Having An Outdoor Wedding? This Yummy Perfume Doubles As Bug Repellent

Aromaflage is available at Sophy Curson in Philly.

Besides what they’re going to do for their Plan B in case of rain, brides throwing an outdoor wedding have got quite a list of things in the Mother-Nature department that they’ve got to worry about when it comes to the comfort of their guests. In the spring and summer, those things include, but are not limited to, temperature—those tents absolutely have to be either air conditioned or fan-filled!—and bugs. Mosquitoes. Flies. Bees. Swatting at these guys all night long just doesn’t make for very fun dance moves for your nearest and dearest.

That’s why we were intrigued to hear about Aromaflage, one of the newer fragrances on the market, and it’s rather magical side effect: bug repellent.

The product was created, ironically, by newlyweds during their very first year of marriage (“We joke that the only fights we’ve had have been about business,” said Melissa Matarese Fensterstock, one half of the team behind Aromaflage) after a trip to Southeast Asia. Fenterstock, a Harvard Business School graduate, and her husband, Michael, who is currently pursuing an executive MNA at Johns Hopkins, had long wanted a joint entrepreneurial project, but it wasn’t until the bugs descended on their vacation that they began their first venture as a business power-couple: Mikey & Momo.

While still in Southeast Asia, the couple stumbled upon a combination of essential oils that made the bugs leave them alone—and left them smelling like vanilla rather than DEET.

“We looked at each other and realized this was it,” explained Momo. “There’s no alternative for this in the U.S. So why not basically create a market for it?”

Fewer than six months later, Mikey & Momo began selling their French-glass-bottled perfume, filled with aromatic essential oils from Southeast Asia, to an American audience. The sweet fragrance, which combines hues of vanilla, cedar wood, and orange, doubles as a bug spray—but without the toxins or the hard-to-rid stench.

And while the high-end product can be used anywhere for anything—laying on the beach, eating at a backyard barbecue, relaxing on vacation—it really is an especially good fit for outdoor weddings. Whether stationed in the bathroom for guests to use or as a gift to your bridal party, Aromaflage will leave you and your wedding guests bite- and chemical-free (and smelling good, no matter how hot it is out there!). After all, as Momo puts it: “After spending so much on such a beautiful occasion, you’re going to put a bottle of Off on the table?”

And, good news part one: Mikey and Momo are looking into expanding Aromaflage to include new fragrances and a smaller, more “clutch-friendly” perfume size. Good news part two: Aromaflage can be purchased online, but it’s also available at close to 30 stores throughout the Northeast, including Sophy Curson in Philadelphia and Bellanova in Stone Harbor, for $65 per bottle. — Amanda Wolkin

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