Denise, who says she is an “amateur perfumista at best”, is getting married in early May:
It will be a late afternoon Catholic mass in a beautiful chapel, followed by a reception at an inn built in the 1700s. So, it will be traditional but not super formal, with whimsical touches.
She wants to find something that will make her feel classic and elegant. It should be substantial but not overwhelming, and although she has a number of perfumes in her current rotation, she wants something new and special for her wedding. She can pay up to $200, and she lives in New York City so has excellent access to perfume stores. Here is what we know about Denise:
She’s in her late 20s, and doesn’t like to go to bed on time.
She’s an actress with a part-time practical day job in accounting. She also takes ballet lessons.
She’s a somewhat reserved person, but she says she also has strong opinions and is very romantic and imaginative.
She loves good food and wine, going to the theatre and the movies, and a good fat novel, especially historical fiction.
Denise wears Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (EDP and Parfum), Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere, Stella McCartney Stella Rose Absolute, Prada Infusion d’Iris, Hermès Eau de Merveilles, Les Parfums de Rosine Ecume de Rose, and lately the new Balenciaga Paris. In the past she has also worn Gres Cabaret, Guerlain Insolence, Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely and Carolina Herrera. She likes rose and violet.
Denise doesn’t like fruity florals, white florals, tuberose, anything too fresh or anything “too recognizeable as a single note”. She can’t stand Thierry Mugler Angel, or on the other end of the spectrum, D&G Light Blue.
Denise purchased Frederic Malle Iris Poudre thinking it would be her wedding scent, but she’s since had second thoughts. She does still wear it as a “dress-up evening scent”, but she’s not sure it fits her: she feels like it’s wearing her instead of the other way around, and it doesn’t quite fit her own image of herself at this point in time.
When she bought the Iris Poudre, she also tried a number of other Frederic Malle fragrances. She liked En Passant and L’Eau d’Hiver, but she was worried they might be too light. Une Rose was nice but not fabulous, Carnal Flower “didn’t feel like me”, and Lipstick Rose was too sweet and linear.
What say you?
Note: image is Postbox [cropped] by rebel rebel at flickr; some rights reserved.
76 Comments
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Chanel No. 22. It’s classic, elegant, a little softer and warmer than Chanel No. 5 and far more unique. If I didn’t wear it more often than any of my other perfumes, it would be my ‘wedding perfume’ as well.
Yes, No. 22 is just what I thought of, too! I just went and put on some of my sample. It is classic and beautiful. I agree that it would make a great wedding perfume (*sigh* hopefully something I will someday think about for myself).
Plus that little hint of Incense in No. 22 just makes it seem right for a Catholic wedding.
Once you have the wedding perfume, the wedding itself can’t be far behind!
I thought of No. 22 also, especially since she’s fond of No. 5. But I’m worried about the white flowers in it. It IS assertively white floral, but absolutely magnificent and warm and has an ethereal loveliness to it that would make it perfect for a wedding. Denise, before you write it off, try to get a sample of No. 22 to wear for a day. It’s really worth a try.
I don’t really see it as a white floral, though, especially considering how I am really not a white floral kind of girl myself. The aldehydes make it so much multi-faceted, almost incense-y. If she likes Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere I think she’ll like it.
Good point, that. The aldehydes and the soft incense bit really party well together. And although the white florals are there, they’re not girlish or crass or badly-behaved. They’re grown-up, and beautifully self-assured.
I was hesitant at first suggesting it, as well, because it is considered a ‘white floral’ but it’s so much more. I don’t think white floral does this perfume a bit of a disservice.
To me, wearing Chanel No. 22 on your wedding day evokes imagery of Princess Grace. Sophisticated, elegant, yet still warm & fun.
No 22 screams “wedding” to me- a beautiful wedding between two people who are desperately in love, mind you, not the bridezilla weddings found in chick flicks.
I third the No 22-lovely white flowers balanced by incense. It’s an absolutely lovely scent!
Also, maybe she could try Un Rose Chypree or Iris 39 by Le Labo too?
Congratulations Denise!
I wish you all the best for your marriage.
Since you already enjoy a couple of Chanels, I would suggest you try part of their exclusive line.
-31 Rue Cambon is really classy and never overwhelming
-I also think of Beige or Bois des Iles, since you like n°5.
Since you mention Rose, I also suggest you try Lyric and or Epic by Amouage, or Taif by Ormonde Jayne.
Good luck with your search and let us know what perfume you chose
!!!
I also thought of Beige when I read the description. I just sniffed it for the first time on the weekend and it immediately struck me as being a pretty, joyful wedding fragrance.
Yes, a Le Exclusifs is definitely in order. It gets dismal ratings on MUA, but I think that 28 La Pausa would be beautiful for your wedding, Denise. It is an iris fragrance like Iris Poudre, but has no powder (to my nose) and is less formal. It has a very bright, clean feeling, like Eau Premiere or Infusion d’Iris. Mazal tov!
The Beige is pretty, I also agree on the Lyrics.
I’ll second Rue Cambon. I’d wear it to my wedding, if I was into that sort of thing. Ha!
I second Beige, Ta’if, and Lyric Woman for consideration.
I second the Amouage Lyric and wasactually going to suggest it if no one else had! It’s absolutely perfect. Has all your criteria: the rose, the incense and is definitely unique! Best of luck to you and your intended!!!
For a wedding perfume for rose lover, how about Guerlain Nahema, Caron Parfum Sacre or even Ormonde Jayne Taif? 3 very special, timeless rose fragrances which I think are well worth trying.
CdG Stephen Jones? Violet, earthy, elegant, no single note, etc…
I think a very special, classic fragrance for a wedding, esp for someone like Denise would be Quelque Fleurs. It’s classy but a fun floral – really an amazing, standout fragrance with its roots in sophistication. It’s wealthy, but youthful. Classic but timelessly so. Just like a wedding!
Jean Patou Joy could work!
You read my mind. Classic, elegant, understated, and the perfect thing for a rose lover (though it isn’t a rose soliflore, it is very rosy). And you could have a half-ounce of the actual perfume–luxury!–for under $200, as long as you don’t want it in that Baccarat bottle.
How about Tauer Une Rose Chypre? And I second CHANEL Bois des Iles [though lasting power could be an issue - I'd have a decant for back up to reapply during the day]. [Your wedding reception reminds me of my husband's and mine - also in an old historic inn from the 1700's.]
congrats Denise, have an awful lot of fun during preparation-wedding-and ever after
I totally second Tauer Une Rose Chypre, use a tiny drop for testing first, and enjoy
I wish we had a picture gallery of the nst-scented weddings
and Denise, do go to bed on time before your wedding day : )
I also think une rose chyprée would be a wonderful wedding fragrance! I have some problems with the opening but I love the heart and drydown so much!!!
I’m curious Zazie – what don’t you like about the opening?
I think it is the bitter and quite strong green mandarin opening: if I could choose I would lower the volume of that particular note. I have the same issue with delrae’s Amoureuse, but it doesn’t prevent me for loving both fragrances very much!!!
I can understand that. I’ve felt that the opening of URC is the ‘brightest’ part of the experience – didn’t know why, but must be the green mandarin – interesting. I do enjoy it from beginning to end though. I finally have my DelRae sampler on the way, so now I’ll be able to compare notes on that!
Congratulations! Many good suggestions here, and I would second, in particular, Amouage Lyric and Nahema (especially in extrait) – both very romantic and non-linear and hot contenders in my “wish I had worn for my wedding” contest. Something a little more light-hearted (though sweet) in the rose-violet spectrum would be L’Artisan Drole de Rose, which I certainly prefer to FM Lipstick Rose.
I immediately thought of Divine L’ame Soeur. It is a pretty chypre and feels a lot like a Chanel… But isn’t. Perhaps even Eau Divine with the delicate violet and bit of green going on. I think all the Divines would work for wedding frags in their own way. Also, there’s a lot of pretty Annick Goutal frags. I think some Rose Absolu layered with Violette would be gorgeous for a wedding.
L’Ame Soeur is a good choice, especially for someone who already likes Chanel No. 5.
Thank you all for the suggestions and well wishes! I’m very excited to start sampling.
I have smelled 31 Rue Cambon and Beige in passing, but never seriously sampled and definitely want to revisit.
cwill, I do know Quelque Fleurs, and I like it very much, but an old college roommate of mine BATHED herself in it–always had three bottles in reserve on her shelf. So I don’t know if I can disassociate that fragrance from her…and I wasn’t crazy about her! It’s a shame though, because it’s beautiful.
RusticDove, did you get married in Rockland County, NY, by any chance? That would be a great coincidence if I’m getting married at the same place!
Hi Denise! No, I got married outside of Philadelphia, where we lived at the time, at a place called the William Penn Inn. It has the distinction of being the oldest continuously run inn in all of PA. I almost asked you where your reception is going to be!! Congratulations and very best wishes to you. [And do make sure to let us know which fragrance you choose for your special day!]
Do try Rue Cambon on skin. I wasn’t at all enticed after smelling it in the bottle, but am glad I finally procured a sample and tried it on.
I’m a fan of 31 Rue Cambon, too…but only recently, for some reason. Because I am a big fan of both the Malles mentioned as known “likes,” I’d add my vote to trying it…and being sure to try it on skin.
Doesn’t Parfums Rosine have a rose violet fragrance, La Rose or something like that? Also, Guerlain Meteorites comes to mind. I think Nahema is a good choice, too. And, if you can find it, Guerlain Apres L’Ondee.
Best wishes to you, Denise!
Congratulations to you and your partner! May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past!
My recommendations would be:
1) Lancome Magie Noir. I really think strongly this is going to be perfect for you!
2) Hermes Kelly Caleche EDP
3) Annick Goutal La Violette ( you can get a decant online if it is no longer available in your area)
4) Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette EDP
When you were exploring the FM line, did you try Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese?
That’s such a beautiful thing to wish on someone!
Can’t take the credit for it – it’s an old Irish Blessing!
How about Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile? Maybe the pretty special edition version that Robin posted a note about earlier today.
Sure it has white floral and a bit of orange, but the sum is far greater than it’s parts and it would be a beautiful and unique wedding scent. Despite not having violet in the list of notes, it does read like a violet scent to me. Good luck hunting!
Denise, we have very similar taste – I was nodding along with all of your likes and dislikes with delighted concurrence! Great noses sniff alike!
Everyone above has suggested some wonderful perfumes (especially two of my favourites, Chanel Beige and Ormonde Jayne Ta’if), but one that you might really love is Yves Saint Laurent’s Paris. The eau de parfum, not the toilette, which is a mere gauzy shadow of itself. Paris is, hands down, one of the most romantic perfumes ever made, and perfect for a wedding. It’s a gorgeous blend of rose and violet, two of your favourite notes, with the heartbreaking golden warmth of sandalwood and hawthorn in the drydown. It is stunning, and perfectly constructed in every way. As an extra added bonus, it lingers on the skin for an astonishingly long time, so that even if you spray it on in the morning, your husband will still be able to smell its subtle loveliness on your skin when you close the doors and go to bed that night.
It’s an absolute classic, and I think you might love it, Denise.
Paris is very beautiful and has the violet-rose thing going on. Denise, if you are a fan of Paris, then you should check out some of Sophia Grojsman’s other creations, many of which have that same combination. Bvlgari pour Femme (which is very feminine and could be very wedding-y), Lancome Tresor, YSL Yvresse.
I agree with all of the Les Exclusifs comments.. I may also suggest Le Labo Iris 39 and Rose 31… Good luck and congrats!!!!!
Also try the Maison Francis Kurkdjain Line… They’re Beautiful.. You may enjoy the Lumiere Noir….
Felicitations! I saw “classically beautiful” in the description, and I wondered if you might like Attrape-Coeur by Guerlain, Le Dix by Balenciaga (classic, powdery violet and other florals), Mythique by Parfums DelRae, and Odalisque by Parfums de Nicolai. I just tried a perfume that seems to be a modern riff on Chanel no. 5, Mariella Burani by Mariella Burani. It has a lot of different floral notes, and it seems classic without being stuffy. It’s also quite reasonable.
Oh, you mention a couple of lemmings: I have never tried Attrape-coeur or Mythique, but I want to do so as soon as possible!
Seconding Le Dix, a beautiful, elegant violet. The Rose Chypree mentioned above is also a great suggestion. Have fun, and congratulations in advance!
If you don’t mind a bit of vanilla and anise, what about Caron’s Aimez Moi for a gorgeous violet with a twist? Or in addition to Taif pretty much all of Ormonde Jayne’s florals (Frangipani, Champaca, Tiare etc.) or TDC’s Osmanthus; all beautiful without being dull or cloying? Little warning though, TDC’s Osmanthus needs frequent reapplying. Last but not least, what about Apres L’Ondee for a classic soft violet? All the best for your wedding!
i agree with Beige and Ta’if and Le Dix, also L’Ame Soeur – and how about Rose Kashmirie from the Rosines line for a powdery rose? Farmacia SS Annunziata KAMA is another beautiful soft and powdery number. I’d suggest Guerlain Plus Que Jamais but it is sadly too dear. Then B by Boucheron is positioned as a wedding fragrance and Armani Rose Alexandrie is a pretty rose, though perhaps not complex enough?
I agree with so very many listed already, and have just 2 others to suggest. For rose/violet, Annick Goutal’s Heure Exquise; and for sheer lovely grown-up elegance, OJ Woman. Have fun exploring!
You could go to Aedes in the West Village and tell the owner what you’re looking for. He knows his stuff, and will give you a good tour of what he has and send you off with samples of your favorites.
Great suggestions here. I third or fourth the Nahema (esp. in extrait) and would add Guerlain’s Chamade and/or Vol de Nuit. For some reason, VdN jumped into my mind as I read about you.
All best wishes on your upcoming marriage.
Forgot to add Sonoma Scent Studio’s Champagne de Bois. It’s gorgeous and very reasonable.
Ooh, while talking SSS, also try Lieu de Reves!
Second that!
I was also thinking Bois de Iles and Aimez Moi.
Ormonde Jayne Woman for something interesting. I like Killian Prelude to Love too .
Like green violet? Unicorn Spell…or just green, Balmain Vent Verte.
Light rose – Bvlgari Rose Essentielle or their Jasmine Nuit is very romantic!
and L’artisan L’eau L’artisan is a nice floral … makes me think of a spring wedding!
My first suggestion has come up a number of times — Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Chyprée. Wore it yesterday, and today, could still smell ghosts of the base… It is simply gorgeous. A modern classic.
My next suggestion would be Teo Cabanal’s Alahine, which I find to be much cooler and more proper; it epitomizes the classic elegant scent.
http://ismellthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2008/06/teo-cabanel-alahine-review.html
p.s. En Passent is my spring signature scent, and I definitely don’t find it too light… the fragrance has a certain transparency, but I find the sillage and longevity to be excellent. It doesn’t appear to fit your criteria though, but I think it would be gorgeous, especially if you are able to incorporate lilacs into your bouquet and flower arrangements. If you were to do that, then every time you were to smell lilac, your wedding would come flooding back to you, and likely your guests too. I think it would be lovely to have that sort of “scent alliteration” as it were… And the end of May is when lilacs start to come into season, so it would be a perfect fit.
Congratulations Denise! i was married in November (Diorissimo, since lillies are “special occasion” to me). But for you – I second Stephan’s Maison Francis Kurkdjian Lumiere Noir. it’s a lovely rose over patchouli, a very elegant scent, but not too heavy. MFK scents have great lasting power on me too, which is good for a wedding day scent! The Chanels also – 31 Rue Cambon and No. 22 – would be worth a try. finally, I’m I’m currently in love with le Labo Jasmin 17 – it’s more neroli/orange blossom than jasmine, but I find is fresh and lovely and spring-like, and I’m not a huge white flowers fan either. We like a lot of the same scents – so it might be worth a try.
This may be WAY out in left field, but for a memorable fragrance that virtually everyone loves is Profumum Acqua Y Zucchero. It can be a room-blaster, so she wouldn’t want to use a heavy hand. It’s a bit more than $200.00, but it’s so spectacular and long-lasting that it will last forever.
I was already thinking about En Passant as a pic before I got to the bottom- I say keep it in the running! I am big Violet fan and Caron’s Violette Precieuse (vintage and new) and CdG Stephen Jones (whimsy like the wedding) are beautiful violets.
Good luck on your hunt
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have my work cut out for me with sampling but I am up for the challenge.
Re: En Passant, I was definitely thinking of revisiting since lilacs are going to be in our flowers–lilacs, peonies, and garden roses, so it may work!
I will report back soon!
Denise, wishing you all happiness!
I’ve read your likes and dislikes and the excellent suggestions here, and my intuition has told me that you might love Guerlain’s Idylle. My intuition has some factual basis, too: Idylle has lilac AND rose AND peony!!! It’s built along the same fresh, interesting, non-linear lines as No 5 Eau Premiere and the roses are Bulgarian and garden-like. It’s new on the scene — released in the fall of 2009 — and so you’ll sort of have it all to yourself as a spring bride. It is very, very well done: not earth-shatteringly unique, but extremely pretty. Although it’s sheer, it’s got excellent sillage and good staying power.
Do tell us what you decide on, and enjoy your special day!
I definitely agree with many others on Andy Tauer’s Une rose chypree. It is breathtakingly gorgeous and will make you feel especially beautiful on such a special day. Guerlain’s Attrape-coeur would make a stunning wedding scent too.
I also thought of the original Private Collection from EL. It won’t break the bank, has a lovely green and almost mossy freshness about it, isn’t full of white florals and is fairly easy to obtain. It just feels very elegant and timeless, and also has good sillage and lasting power.
She has good taste based on the frags she wears
I would suggest layering…and I am going to make a daring suggestion…
Why not layer a bold Rose soliflore (the one she likes most, or maybe a drugstore rose perfume) over Dior Homme??
It is one of the most beautiful Irises I know.
Well that’s my two cents of crazy.
Roses and violets are not my strong point, but I saw someone recommend Caron’s Parfum Sacré and I had to jump in and second it. Beautiful, complex, incense-y, rosy, romantic; perfect.
Many apologies if someone has already suggested this, I didn’t have time to read the entire thread. But what about Paestum Rose from Eau D’Italie? It is a fabulous, rich, incense underscored, yet not overwhelming. Here is a list of notes, and then read Robin’s review. Which is excellent and right on the money.
davana, cinnamon, black pepper, pink pepper, coriander, black currant buds, Turkish rose, peony, incense, osmanthus, elemi, tea, papyrus, benzoin, myrrh, opoponax, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, wenge wood, amber and white musk.
I went on my first mission to Saks today. Sniffed a lot, but only having two wrists I’m wearing Chanel No. 22 and Nahema, and also scored a sample of Idylle. I am enjoying both of them. I really do like the Chanel No. 22. I wasn’t quite sure at first but now in the dry down I keep sniffing my wrist. It’s warming up and it does somewhat remind me of the Eau Premiere, and has that “Chanel” smell to it, but it’s more intriguing. At first sniff, I was afraid it seemed a bit old for me (and I truly do not mean any offense by that, I think that although I want to like more classic perfumes, the opening is sometimes unappealing to me).
The Nahema is kind of jammy to me, but rather hard for me to smell–is my nose broken? I sprayed the parfum! Maybe I sniffed too much.
You could be anosmic to something in the Nahema — it’s not a light scent!
I cannot smell Nahema either. I can tell something is there, but I cannot *smell* it.
Denise, if you go osmoz and look under brands to olfactory groups, then pick floral, and then the sub-category, rose-violets. You will find 84 entries and descriptions of rose-violets. Insolence is there, Paris, Paris Eau De Printemps, Lanvin’s Rose, Chloe Parfum and 80 others. Then go sample away
I hope your day will be as beautiful as you smell, and ever after as well.
Denise, if you want to pursue the lilac angle, you should check out Ineke’s “After My Heart”, which is a lovely lilac scent. I find it more formal in the French-perfumery sense than “En Passent”, which is more modern and translucent. Given your stated likes and dislikes, “After my Heart” may be more up your alley.
Good luck, and let us know how you fare!
I’ve been married for about a month now and I can finally report back on my wedding perfume quest! First of all, thank you so much for all of your suggestions. I tried almost all of them (not exaggerating, my husband cannot believe the number of vials of samples I now own) and I learned a lot about my likes and dislikes. I’ll spare you all of the gory details. After testing and testing I kept on coming back to this feeling that it *had* to be rose. Rose, to me, could be classic, elegant, youthful and sparkling all at the same time. I didn’t realized that immediately, but after rejecting a few iris/violet scents that I really did like, I realized I was holding out for a rose. Less than a week before the wedding I went to Aedes in the West Village. I sampled on cards given to me by the sales associate, not knowing what I was trying, which was interesting, since I think I usually have a lot of preconceived ideas about the brands I’m trying, and it affects my judgment (not that that’s all a bad thing, I love the images and mystique a brand can create for me). I left with seven samples, and only three days to decide. Three days before the wedding, I decided on Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Rose Opulente. It worked for me. When everything finally came together, it was the perfect finishing touch for the day. For me it really had the same qualities as my dress (and I am using words people used, I’m not that vain!): elegant, classic, simple, vintage. During the wedding did I think about my fragrance? Not really, there was way too much going on. But I do have the memory of the quest, and that bottle sitting up there on my dresser for me to sniff when necessary. I think I will only wear this on our anniversary—it just is too special to me for any else—and I’m so glad I have this scent memory.
On a side note, I decided to go with Eau Premiere for the Rehearsal Dinner, and Le Labo Jasmin 17 for the honeymoon—that was a big surprise to me, but I love it!
Thank you all again!