Thursday, March 22, 2012

Scent of a Woman {Wedding Day Fragrance}


Back in the day when Monte Durham of "Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta" fame was a DC-based wedding stylist and we worked together on just about every wedding, I picked up some of his wedding day tips. Some aren't suitable to publish because if you've watched the show you know that Monte loves to say exactly what he thinks! 

 But one I can pass on is his love of selecting a signature fragrance for each bride. He considered your wedding day fragrance to be an important accessory like finding the right jewelry or perfect veil.  He would often take our brides scent shopping to select a perfume that she would wear on her wedding day.


As he was getting the bride ready on the wedding day, Monte would layer the fragrance starting with the scented body lotion and then the actual perfume applied to pressure points. He would always finish off by misting her veil with the perfume.  The effect was never over-powering but the fragrance lingered all night.

I recently found a new favorite fragrance by Jo Malone. I love her blends and I love that they are simply named--Vanilla and Anise, Lime Basil and Mandarin, White Jasmine and Mint. I have a hard time taking myself seriously wearing something called "Fancy Love," "My Insolence," "Solar Donkey Power" or, heaven forbid, "Earthworm" (these are all real perfume names, by the way).

I'm amazed by how much a small dab of my new favorite scent-- Vanilla and Anise-- can lift my mood (and have me inhaling my own wrists all day). I know some women have a perfume they've won for years and plan to wear on their wedding day, which is great. If you have a signature scent, you should wear it!  But if you don't have a scent you're known for, why not use your wedding as an opportunity to find a luxurious new fragrance? Wander the perfume aisle at Saks or Neimans and see what grabs you and then, when you've found the perfect one, don't forget that final spritz on your veil. Thanks Monte!