Tuesday 21 July 2009

The Importance of Scent

Have you ever smelled a fragrance and instantly lots of memories come flooding through? Well research has shown that scent is the most effective trigger for memories and emotions. This is something that has been overlooked during the wedding planning process for a long time but fragrance is becoming an increasingly important detail with scented invitations fast becoming ‘the next big thing.’ The hope being that the pleasant scent will remind you of their invitation and ultimately their wedding day for years to come.

There are so many different ways to ‘scent’ your stationery but it should always be kept in mind that some people may be allergic or will simply dislike some scents so subtlety is quite important as you do not want to 'overpower' your intended guest.

The most common way to ‘scent’ an invitation is to use a scented spray, spraying it directly over the invitation itself. This method should always be tested on a sample invitation first as it can leave unsightly marks on certain papers. Also, the spray should be ‘misted’ over the invitation rather than sprayed directly on to avoid too strong a scent.

A more effective way, which may be more suitable if you do not know if your guests suffer from any conditions, which may be triggered by perfumes, is to use scented oil. This can be applied to the inside of the envelope using a cotton ball; this allows the invitation to absorb the scent from the envelope rather than from direct exposure. A much more subtle scent is achieved.

Why not coordinate your scent with your wedding theme? If you are having roses in your bouquet you could place scented, dried rose petals within the invitation (again this should be tested on a sample as some petals may mark certain papers) or, if you are having a Scottish theme, a little dried heather. Dried lavender is also an incredibly popular choice.



Another way of coordinating the scent with your wedding would be to choose a perfume or oil that directly relates to where you are being wed e.g. apple for in an orchard or for a spring wedding, orange for a Hallowe’en wedding, cinnamon for a Christmas wedding.

Maybe aromatherapy is more appealing to you, invoking emotions and feelings that you would like people to associate with your big day? Rose, Jasmine and Ylang Ylang are considered aphrodisiacs whilst Heather and Sandalwood are considered to create a feeling of calm and well-being. When it comes to aromatherapy, Google really is your friend as there are so many options available.



If the scent memory trigger is something you wish to include into your wedding day theme it is incredibly easy. Fresh flowers are of course the most popular and easiest method of doing this but fragranced candles are becoming more and more popular. You can also choose scented favours such as bath salts, bath bombs and candles. Again with both flowers and candles, you should be aware of any allergies that guests may have. Also candles should be kept well out of the reach of little fingers.



(written by Jac at Little Tiger Creations for Guide to Being a Scottish Bride)

1 comment:

  1. This is really interesting Jac, thanks for writing this. I'm sure a few other prospective brides will find this useful too!

    Kate

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