Cinnamon and pine on Christmas mornings. Brewed coffee and freshly cooked eggs for breakfast. The salty seawater and fresh sea breeze of the beach.

These aromas immortalize even the most mundane situations into a person’s memory. After all, scents make moments more memorable. That is a science-supported fact.

Thanks to olfactory input, you can make all your special occasions, like weddings, more unforgettable. And one way to do that is by setting up a perfume station.

What Is a Perfume Station?

Besides using scented candles, a new way of bringing lovely smells into a wedding is by giving everyone a chance to make something to add to their own perfume collection.

A perfume station is a timeless Arab tradition that has been practiced during Arab weddings throughout history. It offers opportunities for everyone attending the gathering to have a more memorable time.

Besides spreading a pleasant aroma across the venue, a perfume station has also been proven to be a popular option for wedding souvenirs and take-home favors for other occasions, like bridal showers and birthday parties.

7 Steps in Setting Up a Perfume Station

The perfume station is an interactive addition to events, like photo booths and dessert bars. Setting up this apothecary-inspired experience during cocktail hour or the reception can make the gathering unique, trendy, and special.

Planning to set up a wedding perfume station for a friend or yourself? Here are the seven steps you need to know:

Step #1: Research.

Everything starts with an idea, which must be thoroughly researched before being implemented.

If you don’t want to leave the perfume station set up to the pros, you must know enough about scented oils and how they affect the skin before endeavouring to DIY.

Read about it or consult a reputable supplier of skin-safe scented oils. Use the information you get when deciding which ingredients to buy for your perfume bar to avoid mishaps like allergies and other adverse effects.

Step #2: Stock up on supplies.

If you haven’t found a ready-to-use kit that has everything you need, you may also stock up on each item separately. The list of essentials may include:

• Large bottles for essential oil display
• Empty small bottles for guests to fill
• Pipettes
• Droppers
• Funnels
• Sticker labels
• Favor pouches or boxes

Don’t forget the scented oils and other ingredients. Gardenia, lily of the valley, ylang-ylang, and jasmine are some of the favorite scented oil options for wedding perfume stations.

For the liquid base, you need 100-proof vodka and distilled water.

Calculate how much you’ll need based on the number of guests you plan to invite. Although the concoction recipe will depend on the size of the bottles, you can also implement a per-person limit to make sure you don’t run out of supplies.

Here’s an example:

• 1.5-ounce glass perfume bottles
• 1 to 2 drops of scented oils per ounce of vodka
• 1 to 2 ounces of vodka
• 2 tablespoons of distilled water

Pro Tip: Try to stock up on more bottles and base liquids (vodka and water) than what’s needed to leave room for experimentation.

Step #3: Provide your guests with a mixing guide.

Not everyone is an expert in mixing scented oils, but they should feel like they are in your perfume station without any risk of adverse reaction.

To make this happen, make sure you prepare a step-by-step guide for combining scented oils that they can follow. Try to include two or three sample recipes to help your less adventurous attendees have a fallback if they can’t figure out what they want their perfumes to smell like.

Use small cards or signs for this. You can hand it out to the attendees during the reception or tie them on the necks of the empty perfume bottles in your perfume station.

Step #4: Set up the station.

Now that you have what you need for the perfume station, it’s time to set the place up.

Prepare a counter or table with enough space for their signature scents and set it up where guests can comfortably gather around. You also have the option to give your pop-up perfume station users seats.

Step #5: Prepare your perfume station décor.

Although you have the basics ready, you must still figure out how your perfume station would look and function.

Browse through samples available online or design your own. Then, prepare all the necessary components based on the specific design or theme you chose. This may include:

• Tablecloth (optional)
• Trays or platters for the perfume supplies
• Tiered racks
• Cake stands
• Boxes covered with doilies or fabric

You can also add embellishments that may or may not have a function but can still provide the perfume station with added glam, such as:

• Vases of flowers or potted plants
• Balloon arrangements
• Confetti
• Loose petals
• Ribbons
• Bunting

Step #6: Arrange the supplies.

Once you have everything you need, arrange them on the table based on the station design.

Make sure the decanting and blending supplies and ingredients are easily accessible. The signs and cards should also be easy to read. Don’t forget the favor packaging you chose (box or bag).

Step #7: Hand out aprons, hand towels, and tissues.

During the event, you can also hand out aprons, hand towels, and tissues to your perfume station guests, as certain oils can stain clothes easily.

You can always skip the aprons if you only use non-staining ingredients. However, they do add a bit of appeal, especially if your guests are dressed their best.

Make Weddings More Memorable

Perfume stations offer a new way of spreading pleasant scents to make any occasion much more unforgettable. Although it is traditionally used in Arab weddings, you can always implement this as an interactive experience for guests in your own or a friend’s nuptials and any other occasion with this article as a guide.