"You are never fully dressed without perfume!"
- C. JoyBell C.

Wedding season is in full swing, and how good does it feel to have a reason to dress up and go out again? You may still be wearing a mask to some of your upcoming events, but you still deserve to don a special fragrance, too. In our opinion, perfume is the nearest manifestation of an aura a person can have or a lens through which you experience the world that day. It's a beautiful tool of self-expression that brings color to our lives.

Fresh floral fragrances are traditional for weddings, especially roses and white flowers such as gardenia, orange blossom, lily of the valley, and tuberose because of their common associations with romance, purity, innocence, and femininity. Since most weddings occur in summer weather, you might also be grateful for something that smells clean and fresh. However, many have negative associations with classic florals, or might not like floral freshies at all, so here are some unique alternatives to suit any personality. 

Classic With a Twist

Jo Malone London Basil & Neroli
Notes: basil, neroli, vetiver, white musk

Courtesy of Jo Malone London (Facebook)

The house of Jo Malone is known for creating refined, elegant fragrances with just a touch of something unexpected, and Basil & Neroli is no different. It opens with the green, herbal smell of basil, like fresh cut grass with a hint of licorice. Don't worry, though, you won't smell like an herb garden all day. The neroli is the main star and quickly takes the stage. Neroli is also often called orange blossom, which can symbolize purity, innocence, chastity, and fertility. While the scent is fresh and ever so slightly soapy, it has a syrupy, honeyed fuzziness that may remind you of Middle Eastern orange blossom desserts. You'll feel clean and effortless pairing this fragrance with a chic, modern shift dress.

Flirtatious and Carefree

Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Garden
Notes: magnolia, mandarin orange, neroli, coconut, frangipani, ylang-ylang, vanilla, almond, sandalwood

Courtesy of PoinCaré (Facebook)

This is a perfume with a sense of humor, so wear it when you expect to dance and laugh. The floral notes are not prominent, but they provide a beautiful connection to wedding traditions and sentiments. Frangipani has been used in Buddhist wedding ceremonies to symbolize shelter and protection, while magnolia represents longevity and perseverance. Dolce Garden opens with juicy orange and magnolia, then settles into the coconut, frangipani, and vanilla, giving the overall impression of a delectable macaron. The fragrance remains sparkling throughout the wearing and undefinably fruity, like a fantasy piece of pink coconut hard candy. Wear it with the frilliest, pinkest thing you have.

Voluptuous and Feminine

Frassaï Blondine
Notes: lily, butter, caramel, suede, cacao, tonka bean, pear leaf, ashoka flower, castoreum, white musk, salt, mandarin

Courtesy of Frassaï (Facebook)

Lilies, which symbolize devotion and purity, are yet another flower traditionally associated with weddings, particularly in China, and they also feature in this fragrance. Blondine is no florist shop, though; it's the smell of ultra-feminine luxury in a bottle. This fragrance is round, buttery, and perfectly blended to the point where it is quite difficult to pick out individual notes. Anchored by the suede, the pear, lily, and caramel play together to give an impression that is at once a luxury handbag, dessert, and cosmetics all in one. This is the delicately powdered decolletage of a woman in furs and a diamond necklace. Venus de Milo would wear this fragrance. Wear Blondine when you want to feel like a classic Hollywood starlet.

Quirky and Intellectual

Byredo Bal d'Afrique
Notes: marigold, lemon, black currant, bergamot, orange flower, violet, cyclamen, jasmine, vetiver, amber, musk, cedar

Courtesy of Sarah Stroup

Several floral accords again link this fragrance to the wedding tradition, but Bal d'Afrique is a great option for those who want a slightly edgier, more unisex flavor to their fragrance. You'll smell a splash of citrus and black currant in the opening with some floral hints, but vetiver is the real star of the show, giving this fragrance an unusual twist since it isn't typically a note used as frequently in fragrances marketed to women. It's woody and toasty, giving the fragrance the effect of a golden brown lemon and black currant tart baking in the oven. From there, the vetiver progressively steps more to the forefront for an elegant, luminous, woody fragrance that is an intriguing balance between scratchy and cuddly. Wear with a vintage-inspired floral print fit and flare dress.

Boho Glam

Histoires de Parfum 1804
Notes: pineapple, peach, tiare flower, nutmeg, cloves, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, patchouli, vanilla, benzoin, musk, sandalwood

Courtesy of Histoires de Parfum (Facebook)

Now, here is a fragrance that will scratch your free spirit itch. Inspired by French novelist George Sand, it opens with tropical pineapple but then morphs into a warm spicy fruity compote, vaguely reminiscent of a lighter, smoother Mugler's Angel due to the patchouli and vanilla undertones. Deeper into the wearing, you'll get an unexpected whiff of the head shop as the patchouli intensifies for an experience that is at once alluring and thought-provoking. Wear with a Bohemian maxi dress.

What's your go-to wedding fragrance? Let us know in the comments.