“Thomas AKA The Candy Perfume Boy takes you on a journey around the fragrance world with ‘The Escentual A-Z of Fragrance’ a fun and fragrant ride that gives you all you need to know – the notes, the brands and the perfumers – to become a true fragrance addict/nerd”

I is for ‘I Do’…

Despite the fact that the weather does not appear to be catching on, summer is here and that can only mean one thing – weddings! After months, if not years of preparation the big day will soon be upon many a bride and groom. The dress and suits will be sorted, the cake will be baked and the family will have been strategically placed to ensure minimal destruction during the meal.

But what about the all-important wedding scent? Surely that’s the hardest decision to get right? The truth is that it can be, and when it comes to your wedding perfume prospective couples have many decisions to make: should it be something brand new to associate with the day; something old and sentimental (the perfume you wore on your first date for example); or should it just be whatever you feel like on the day?

The choice is of course, entirely yours – perfume and weddings are both entirely personal after all, but should you need a few ideas on which perfume to wear on your special day I have a few ideas to guide you in the right direction.

Blushing Brides

Tradition states that a wedding scent must be floral, specifically a white floral, but many fragrances showcasing white flowers can be carnal, exotic, loud and riotously unsuitable for the beautiful bride clad in white. Amouage’s white floral Honour Woman however, is perfectly suited to the blushing bride. It sings a euphoric symphony of flowers; jasmine, tuberose, gardenia and lily of the valley, marking the beauty of the occasion with sweet rhubarb and a golden, shimmering base of frankincense and leather. A beautiful perfume for the bride who wants to make a statement in white.

Eau d’Italie’s Eau Lac is also a suitable wedding scent in the classic floral style but it is positively understated in comparison to the Amouage. Eau Lac is a crystalline and aqueous floral with notes of water lily and osmanthus. It has a vintage feel to it thanks to a touch of pastel pink roses and gives the impression of a Mediterranean garden blessed with the summer sun – perfect for that summer wedding abroad.

Traditions are there to be broken and no brand knows how to break the rules better than Etat Libre d’Orange. One of their latest fragrances – the intriguingly named Dangerous Complicity – shows a more restrained and well-behaved side to this most scandalous of perfume houses. Dangerous Complicity centres on the fruity note of osmanthus, a flower that features strong peach and apricot nuances. These sweet, almost bubblegum-esque notes are accented by a base of rich leather and a touch of something unclean. This one’s for the risqué bride who wants a splash of olfactory fun on her wedding day.

It’s not all about making a statement though, sometimes the perfect wedding scent is one that sits quietly in the background, allowing the bride herself to take centre stage. Givenchy’s Dahlia Noir L’Eau is an odd little curiosity that seems perfect for the bride who wishes to be understated on her wedding day. It’s a light and effervescent chypre brimming with green notes and a hint of vintage rose. To my nose it gives the impression of a nymph-like girl, flitting around in a vision of gorgeous green.

Gorgeous Grooms

It isn’t all about the bridges on the big day (despite what they may say), the boys also have a responsibility to smell good (and turn up too – can’t forget that). One masculine that would suit any dapper groom is Narciso Rodriguez for Him – a fragrance that feels like it was made to be worn with a suit thanks to its notes of sweet violet, woods and musk. It’s a quietly confident fragrance that is guaranteed to calm those wedding day jitters.

If the girls can wear big florals on the big day why can’t us boys do the same? Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fleur du Mâle is a handsome and strapping floral that isn’t so girly it will encourage the groom to don a dress (not that there is anything wrong with that) but is just feminine enough to add a slight dandyish edge. Trust me with this one boys, you will find it hard to find a more suitable wedding fragrance than this beautiful orange blossom.

Fleur du Mâle seems to make the majority of my lists for Escentual – perhaps I’m just hoping the boys reading my posts will get fed up with me banging on about it and will just get a bottle to appease me. If that’s the case then one further mention wont hurt and in this case it really is a justified mention.

The more adventurous grooms may find a suitable selection in Etat Libre d’Orange’s The Afternoon of a Faun – one of last year’s best releases. Inspired by Nijinsky’s ballet, The Afternoon of a Faun is a romantic walk in the woods, based around the classic chypre accord of citrus, labdanum and oak moss with a modern twist of immortelle which adds a layer of human warmth in the form of sweet, maple-y spice. I imagine this to be the perfect wedding scent for the sensitive or artistic groom.

If you are a groom who wishes to splash out on something truly special for your big day then you need look no further than Opus VI by Amouage. Opus VI is an unusual take on the trusty amber accord (vanilla, benzoin and labdanum) with oriental facets of spice and dark chocolate. The result is an exotic amber that gives the impression of self confidence and wealth – a must for the groom who wants that something extra special.

Join the Discussion!

What scents do you think would be perfect for a wedding?

What did you wear on your wedding day?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments box below!