SCENT OF A WOMAN

What makes a fragrance worthy of a wedding day? TARINI SOOD unpacks the symbolism behind the choices.

- 

ON THE GRAND to-do list of weddings, a signature scent doesn’t usually claim top priority. I hadn't given it much thought either—until weeks before the ceremony. I overheard a conversation between two girls—something about wearing a statement scent for an upcoming date night—an offhand remark that lingered in my own mind and got me thinking: what did I want to wear on my fast-approaching big day?

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became—I couldn't spritz on just anything. It would have to be something that would last far beyond the veil and vows—a scent that would anchor the day in my mind long after it was over. Weddings, after all, are full of chaos in the lead-up, and the day itself passes by in a blur—a hazy mashup of greetings, flashing cameras and rituals. I would not remember every person I met, nor details of how the day unfolded, but I wanted to remember how I felt. And scent, I’ve learned, is a trusted gateway to memory.