A moment with ‘JAJI Parfumerie’

ABIA meets Jason West and James Alary, the Brisbane-based master perfumers behind this boutique toxin-free perfume brand which customises signature scents for weddings

All images JAJI Parfumerie

Many people find that fragrance can evoke memories, and master perfumers Jason West and James Alary, of JAJI Parfumerie, are embracing this science-backed sensory phenomenon to provide couples with a new way to enhance their wedding experience and capture a lasting memory of their big day.

“Scent has the unique ability to create atmosphere and stir emotion in a way that’s both subtle and deeply affecting — it’s invisible but unforgettable,” explain the pair.

Through their bespoke wedding fragrance service, and via JAJI’s readymade non-toxic parfum ranges, they provide couples with options to elevate their wedding atmosphere by wearing a fragrance, gently diffusing it throughout their venue and gifting it to guests as unique bomboniere.

ABIA sat down with these aromatic artists to discover more about their non-toxic ingredients, gender-neutral fragrances and processes for creating a bespoke wedding scent.

Tell us about your business and wedding service.

JAJI Parfumerie is a boundary-pushing niche Australian fragrance house. Driven by an obsession with scent as self-expression, we craft bespoke, genderless perfumes that tell deeply personal stories. Our fragrances are vegan, toxin-free and rooted in understated luxury — blending the artistry of classic perfumery with a bold, modern edge.

For couples seeking a unique touch on their special day, we offer a bespoke wedding fragrance service. Clients can collaborate directly with us to design a signature scent that encapsulates their love story and wedding ambiance in a one-of-a-kind olfactory experience. Each fragrance is a harmonious blend of sustainably-sourced ingredients and safe synthetics obtained globally.

This personalised perfume can be integrated throughout a wedding — from the ceremony to the reception — creating a sensory backdrop that evokes lasting memories. Beyond the event, a custom scent also serves as a timeless keepsake, allowing couples to relive the magic of their wedding day with every spritz.

What led you to parfum design?

Jim comes from a background in fine art and Jason in luxury hotels, so we are both intimately familiar with the power of experience, and see scent as the most primal expression of this. Scent reaches into the subconscious and lingers for a lifetime, telling stories without needing words. We embraced the ancient art of perfumery to capture fleeting moments — memories, moods and feelings — and give them permanence.

Where are you based and what locations do you service?

We are based in Brisbane and service clients both across Australia and internationally with a mix of local, in-person consultations and virtual fragrance design sessions for bespoke projects. Our curated fragrance collection, scent-diffusing machines and wedding scent packages are available for shipping nationwide and to select international locations.

What is a signature wedding fragrance and why should couples consider one?

A bespoke wedding fragrance is a custom-designed scent, created exclusively for a couple to reflect the essence of their love story and the mood of their wedding day. Our signature wedding fragrance consultation is a deeply personal, creative process, designed to capture not just a moment, but a feeling.

Every couple has their own story and we believe their scent should be just as unique, so our bespoke fragrances offer the chance to go beyond the ordinary and to craft a personal, timeless scent that becomes part of their celebration and lingers long after the wedding day.

How can fragrance be used to enhance a wedding?

Fragrance is one of the most powerful, and often overlooked, ways to elevate a wedding. Scent has the unique ability to create atmosphere and stir emotion in a way that’s both subtle and deeply affecting — it’s invisible but unforgettable. When used thoughtfully, fragrance can enhance the mood of a wedding day, reflect the couple’s style and leave a lasting impression on everyone present.

We work with couples to incorporate fragrance into their celebration in a variety of meaningful ways. For some, that means creating a bespoke scent or signature fragrance, that captures their story, their energy and the mood they want to set for the day. This custom scent can be worn by the couple, gently diffused throughout the venue to create an immersive atmosphere and even gifted to guests as a memorable keepsake.

Couples can also choose an existing fragrance, from our curated collection of modern, toxin-free scents, to complement the style and tone of their celebration.

To scent wedding venues, we offer portable electric or battery-operated scent-diffusing machines that disperse fragrance gently and consistently throughout the space. Sleek, quiet and discreet, these diffusers create a subtle, immersive ambiance without overwhelming the senses. They’re also highly-flexible and portable, with adjustable settings to control intensity and frequency, and once set they require no further attention.  

Ultimately, fragrance helps transform a wedding from beautiful to unforgettable. It sets the tone, evokes emotion and creates an invisible signature and sensory memory that lingers long after the last dance.

Why is scent so powerful?

Scientifically, scent has been proven to have the strongest, most enduring link to memory of all our senses. This is due to the way our brains process smell. Scent often creates deeper, more emotionally resonant memories that can last a lifetime. That’s why custom fragrances — for occasions like weddings — are such powerful tools for anchoring moments in time. Because scent is tied directly to emotion, a smell can evoke vivid, emotionally-charged memories, even decades on.

What makes your fragrance stand out from others?

What makes JAJI Parfum stand out is our unwavering commitment to crafting modern, toxin-free fragrances that are as intentional as they are beautiful. Every scent we create — whether bespoke or part of our curated collection — is designed to evoke emotion, tell a story and leave a lasting impression without overwhelming the senses.

We are also deeply committed to quality and transparency. Our perfumes are formulated with clean, skin-safe ingredients, blending fine fragrance artistry with a modern awareness of health and well-being. Our toxin-free approach ensures that our scents are not only luxurious but also safe to wear and share in intimate settings, like weddings.

Do couples need to create a bespoke fragrance? Is there another way to incorporate low-toxic fragrance into their wedding day?

While creating a bespoke fragrance is a profoundly personal and elegant way to imbue a wedding with deeper meaning, many couples choose to elevate their celebration with scent by selecting from our existing fragrance collection.

Our JAJI Iconic collection offers a modern range of fragrances designed to express moods from ‘fresh and joyful’ to ‘warm and romantic’.

Can you describe the JAJI Iconic fragrances?

Our Iconic collection exemplifies our brand's commitment to genderless fragrance design.

‘Arcane’ is where clarity meets mystery. It’s a study in contrast — light against dark, elegance against rawness. It isn’t loud, but it’s unforgettable.

‘Echo Noir’ is a quietly powerful fragrance for those who value depth and subtlety. This fragrance doesn’t demand attention — it draws you in. It's intimate and lingering. It’s meant to be discovered, not announced.

‘Electric Haze’ is minimalist but edgy — cool, abstract and quietly unforgettable. It lingers like a memory you can’t quite place but keep thinking about.

‘Ember Sky’ is a warm, intimate fragrance inspired by the quiet heat just after sunset. It captures the feeling of stillness, glowing light and calm air as day turns to night. Not overpowering but quietly seductive, like the last glow of the sun’s rays setting on your skin.

‘Monarch Rouge’ is a bold, yet elegant, fragrance that blends strength with sophistication. This scent is made for those who want to stand out with quiet confidence — complex but never overwhelming.

‘Vintage Suede’ is a smooth, quietly confident fragrance with a touch of nostalgia infused with a modern edge. This isn’t about being bold or flashy — it’s about making an impression without saying a word.

‘Shadow’ is a scent that makes its presence known before it’s fully revealed — elusive, untouchable and undeniably magnetic. It evokes quiet power and danger wrapped in elegance.

How do you create a bespoke wedding fragrance?

Creating a custom scent is a highly-detailed process and typically takes up to 12 weeks.

We begin by learning about what our couple love, the places that shaped them and the memories they wish to evoke to draw inspiration for the fragrance. Then we discuss ingredients, inspirations and personal preferences to establish a clear olfactive direction, which could draw on the crisp citrus of a shared summer holiday or the soft, warm notes of a winter evening by the fire.

We then create a number of compositions, each exploring different balances of base, heart and top notes and present these initial fragrance trials to our couples for evaluation. If modifications are needed we then refine the formula by adjusting accords, intensifying certain notes or modifying the concentration, depending on feedback.

Once the client approves the final composition, we produce a full-strength sample in tester vials for long-term testing. This phase ensures the fragrance performs well in terms of projection, longevity and ingredient stability and, during this phase, we invite couples to consider a name for their bespoke fragrance.

Once a name has been chosen, we then collaborate with the client on colour schemes or design elements for the label, so the final presentation feels entirely their own.

A Certificate of Exclusivity is presented with each bespoke fragrance, formally acknowledging that the scent has been designed exclusively for the client and that it will not be replicated for anyone else. The formula is also securely documented in our ledgers, preserving it for future generations.

What wedding trends are you noticing?

In Australia, we’ve seen a beautiful shift in how couples approach the personalisation of their wedding, and scent is playing an increasing role.

One key trend is storytelling through scent and couples are asking us to create fragrances that reflect their journey — places they’ve travelled, seasons they love or shared memories. We're also seeing couples incorporate their fragrance into the entire wedding experience, diffused subtly throughout the venue, woven into welcome gifts or smaller bottles of their parfum shared with guests as keepsakes.

Another strong trend is the desire for toxin-free, skin-safe and environmentally-conscious formulations. Our clients want something that’s luxurious but also aligned with their values, and both JAJI’s custom and Iconic fragrances are made with this in mind.

Do couples tend to use their wedding fragrance again?

Absolutely! We’ve found that couples return to their wedding scent throughout their lives. Scent is uniquely tied to memory, so the fragrance worn on their wedding day becomes a time capsule — one spritz can instantly transport them back to that moment.

We've had clients reach for their personalised fragrance on anniversaries, milestone celebrations and even just during quiet moments when they want to reconnect.