes!  Men can certainly wear flowers on their wedding day, in fact the groom can wear whatever he darn pleases!  What flower should he choose though?  Well my vote goes to lavender, a flower that is to masculine perfumery as the bow tie is to men’s fashion: it’s timeless.

I know what you’re thinking, lavender isn’t exactly the flower one associates with wedding days perhaps due to the fact that it can seem old-fashioned, but in truth this humble purple flower has been a staple of masculine perfumery for centuries, taking an integral place within the heart of the fougère accord, the most debonair of fragrance styles.  My lavender pick for the groom is Etat Libre d’Orange’s thoroughly modern Antiheros. Here, lavender is waxy and soapy in a subtle way, sending forth a soft breeze of caramelised and menthol blooms that feel affable yet sartorial in the most contemporary way.  What’s more, the long-standing relationship between lavender and masculine perfumery is certainly a good omen for a groom’s impending nuptials!

The Best Man

Classic: Comme des Garcons 2 Man

Being the best man is a fun job.   One has none of the nerves of the groom, in fact, the best man gets to add to these jitters by promising to humiliate the groom at numerous points during the day. It’s important, scent-wise that the best man compliments the groom but doesn’t upstage him (or the bride for that matter – can you imagine?!) so he needs a fragrance that is formal but not overwhelming.  I also think that the best man can go for something a little bit more unusual because all noses are not necessarily going to be on him.  A classic he could wear is 2 Man by Comme des Garçons, a smoky incense that feels robustly masculine thanks to spicy cedar wood, but also subversive due to its aldehydic snuffed candles effect.  2 Man is so cool, it’ll give the best man a bit of confidence for his speech. No pressure…

Modern: Guerlain Homme L’Eau Boisée

I like to think of this one as a good compliment to the groom that wears Guerlain’s Vetiver, seeing as this Thierry Wasser-composed fragrance really is just a tribute to the Jean-Paul Guerlain classic.  This is an olfactory mojito, filled with mouthwatering lime, mint and rum, served with a twist of liquorice-like vetiver for good measure.  It smells fresh and modern, but also has a refined air to it that is befitting of a smart occasion.  What’s more, it’s so refreshing that it’ll go nicely with a glass of Pimm’s or Prosecco during the reception or even the Jägerbombs that come much later in the evening…

The Father Of The Groom

Classic: Acqua di Parma Colonia

I had one fragrance in mind when thinking of a classic scent for the father of the groom and that was Acqua di Parma’s Colonia.  For the patriarch of the proceedings there is nothing more handsome, smart and timeless as this.  In fact, Colonia is so good I’d have happily suggested it as the uniformed choice for groom, best man and father of the groom, but that would have; a) been rather lazy of me; and b) not the most entertaining of articles to read.  This is a straight up cologne with all the elements one expects: refreshing citrus, clean musks, flowers and herbs, but it has a bite to it and a leathery, animalic vibe that makes it seem much more masculine and authoritative. Essentially it’s practically perfect in every way!

Modern: Olfactive Studio Chambre Noire