When visiting a flower shop in France, it’s likely you’ll be asked, “What would you like your room, party, or moment to smell like?” Traditionally, French brides have used flowers as a way to incorporate fragrance into their weddings, choosing specific blooms they think will blend nicely with their personal fragrance as well as be something their guests will enjoy. Since scent is so closely tied with memory, the inclusion of fragrant flowers also makes your day that much more enduring.
There are better places than others, of course, to layer in fragrance. Heavily scented table centerpieces, for example, can be tricky when paired with food. Amy Merrick, a go-to for all things flowers, recommends keeping fragrances where they will be the most appreciated. Below she outlines a few gorgeous ideas—arranged with both beauty and fragrance in mind.
CORSAGE with gardenia
Corsages are by nature nostalgic, so using an old fashioned flower like a gardenia is a perfect match. My grandmother wore gardenia perfume and it’s always been a favorite of mine.
BOUQUET with peony, hyacinth, garden roses, and sweet pea
A bouquet is the best place to experiment with a mixture of fragrances. Generally, single scents thoughtfully placed is the best way to go, but the blousy nature of each of these flowers makes their combined scent sweet but not cloying.
FLORAL CROWN with flowering jasmine
Jasmine is an intoxicating, evocative smell, and its viney tendrils make for a perfect crown.
CEREMONY GARLAND with lilies
Stringing garlands of lilies to hang over your ceremony is a really powerful way to link fragrance with a happy memory. I love the thought of smelling lilies for the rest of your life and being transported back to the moment you said I do.
ENTRY WREATH with lilac
Greeting guests at the door with the smell of lilac is a gentle way to incorporate fragrance into your party.