Scenting Your Wedding Isn't Frivolous, It's an Art Form—Here's How to Get It Right

As a beauty journalist, the barrage of questions I received in the run-up to my wedding last year was expected. People wanted to know who was doing my wedding makeup, what bridal hairstyle I would opt for, what skin treatments I was planning ahead of the big day, and, of course, what perfume I was going to wear. And given that I’m not quiet about my penchant for fragrance, I wasn’t surprised to be met with this question almost every day for an entire year. People love perfume, and so do I. There was, however, one particular question I was asked in such a blasé manner that it has stayed with me. I was sitting in a café with a group of colleagues making small talk, and when the topic of my approaching wedding arose, one of my colleagues carefully picked up her teacup from its saucer and said, “So, who is doing the scenting?”

Having worked in and around the fragrance field for a decade, of course, I had heard about scented weddings before, but I had always seen them as something exclusively available to those who consider money no object. And while I hadn’t hired anyone to “scent my wedding” (although some brands, such as Jo Malone London, do offer this as a service), I had thought carefully about what sort of fragrances I wanted around on the day. I’m a beauty director who specialises in all things scent, after all—I know the power it can have.

A year later, I’m so pleased that I leaned into the power of scent on my wedding day. Whenever I smell my wedding candle, a sense of peace washes over me, and whenever I spritz my wedding-day perfume, I’m filled with joy. And it’s not just an anecdotal thing, I can assure you. When I asked Saak Ovsepian, a neuroscientist and professor in biosciences at the University of Greenwich, why the power of scent is particularly prominent when it comes to major life events, like weddings, he revealed there’s real science behind it. “The smell of odours activates the hippocampus, which is the primary structure for encoding and retrieval of memories [in the brain]. This endows the sense of smell with a powerful capability to induce extremely rich and diverse emotions and memories,” he explains.

Essentially, using scent throughout your wedding day creates a mental time capsule. And while this has always been the case, scented weddings have grown in popularity in recent years. With Mintel predicting that the perfume industry in the UK has an estimated worth of £1.7 billion and is expected to surpass £2 billion by 2029, it’s safe to say that we’re taking more of a collective interest in fragrance than ever before—and this is seeping into our wedding plans.

“There is a growing appreciation for the sensorial details that cannot be communicated through a screen,” says Emma South, fragrance and lifestyle expert at Jo Malone London. “The touch, taste and smell of real experiences have become ever more precious in our increasingly digital lives. Social media is a huge driver for generating awareness of personalised wedding scenting, but often we find it is the scented weddings themselves that do the talking. Consumers repeatedly tell us they booked a consultation after attending another wedding that made an impression.”

So, how exactly do you get it right? “There is no rule in perfumery,” says Emilie Bouge, perfumer at Trudon. “Choose the scents that appeal to you; follow your feelings.” And while this is true, there are some things to keep in mind to ensure your scented wedding makes the most impact on both your guests and your mood and memories. From candles and perfumes to reed diffusers and scented stationery, I’ve got you covered.

Perfume

When it comes to thinking about wedding scenting, your personal perfume choice should be your first port of call. How you want to smell on the day will likely set the tone for the sorts of scents you’ll want to be surrounded by. “To find the perfect scent that you’ll remember forever, keep these three main points in mind: your day, your current fragrance tastes and how you want to feel,” explains South.

My advice? You can go down one of two routes: you can either wear a scent you have worn before that feels special to you, or you can shop for a new scent that you want to associate only with your wedding day for years to come. If, like me, you opt for the former, I recommend making an event of choosing your scent. I laid out some of my favourite perfumes on a table, and my now husband and I sat down and went through them together. Remember, wedding scenting is something you’ll experience with your partner, so it’s nice to make the selection process a team activity.

If you want to shop for a new perfume, think about how the scent might impact your mood on the day. I’d recommend considering your existing wedding plan and opting for scents that feel fitting for the decisions you have already made. “Depending on your day, the setting, the season, the flowers and colours, you might find that you are drawn to scents that capture these details,” adds South. For example, if your flowers of choice are romantic and your colour palette is soft, you might find yourself drawn to sparkling, fresh, floral perfumes. If you’ve opted for neutral tones and dried florals, you might find yourself leaning more towards creamy sandalwoods.

At the end of the day, my main advice for your wedding-day perfume is this: Choose whatever appeals to you the most. Try not to get too caught up in intricacies and notes—make an event of choosing it, and ultimately, opt for the one that feels the most special for you.

Once you have settled on your perfume, your other scenting decisions will feel much easier. Now, if you’re still not sure where to start, I truly believe it’s impossible to go wrong with any of the below…

Candles

Before you start seriously considering room scents, it’s vital to first check that your venue/s allow candles to be burned. (If not, scroll to the next section on room diffusers.) I found candles to be one of the most impactful parts of my wedding day in terms of both scent and visuals.

“Alongside the scent benefits, candles contribute to the visual dimension of weddings. Clusters of candles down the aisle, across tabletops or illuminating stairs create instant atmosphere, and most venues are happy to have them, especially if they are contained within hurricane vases. You may want to liaise with your florist on how this could be further integrated with your scheme—arrangements around the base of candles look stunning as centrepieces,” advises South.

My top piece of advice is to stick to one candle scent at a time. By this, I don’t necessarily mean that you have to choose only one specific scent for your entire day; rather, you should stick to one fragrance per venue/room/area to avoid them mingling with each other and getting lost. For example, in the hotel suite over my entire wedding weekend, I had something fresh and romantic burning to keep me grounded, but throughout the ceremony and reception, I went for Diptyque Tubéreuse, a deeper, creamier floral. (Now, both scents take me straight back to my wedding day.) Likewise, you can lean into the different vibes of each event of your day and choose a different candle for each one.

The scents you choose for your candles can be used to mirror the profile of your perfume, which, at this point, we can assume is a fragrance that makes you feel great and one that you feel mirrors the vibe of your day perfectly. My top tip? Stick to one overall fragrance family. With most opting for fresh florals for their wedding day, I’ll use this as an example. While light, powdery florals are always a great option for daytime ceremonies, opting for floral candles with citrus notes, like orange blossom, might be a small tweak you want to make to your alfresco summer wedding lunch. Come evening, you might want to go for a deeper, creamier floral like I did, such as a tuberose. Keeping your main scent theme (floral, citrus, woods, fresh, earthy, etc.) cohesive will only strengthen its impact.

Oh, and don’t forget about logistics. “I would always suggest having someone in charge of lighting the candles at least half an hour before your guests arrive. That way, the scent will have had time to diffuse and the room will be beautifully fragrant and welcoming,” says South.

Room Diffusers

Where candles can’t be used, reed diffusers are a great option. They can also be very effective in smaller spaces, such as bathrooms and cloakrooms. The best thing about room diffusers is that they can be used on their own in smaller spaces, but they can also be used as an addition to amplify other scents. “I recommend a mix of candles and reed diffusers,” says Bouge. “It’s impactful and olfactively optimal, too. I suggest sticking to one scent, but if you want to mix then, go ahead—it’s your day!”

One thing to consider when shopping for reed diffusers is their appearance. While beautiful candles can be an aesthetic statement, smaller, less attractive vessels can be nestled away where they are out of sight, but still let off a beautiful aroma. Reed diffusers, however, are larger and more difficult to disguise. Luckily, there are some stunning, ornamental diffusers around, many of which have accompanying candles. These are just a handful of some of my favourite wedding scents…

Special Touches

Thought we’d covered it all? I wasn’t lying when I said that no aspect of your wedding need go unscented. “Some of my favourite wedding scenting tips are regarding items you can mist beforehand,” says South. “Fragrant invites set the tone, and misted menus and tablecloth hems continue to the scented theme with every moment. I would suggest doing this with the scent of the big day so that it is truly memorable for all your guests.”

In fact, just last week, I had a save the date through the door that smelled beautifully of Jo Malone London Orange Blossom—giving me an inkling of the vibe of the upcoming wedding day. So much so that just this one tiny detail has helped guide my outfit choice.

“At my wedding, we gifted each guest a candle as a keepsake and a reminder of the day for them to enjoy at home,” says Bouge. This is something I also did. I sent each member of our wedding party home with a small votive of Diptyque Tubéreuse. Now, whenever they smell it, they tell me it reminds them of our wedding day, and every time I step into one of their homes and see the candle sitting on their mantelpiece, it fills me with joy.

Adding these small special touches helps to define your wedding day through scent, meaning that smelling your chosen fragrance at a later date won’t just prove a time capsule for you, but also for your guests.