If you’re on the hunt for a special and very chic occasion scent, perhaps in time for a spring/summer wedding, I’ve rallied the troops, from my mother to my fellow beauty team members, to share the fragrances they’ll be wearing on my big day and why.
A wedding invite, whilst being a lovely thing, tends to bring with it quite a list of dilemmas, from what gift you should give to your outfit, hairdo and even what perfume you might want to wear on the day. In the latter’s case, lighter scents like floral fragrances and fresh green blends always feel very fitting for spring. With the celebrations carrying on well into the night, though, a long-lasting perfume is a sensible move too, and you can definitely get away with something richer and more sultry as the party presses on. Thus, you actually do have plenty of options when it comes to choosing a wedding perfume, though perhaps even too many.
Latest Videos From
You may like
The 9 wedding perfumes my guests and I will be wearing
Call it what you want: boots-on-the-ground journalism or procrastination from wedding planning, but after settling on my own wedding scent, I found myself wondering what my nearest and dearest were planning to wear. And what a unique insight that could afford other guests this wedding season, stuck for an occasion-ready perfume.
Fragrance, after all, can create powerful memories, hence why so many brides, grooms and those closely connected to the couple often choose a new (or meaningful) blend specifically for the event. Below are the very ones that will be scenting my wedding day.
The Bride
Diptyque Paris
1. Orphéon Eau De Parfum
RRP: from £170 for 75ml | Notes: Juniper berry, cedar, tonka bean and jasmine
Digital Beauty Writer & The Bride, Naomi: “They say when it comes to your bridal makeup and hair that you want to feel like ‘you’, lest you look back at your photographs and not really recognise yourself in them. As a creature of habit, I really took this to heart in every aspect of my getting-ready process, and specifically around my wedding fragrance. There’s a lot of pressure on brides to have everything new, new, new and while I do love the idea of selecting a special scent for the day, I just knew that I wouldn’t feel myself without a few spritzes of my all-time favourite perfume: Diptyque’s Orphéon. Its ethereal blend of crisp, woody juniper berries, cedar and elegant jasmine is comforting to me and one I’ve become pretty synonmous with among my nearest and dearest. So much so that I think they’d immediately know it was me walking down the aisle, even if they were blindfolded and had no idea whose wedding they were attending. It’s the sort of scent that lends itself well to both day and night, as it initially smells quite cool and fresh, before it melts down into muskier hints of earthy cedar and smooth tonka.”
The Bride (part 2)
Parfums De Marly
2. Parfums De Marly Delina Exclusif
RRP: £180 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, pear, lychee, Damascena rose, incense, vanilla, musks, moss and tonka bean
The Bride, again: “With Diptyque’s Orpheon being my chosen scent for the main event, I decided to go a slightly different but equally elegant route for my rehearsal dinner perfume. Parfum de Marly’s perfumes are all gorgeous, but Delina Exclusif is my current favourite with its delicate, powdery notes of rose and chic base of musk and vanilla. It’s richer than the original blend, less sweet and juicy, which I love, as it feels very fitting for a formal dinner setting. I plan to wear it with a long silk dress, which just seems very right when I look at this perfume’s ornate bottle. If you’re someone who loves rose perfumes but is seeking one with impressive staying power and a bit of a sensual edge, I highly recommend Delina’s Exclusif – especially layered with the Delina body oil too, which is a scent-boosting trick I’ll be doing on the night.”
The Groom
Le Labo
3. Le Labo Santal 33 Eau De Parfum
RRP: £141 for 50ml | Notes: Violet Accord, Cardamom, Iris, Papyrus, Ambrox, Cedarwood, Leather, Sandalwood
The Groom: “Like Naomi, I’ve decided to wear a long-standing favourite of ours, rather than buying a new scent specifically for the day. Le Labo’s Santal 33 just has so many memories attached to it, as we’ve both worn it on and off for years. We were meant to be sharing our current bottle, but I have sort of hijacked it as my signature and go-to for special occasions. Its unisex blend of Australian sandalwood, cedar and cardamom is so warm and stylish, ideal for a sunny day and evening (here’s hoping!), and there’s this sophisticated and lingering muskiness to it that just feels very fitting for wearing with a suit. The scent also features a very subtle hint of iris, which is actually Naomi’s favourite note in perfume, and so naturally, it reminds me of her when I smell it. So there’s just something very her but also very me about Santal 33, and I can’t think of a more perfect blend for our wedding day.”
The Mother Of The Bride
Yves Saint Laurent
4. Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau De Parfum
RRP: £69 for 30ml | Notes: Pear accord, mandarin essence, vanilla, orange blossom, black coffee accord, cedarwood, white musk and patchouli.
Mother of the Bride: “With my daughter’s wedding fast approaching, some very important decisions must be made. Dress? Picked. Shoes, yep, done! Now, to select the go-to fragrance for the special day. I tested several from my collection, trying to picture the day around them, but kept coming back to the same scent again and again: YSL’s Black Opium. I picked this fragrance because it’s so long-lasting and just works so well on my skin – one spray and I’ll be good to go all day. It’s floral but has a warm, spicy edge to it, with hints of patchouli, all of which lend themselves well to a day-to-night fragrance. I like the richness this scent gives me – the hint of sophistication and confidence.”
The Maid of Honour
Jo Malone
5. Jo Malone English Pear & Sweet Pea Eau de Cologne
RRP: £122 for 100ml | Notes: Williams Pear, sweet pea and white musk
Maid of Honour: “The big day calls for something light and delicate – I’ll be opting for Jo Malone’s English Pear & Sweet Pea, as my best friend has selected a beautiful Georgian manor house as her wedding venue, thus calling for a pretty floral scent. It has a delicious mix of fruit and floral notes, each time I smell I’m transported to an English cottage garden filled with sweet peas, roses and peonies. A spritz of this and I’ll be ready to watch my girl get married in the gorgeous grounds of a dreamy estate.” As for the rehearsal dinner, though, she’s taking a more sultry route: “I’ll be wearing Vanilla Diorama. Its spicy vanilla scent has this seductive quality, making it perfect for a romantic candlelit dinner. Its sultry aroma will complement the purple satin and lace maxi dress I’ll be wearing, and my hair will be pulled into a messy bun – allowing the scent to intoxicate those who get close enough.”
The Bridesmaid
Guerlain
6. Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pera Granita Eau de Toilette
RRP: £92 for 75ml | Notes: Pear, grapefruit, lemon, apricot, osmanthus and musk
Bridesmaid: “My go-to perfume for occasions is Guerlain’s Pera Granita. It smells fruity, sweet and light, and to me, it has really powerful memories attached to it that make it feel all the more special and poignant. I discovered it in Paris and brought it home with me, so it brings me back to that time when I visited the Louvre, saw a concert, ate amazing food and really took in what experiences there were. It reminds me to create memories and ‘seize the day,’ which is exactly how I want to think and feel at the wedding. Plus, it will help steel me and soothe my nerves before I have to walk down the aisle, too.”
Beauty Writer, Sennen
Floral Street
7. Floral Street Wonderland Peony Eau de Parfum
RRP: £78 for 50ml | Notes: Lemon, pink berries, pink guava, violet, peony accord, raspberry flower, vanilla bean, pink cotton candy, cedarwood and vetiver
Digital Beauty Writer & wedding guest, Sennen: “Florals for spring? Groundbreaking, I know, but there’s just nothing that screams a springtime wedding more to me than a delicious floral fragrance. That said, if I’m wearing a floral scent, I need it to have a little edge to it. So, it’s only fitting that I’ll be wearing Floral Street’s Wonderland Peony perfume on Naomi’s big day. While it has a heart of peony, it’s complemented with sweet and fruity twists of zesty lemon, blackcurrants and guava. It’s livened with pink peppercorn, before deepened with woody cedarwood and creamy vanilla for a true, fresh and fruity feminine fragrance. Not to mention, it boasts a 20% concentration that makes for a long-lasting perfume, which is especially handy for special events when you might not have space in your clutch to carry your scent around for top-ups.”
Beauty Ed, Fiona
Diptyque Paris
8. Eau Des Sens Eau De Toilette
RRP: £125 for 100ml | Notes: Orange blossom, juniper berry, patchouli
Digital Beauty Channel Editor & wedding guest, Fiona: “Choosing a perfume for this wedding feels more high-stakes than most because Naomi is our resident fragrance guru. However, I found some clues in the details of the day – a Georgian manor house in rolling green countryside, in May. It had to be botanical and, for the bride whose middle name may as well be Orpheon, it had to be Diptyque. Luckily, I’ve worn Eau de Sens for years. It’s not your typical summer floral, it’s a spicy ‘green’ scent with tart orange blossom, juniper berry and musky angelica root. The earthy dry-down says ‘10pm on the dancefloor’ but the citrussy top says ‘ceremony soaked in sunshine’ (which it will be – she’s going to bury a sausage to ensure it).”
Beauty Ed, Aleesha
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
9. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau De Parfum
RRP: £340 for 70ml | Notes: Jasmine, Saffron, Amberwood, Fir Resin, Cedar
Digital Beauty Shopping and eComm Editor & wedding guest, Aleesha: “It’s got to be Baccarat Rouge 540 for me. Not only is it a long-standing favourite of mine (and ranked among the best perfumes for women), but it also makes me feel my best and encourages compliments like no other. I actually tend to choose it for occasions like weddings, because it’s so reliable, both in terms of longevity and for the chic impression it leaves. I also know that I won’t get sick of it or be left with a headache after wearing it all day and into the evening, especially after a few drinks. It’s spicy blend of elegant florals also feels very on theme with the spring date and Naomi’s moodier burgundy colour palette.”