Upon being told that it is tradition for the groom to give the bride a little token for their wedding day, my cousin decided to ask his fiancée what kind of wedding gift she would like to receive from him.

She simply replied “a bottle of the perfume Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day.”

He figured this would be straightforward enough to find and typically left it until the last minute to look for it in Boots. What he didn’t bank on however was the massive demand for this one perfume not to mention the consequential two week waiting list. The poor lad has since invested more effort into trying to find this one perfume than he has into the planning of the wedding itself. On the bright side, at least he can be thankful his bride to be didn’t ask for the same perfume Katie Holmes wore on her wedding day. For her nuptials to Tom Cruise Katie wore Clive Christian No1, which, at €118,000 a bottle, is the most expensive perfume in the world.

Rather ironically, Katie’s favourite perfume is Miss Dior Cherie, which priced at €55 seems rather cheap and cheerful by comparison!

Another famous bridal perfume gift came from Prince Rainer who commissioned the perfume house Creed to create a special scent for his fiancée Grace Kelly to wear on her wedding day. They produced a fragrance called ‘Fleurissimo’ and presented a private collection to the new princess before launching it publicly. It is still available to buy.

The truth of the matter however is that it doesn’t matter how expensive your perfume is if you don’t wear it correctly.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your favourite scent:

Ÿ        Most perfumes are designed to last for about four hours. To make the scent last so much longer, gently rub a little Vaseline into your wrist then spray on your perfume. The Vaseline will hold the scent longer. Heat rises, so you should also perfume yourself from the knees up. This allows the scent to rise up and last longer throughout the day.

Ÿ        Never apply perfume behind your ears as it may blend with the secretions of your skin and form a strange smell. You should also never apply it to your cleavage either, as this will increase your risk of developing spots in that area.

Ÿ        Be careful when spraying perfume directly into your hair. Some hair products may react to the fragrance negatively causing strong odours.

Celeb Fan:

Kate Hudson: L’occitane Green tea with mint. This can be purchased from L’occitane on Eglington Street in Galway

Ÿ        Everyone’s chemistry is different so just because it smells nice on someone else doesn’t mean it will smell equally as nice on you. To make sure you know what you are buying, ask for a tester or use a tester that comes in a magazine, apply and let it sit for an hour. That way, you will see how long-lasting and stable the fragrance is. It will also help you determine if the scent will cause a reaction such as headaches, allergies, etc.

Ÿ        The best places to apply perfume during the day is to your wrists, the joints on your legs and above your tummy. At night, apply perfume on the back of your neck. This is to avoid the reaction between UV rays and perfume which may in turn form allergies or damage the skin.

Celeb Fan:

Cameron Diaz loves to wear ‘Happy’ by Clinique, and ‘Samsara’ by Guerlain. These fragrances can be purchased from the Debenhams Shopping Centre in Galway

Ÿ        Always wait half an hour after applying perfume to your wrist before putting on jewellery. The alcohol in perfume will tarnish silver.

Ÿ        Never rub your wrists together after applying perfume, simply pat them together.

Ÿ        The best time to apply perfume is right after a shower or bath. After bathing, your skin pores will be open and will soak up the perfume’s fragrance. If you can, try also to use a shower gel from the same brand, the kind that usually comes with the perfume in a gift set is ideal.

Celeb Fan:

Angelina Jolie’s favourites include Bvlgari Black and Carolina Herrera Men’s cologne. She has been wearing the latter fragrance since she was 16! These can be purchased from Brown Thomas Galway.

Ÿ        Be careful not to let your perfume come in contact with your clothing particularly white clothing, as it will yellow the fabric. If you are wearing silk, be extra careful as the alcohol in the perfume may leave a stain.
Ÿ        When spraying the fragrance onto tester paper, place it at arms length and then fan it gently. By not fanning the test sheet, it will smell far too strong and you won’t get an accurate smell.

Celeb Fan:

Apart from her own perfume Lolavie, Jennifer Aniston is said to love Anais Anais by Cacharel.

Ÿ        Always keep your perfumes in dark and cold places so they can remain long-lasting.

Ÿ        Above all, don’t overuse your perfume. The scent should be subtle enough to not invade anyone else’s personal space but pleasant enough that others will want to stay around you.

Celeb Fan:

Despite being the face of Guerlain perfume, Hilary Swank is said to wear Calvin Klein’s Eternity Moment.

Ÿ        I am always asked about the best perfumes for brides. It goes without saying that it all depends on personal taste, however I would personally recommend one of the following: Romance by Ralph Lauren, Organza By Givenchy, Inis Perfume, D&G Light Blue, Miss Dior Cherie (or J‘Adore Dior), Elizabeth Arden 5^th Avenue (or Splendour), Marry Me by Lanvin, and of course, Chanel No 5!

Celeb Fan:

Catherine Zeta Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow are just two of many celebrity fans of Coco Chanel.

Kate Middleton’s wedding perfume:

On her wedding day to Prince William, Kate Middleton eschewed the designer brands for the little known label Illuminum. The name of the scent she chose to wear is called White Gardenia Petals and sells for £70 (approximately €100) for a 50ml bottle at www.roullierwhite.com.

Within minutes of Clarence House releasing a statement confirming the name of the perfume Kate wore for her wedding, every one of the 50ml bottles in stock sold out and a short waiting list has now formed.

Considering its popularity, it shouldn’t be too long more before the shops of Galway begin stocking it.

Celeb Fan:

Actress Cate Blanchett loves Burberry fragrances, citing Burberry Brit as a particular favourite.