wedding perfumes

The fragrance you choose and wear (at any time, not just at your wedding) is, or at least should be, a reflection of who you are, of how you want to project your character into the world. Like the clothes you wear every day, you are making a statement about yourself ('sophisticated', 'vibrant', 'daring') through your perfume. Your personality has also influenced the style of your wedding, and it's a simple marriage of the two to ensure that both reflect your outlook and harmonise on the big day. Here's some ideas to get you thinking when planning your wedding:

ROMANTIC:Traditional weddings are generally thought of as “Romantic” (ideally, all marriages ARE romantic; but we’re taking here about the ‘setting’). If you are planning a traditional wedding dress, flowers, formal meal, then we’re already into ‘romance’. Romantic fragrances are generally very feminine and very floral, so you’re going to want a big floral for the day. Traditional weddings are also generally ‘conservative’ by nature, so the flowers will usually be recognisable. Big powerful flowers used in perfumery include Rose, Jasmine, Orange Flower, Osmanthus, Heliotrope, Lily. We’ve got some great award winning perfumers to put on your case and below we’re going to introduce their big florals to you.

ALTERNATIVE: Alternatively, you may be planning an... ‘alternative’ wedding. The ‘alternative’ style abandons received wisdom and they are the most individual weddings of all, choosing unusual locations and/or unusual proceedings. My own daughter had an alternative wedding and was married in a cow field wearing wellington boots (okay, so they were designer wellies). ‘Alternative’ scents will generally use unusual ingredients or unusual ingredient combinations - Coffee, Leather, Chilli, Smoke, Cow(???), you name it! - but they are not just simply ‘weird’ nor are they intended to be. Created and designed by the world’s top perfume ‘noses’, these scents are fashioned to provoke and challenge, to push the boundaries, but they’re also designed to delight! Think snail porridge (okay...maybe not. Scrub that last one. Sorry Heston!) But these scents ARE the ‘Michelin Stars’ of the perfume world (and most have won accolades in their own right).

ELEGANT: Planning your event or its reception at a stately home (or maybe you LIVE in a stately home) and you are most likely looking for ‘Elegance’. Stylistically, ‘elegance’ tends to combine the masculine and feminine, the restrained with the exciting, the traditional with the new. It is all about balance, proportion, and restraint. Elegant perfumes tend to have oriental ingredients and are either full orientals or are florientals (half floral, half oriental). ‘Oriental’ notes in perfumery (so called because the ingredients are found in the middle or far east) include Frankincense or Incense, Sandalwood, Benzoin, Myrrh, Agarwood or Oudh, Vetiver, Vanilla, Patchouli, Musk.

NATURAL: Finally, if you just want something simple, easy and uncluttered, perhaps you’re after something natural. The ‘Natural’ style draws upon the appearance of simplicity, but rarely is it achieved without considerable effort. It can be floral, green or woodsy, but just as you want to ‘look’ as though you’ve just thrown a few clothes together, it’s actually something that has been refined with enormous study and care. Natural Style perfumes can appear simple, but they require a considerable understanding of perfumery materials to bring off. Basil and Grapefruit sounds healthy, and even smells okay in the shower, but as a real perfume it is very one dimensional and better used as a fish garnish.

Wedding consultation service

Woodforde’s Perfumery is open six days a week and whenever you visit we will always provide the best advice to help you find your perfume. However, some days can be busier than others and if you intend to make a special trip to the shop, or are travelling some distance, you can ensure our personal attention by booking a consultation in advance. It’s free. There is no charge for a consultation. During a personal consultation we will take time to discuss with you your objectives and preferences, help you discover your options, and lead you to your choices. You can define your budget.

This article was written from the perspective of choosing a feminine bridal perfume, but the same basics apply equally to choosing for other partners. We are happy to provide multiple consultations enabling you both to choose your wedding scent at the same time. Please let us know when you book; that way we can ensure more staff are on hand. Personal consultations generally take over an hour and typically up to two. Additionally, you may want to spend extra time ‘road testing’ your choices (around the delightful streets of Sidmouth) before purchase, so please allow plenty of time for your visit. To book your personal consultation please contact: