The Romantic Wedding Day Present Prince Rainier Commissioned For Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier's wedding quickly became one of the societal events of the century due to the romantic, fairytale-esque vibe of the pair's courtship, and the Prince's gift to the future Princess of Monaco only fed into this fairytale. As part of his wedding gift to the American actress, he commissioned a perfume named Fleurissimo. Created by the revered British perfume house Creed, which was established in 1760, the scent was worn by Kelly on her wedding day. Creed was no stranger to creating special scents — the brains behind some of the world's best-known perfumes also created a scent for Audrey Hepburn called "Spring Flower."
The couple married in 1956 at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco. The guest list included Hollywood royalty like Cary Grant and Ava Gardner alongside actual royalty, and everything was decked out in sumptuous glamour. The scent Kelly wore on her wedding day had to rise to the occasion, and it did just that by becoming one of the most memorable perfumes ever worn by actors.
The gift co-existed in perfect harmony with Grace Kelly's wedding bouquet
Not just any gift, Creed Fleurissimo was commissioned by Prince Rainier specifically to match Grace Kelly's wedding bouquet. It contains head notes of bergamot, mandarin, and violet leaves, heart notes of tuberose, jasmine, rose, neroli, and ylang-ylang, and base notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, and orris for a distinctive lingering earthiness. It is designed to emulate a feminine and romantic aura and was possibly inspired by the florals in Kelly's wedding bouquet.
Per Tatler, the bouquet Kelly carried down the aisle was a discreet bunch of lily of the valley flowers. As well as her bouquet, the future princess also held a small prayer book decorated with sumptuous silk, pearls, and lace detail. These items perfectly matched the former actor's wedding dress, which was a poignant farewell gift of sorts from her studio MGM, and featured layers of teeny, delicate pearls and lace from Brussels. On her head, Kelly opted for a Juliet cap, once again featuring lace and pearl detail.
Grace Kelly's love of flowers
Flowers are, of course, often a central part of any wedding celebration, and the sumptuous union of Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier III of Monaco was no exception. But as the screen actress later made clear, she loved flowers intensely, and released a book in 1980 with the help of her cowriter Gwen Robyns titled "My Book of Flowers."
As the book details, in her later life Kelly — now known as Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco — made flowers central to her day-to-day life, organizing the Monaco Flower Show to celebrate the centenary of Monte Carlo, founding the Garden Club of Monaco, and becoming an expert in flower arranging, which she also taught as an art.
The Fleurissimo fragrance created in Kelly's honor on the occasion of her wedding proved to be something of an omen. While Kelly never acted in a movie again after she became a Princess, she still harbored creative impulses. Her love of flowers provided her with an outlet for them while maintaining the elegance that she was expected to project in her public life. While she turned toward documentary narration instead of acting and stayed connected to the film industry by joining the board of directors of 20th Century Fox, Kelly's private passion was flower pressing. She finally exhibited a number of artworks she had created with pressed flowers in New York in 1977 — the works sold out entirely. Per Town & Country Magazine, more recently the Princess Grace Foundation has released a new charity perfume, Promenade Sur Le Rocher, inspired by Kelly's art.
Fleurissimo added to Grace Kelly's romantic wedding day allure
If you want to channel Grace Kelly's elegant and regal appeal, Creed Fleurissimo can still be bought today (although it may not be the exact same formulation as Kelly's version). Moreover, per Refinery29, the perfume does have a tendency to smell a little old-fashioned due to its strong mix of florals. However, for a princess like Kelly, it makes perfect sense that such a classic perfume would become her signature, especially due to the time period it was created.
Along with the perfume, Kelly's wedding look is truly ageless. As described by designer Oscar de la Renta, "On her wedding day, Grace Kelly gave new meaning to the word icon. Her whole look, from the regal veil to the feminine lace details and the conservative gown, made her an ageless bride" (via The Telegraph). It's this exact timeless beauty that made Kelly into the icon she is still remembered as over half a century later.