Roja Dove, Master Perfumer at Roja Parfums available at The Wedding Gallery, shares his insider tips on how to create the perfect mood and lasting memories of your wedding day through scent.

1. Don’t wear your signature scent on your wedding day

‘When it comes to wedding fragrances, scent acts as an olfactory ode to that special day, transporting us back to the time you said “I do” with just one smell. Scent evokes memories like nothing else – when you have forgotten who sat next to who, what conversation you had with who, who gave you what gift – scent will instantly take you back to that day in olfactory Technicolor.

The perfume you choose to wear on your day needs to be a completely new discovery – something that has never been worn before and so has no relation to any memory or feeling that has gone before.’

2. Take time choosing ‘The One’

‘Choosing the right perfume for your wedding day is as important as finding your outfits. It’s a choice that people will be reminiscing about, and remembering, after the wedding. My advice would be to follow these simple rules:

Always choose a pure perfume. A perfume is much higher in concentration versus an eau de parfum or eau de toilette, and therefore it sits closer to the skin and unravels slower.
You must try the perfume on your own, clean skin and then have patience to spend a day or evening returning to the perfume to see how it makes you feel from the moment it hits your skin and then as it develops.

You know you have a winning perfume if you love it, those that you care about love it on you, and you receive compliments from perfect strangers when you wear it (this last point signifies a perfume with a good sillage – the delicate trail of scent that weaves around you).’

3. Select a seasonal scent

‘The seasons have a profound effect on us, from how we feel to what we do, and as we love to be in synergy within ourselves and with our environment we often seek different sensations and different facets from the fragrances we wear. In many cases this leads people to seek scents specifically for the season in which their wedding takes place.

“When the sun is out so are we, and with the sun comes heat. Citrus notes will bring welcome refreshment and will help you feel energised for your special day. In Autumn/Winter, understandably, weddings take place indoors, and this gives us an opportunity to enjoy the warmth of spices combined with woods, or to seek the more sensual pleasures that soft vanilla and musk will give us.’

4. Consider your bouquet

‘Some people will take forever deciding on the flowers for their bouquet. I recommend choosing your perfume first, and then create your bouquet around it.

Soft and sultry: If your fragrance is deep, soft and sultry, design your bouquet and table arrangements with the same, soft, gentle, powdery flowers such as mimosa, peony, iris and full-blown velvety roses.

Crisp and light: If you prefer a fresh, crisp, floral fragrance, carry a bouquet of hyacinths and jonquil.

Feminine and sensual: If you find your signature scent is a heady, feminine and sensual fragrance, then a bouquet full of stephanotis, jasmine and tuberoses is perfect.

Oriental: If you don’t like scented flowers and prefer an oriental fragrance, get your florist to intertwine vanilla pods, berries, catkins, woody twigs or sprigs and foliage for a more creative, less scented bouquet.’

5. Be precise in the application

‘Spray your perfume as soon as you’ve dried off after showering/bathing – before you’ve even stepped into the dress/suit. Your body heat will intensify the base notes of a fragrance so the sooner you apply it, the better.

Add a spritz to the dip of your collar bone, and to your wedding outfit – don’t rub it in, just let the perfume unravel and work its magic on your individual canvas. When it’s time for the kiss at the end of your ceremony, you’ll be immersed in each others’ scent.

A body lotion or cream with the same fragrance as your perfume is a great way to make the experience last. Always apply your fragrance first and then lock it in with the lotion or cream afterwards – not only does this increase the lasting quality but the alcohol in the fragrance doesn’t break down the cream so the moisturising factor is maximised.’

6. Create lasting memories

‘Perfume offers a key capable of unlocking memories and emotions in a more three-dimensional way than any photograph or film can ever do, with startling clarity and emotion. As the years go by, you’ll be able to re-visit your special day with just one breath of the perfume you chose.’