You’d think that choosing the perfect wedding perfume would be easy - just pick your favourite, and you’re good to go. But there’s more to it than that - and it requires a lot more time and effort. Jo Malone London's Fragrance & Lifestyle Expert Emma South believes women need to take it just as seriously as the dress! "Think of it as a 'fragrance fitting' ... Go with someone you trust, it is a good idea to book in with your other half and actually choose your wedding scents together," Emma advises.
"When choosing your wedding scent keep these three main points in mind: your day, your current fragrance tastes and how you want to feel," she said. "Depending on your day, the setting, season, flowers, colours etc. you might find you are drawn to scents that capture these details."
Choosing the ideal scent isn't as easy as it looks
With Meghan Markle preparing to say 'I do' on 19 May, she’s lucky that she needn't worry about finding the perfect scent - it has all been done for her. Perfume house Floris London has created a bespoke scent for her wedding day, but it won’t be available for us mere mortals to buy.
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Meghan has previously declared her love for perfume in a 2016 interview with The Express. "Fragrance is my favourite thing. So much so that if I leave the house and I don’t put any on, I’ll turn around and go back home," she stated. "I alternate between a few scents. I love Oribe Cote d’Azur Eau de Parfum and both the Wind Bluebell and Wood Sage & Sea Salt Colognes by Jo Malone."
This is one of Meghan's preferrered scents
Had she stuck with her love of Jo Malone London, Emma says she would definitely champion the Wild Bluebell Cologne for Meghan's big day because it’s "inspired by the dewy, sapphire blooms that carpet English Woodlands in May and would be a perfect wedding scent for this time of year." Emma continued: "It is also such a graceful way to wear 'something blue'."
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What do you need to remember when you’re shopping for the all-important big day scent?
"When it comes to your current fragrance preferences, I recommend wearing something that is in line with what you love so you are comfortable, yet also, something you haven’t worn before. This means that what you choose to wear is not diluted with other memories and instead acts as a perfect time capsule of the day. How you want to feel is equally important, some scents are playful and pretty, other scents are more dramatic."
GET MORE INFO: This is what Meghan Markle's wedding perfume will smell like
Layering scents
You shouldn’t also rule out layering scents because, in theory, you’re creating your own bespoke fragrance. Emma said: "No one else will be wearing your unique scent combination - just as you will be the only one in white!" She added: "All Jo Malone London scents layer harmoniously with one another, so to personalise the overall effect and bring a warm touch of familiarity on the big day, Megan could wear Wild Bluebell with Wood Sage and Sea Salt: Enchanting and spirited, wild spring flowers dancing along a coastal breeze."
HOW TO: Look after your perfumes
How do you make sure you pick a scent that will have last for the duration of your big day?
"To increase the longevity of your scent we recommend wearing one of your fragrances as a Body Crème, this base will not only look radiant on the skin, it means that your scent will last from 'I do' until the last dance. Mist pulse points to enhance your fragrance’s diffusion and just before you leave have someone lightly mist your fragrance for you to walk into. This will veil you in your scent to carry you down the aisle."
In terms of the most popular Jo Malone scent for brides, Emma tells us it depends on the time of the year. For winter wedding, it’s all about Pomegranate Noir thanks to its spiced ruby fruits and lingering woods. A summer bride often chooses Peony and Blush suede because "it’s such a sweeping, romantic scent with armfuls of ruffled blooms and is a great choice for a summer wedding, particularly if you are having peonies in your bouquet. This is also our most popular scent with brides."