How to Pull Off the Perfect Proposal with One Secret Ingredient

Consider using fragrance to make the moment special.

Proposals can be one of the most difficult things to plan, so we offer you a guide to pull off the perfect proposal of your dreams.

close-up-picture-of-brides-hand-with-manicure-and-engagement-ring
Photo: Gil Riego Photography

Proposals can be one of the most difficult things to plan, so we offer you a guide to pull off the perfect proposal of your dreams. Fragrance has an uncanny ability to instantaneously transport us to a specific time and place, whether that’s a secret place or a childhood party, so it’s no surprise that couples are now choosing to curate the scent for proposals with as much care as they can. 

champagne and flamingos candles, how to use scented candles in your proposal

Photo courtesy of Champagne and Flamingos

Jane Helliwell, the fragrance expert at Champagne and Flamingos – a service that mixes and matches scents to create a unique blend – has tips on how to incorporate scent into popping the question. Here is some advice on how to pull off the perfect proposal right under your partner's nose. 

Love at First Scent

As humans, we fall in love through our senses. Our sense of smell plays a huge part – each person has their own unique scent and smell can influence attraction.

When we inhale a fragrance, it sends a message to the limbic area of our brains. This, in turn, triggers emotions, which are then married to the scent and experienced forever. That is why a familiar fragrance so often brings memories to mind. The day you propose is one you want your other half to treasure, so scent is of the utmost importance.

Set the Scene

The right scents do more than cement and evoke memories. Certain fragrances are credited with a rise in feelings of desire, passion, and seduction. This is especially true when these aromas are featured in a romantic setting – think shimmering lights, crimson rose petals, and alluring, delicate wafts of scent filling the air. 

Cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, jasmine, frankincense, patchouli, ylang ylang, and musk stimulate both men and women. Jasmine is reported to be particularly alluring to men, especially when combined with notes of rose. White musk, which resembles the scent of male pheromones, tends to draw more intense responses from women.

Scented candles are a romantic way to introduce fragrance. You can calm any pre-proposal nerves with ylang ylang, which soothes worry, deepens experiences, and paves the way for romance. Frankincense is another excellent fragrance choice, thanks to its calming properties and ability to awaken desire.

Create a Candlelit Proposal

With scent playing its part in every step of your love story, why not include it in your proposal, too? Champagne and Flamingos has created the ultimate scent to say yes to, featuring enchanting jasmine and rose, sensual cinnamon, patchouli, clove, and vanilla. 

Uniting the most decadent and sophisticated of scents in candle form, the Champagne and Flamingos proposal package creates an intimate and unforgettable atmosphere for your engagement, creating memories to cherish. 

It has not been easier to pop the all-important question and make the moment magical. Start planning your scented proposal today!

Learn the dos and don'ts of proposing and find out what to do when you're expecting your beloved to pop the question soon