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For many brides, a fragrance is a major part of the ritual of getting ready, so, of course, they’re going to want to wear one on the big day, and maybe even take their wedding as an opportunity to try something new! Many classic fragrances are hugely popular with brides (we’ve written about them here!) but for those of you leaning towards something cool, new or alternative, we wanted to share some inspiration. Whether you’re looking for something bold, floral, zesty or luxe, we think you’ll find a new favourite on our list of the best alternative wedding fragrances for brides!

1. Lancôme La Vie est Belle Soleil Cristal

50ml for €89 at Brown Thomas

Soleil Cristal is 2021’s latest version of La Vie Est Belle, the scent made famous by Julia Roberts. The original is a real crowd-pleaser, and it took three years and 5,000 samples to perfect it. A delicious gourmand with floral and fruity notes like pear, praline, and iris, this new version has a trio of sweet white flowers: jasmine, orange blossom, and ylang ylang, and a solar coconut accord that highlights their creamy, velvety texture. Vanilla has been added to the base notes so it’s a really feminine, summery scent.

2. Cloon Keen Bel Étage EDP

100ml for €130 at cloonkeen.com

With Bel Étage, Galway perfumer Cloon Keen has recreated the spirit of Georgian Dublin’s light-filled drawing rooms and married notes used in traditional Eau de Cologne, in existence for more than 300 years. Bel Étage is an eau de parfum, a longer-lasting fragrance, and has sparkling notes of Italian bergamot, lemon primafiore, and orange blossom. Lavender, rosemary, vetiver, and musks are the heart and base notes, these comfortably linger on the skin for hours. This one’s a great choice if you’re looking for something modern, yet classic.

3. Atelier Cologne Lemon Island

100ml for €120 at Brown Thomas

Atelier Cologne takes notes you may know like neroli, rose or clementine and turns them into something unexpected. More of a niche unisex fragrance brand, their popularity is growing more and more each year. Lemon Island is more complex than you might think, its notes are lemon, Indian jasmine, and Madagascan vanilla. The lemon note is refreshing, and softened by the jasmine, then sweetened somewhat by the vanilla. This one is very different but very beautiful, and fabulous for an outdoor wedding.

4. Dior J’Adore Roller Pearl EDP Infinissime

20ml for €51 at Arnotts

Dior’s new rollerball Infinissime eau de parfum is a convenient 20ml size, perfect for popping in your wedding handbag and easy to apply in a hurry. The J’Adore scent is much-loved for its feminine composition, the fragrance open with notes of citrus bergamot and blood orange, followed by a white floral heart of Centifolia rose, jasmine sambac and ylang ylang, followed by creamy and milky sandalwood. For this new iteration, the voluptuous tuberose heightens the sensuality of the scent.

5. Sisley Izia La Nuit EDP

30ml for €104 at Brown Thomas

Family-owned French beauty brand Sisley has some of the world’s most coveted beauty pieces, like their Black Rose and Sisleÿa anti-ageing skin care, and Eau de Soir fragrance. The original Izia launched almost four years ago, a personal scent creation of Isabelle d’Ornano, Vice-President of the brand. She wanted to make a perfume to recreate the scent of a bouquet of fresh roses, and she is also behind this La Nuit version for 2021, which features a more sensual and opulent rose. Very romantic and perfect for an elegant wedding.

6. Jo Malone London Scarlet Poppy Cologne Intense

50ml for €101 at Arnotts

Jo Malone London perfumes are available as either Cologne or Cologne Intense, the former in clear glass flacons, the latter in black. The Intense offerings are bigger and bolder scents, often with inspiration from far flung locations, while the Colognes tend to have note pairings a lot closer to the brand’s home in the UK. This new Scarlet Poppy is a big, ravishing floral inspired by the great scarlet poppy from Asia. Velvety iris, sweet fig and tonka bean make for a very decadent but feminine scent.

7. Chanel Le Lion de Chanel EDP

75ml for €194 at chanel.com

Les Exclusifs de Chanel is the French luxury brand’s prestige perfume collection, and Le Lion de Chanel one of its most important launches in years. In-house Chanel perfumer, Olivier Polge, created this new fragrance inspired by the emblematic lion of the brand, so loved by Coco Chanel (a Leo!) that it made its way into her designs. The perfume has Bergamot and Lemon to start, which makes way for amber, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, and musk. A stunning blend.

8. Tom Ford Tubéreuse Nue

50ml for €258 at Brown Thomas exclusively

Often called the ‘carnal flower’, tuberose is a beautiful night-blooming white floral, and a couple of stems can quickly fill a room with its heady aroma. It’s here in Tom Ford’s latest fragrance, alongside jasmine (also night-blooming), pepper, a suede accord, tonka bean, amber, and patchouli. The perfume is best described as an amber floral and it’s unisex, as are most of Ford’s fragrances. This is a seriously sexy scent, which Ford is a master at creating.

9. Anine Bing Fragrance Pure Noir EDP

75ml for €169 at eu.aninebing.com

Anine Bing is the LA-based fashion brand heavily influenced by Scandinavian style, timeless tailoring with a rebellious flair. The brand, created by Bing, a Danish blogger and former model, has close to a million followers on Instagram so this one is something of a cult favourite! In 2020, the brand launched this new fragrance Pure Noir, their second after Savage Rose. Featuring black baccarat rose, papyrus, spicy saffron, and mahogany, this scent is bold and thoroughly modern.

10. Le Labo Neroli 36

50ml for €158 at Brown Thomas

Neroli is another name for orange blossom, and it has a real sunny disposition. The popular floral is pushed to the fore here by Le Labo and it’s a scent that makes you smile, ideal for a summer wedding. Alongside the neroli note are rose, musk, mandarin, jasmine, and vanilla, making it a very feminine, sophisticated perfume. As a nice touch, the bottle and box can be personalised, maybe with your wedding date or names as a reminder of your special day!

Get more bridal beauty tips and ideas here!