I happen to be the daughter of one of those people who often struggle to leave the house because they are so strongly affected by the chemicals in public places. This has become a huge issue for wedding planning — my mom's biggest stress of anything coming is that she'll be forced to stand up and leave the ceremony. I'm sharing this because I've seen some pretty negative feedback toward brides who request that guests go without perfumes and colognes, which are some of the worst offenders, and this needs to change.
To brides who have guests with frequent reactions — BE BOLD! This is not some kind of Bridezilla or unreasonable request; it's about your guests' ability to enjoy the event. You wouldn't serve meat to a vegetarian guest. To others, please consider including this request as part of your wedding. Chemicals are something which literally determine where my mom can go every day; she can't handle a full church service, much less a normal wedding. You may make the difference in someone's ability to attend.
For those who are willing to consider it, here's a sample of what I'll be putting on my website and on invitations:
We kindly request that all guests, as much as possible, refrain from
using scented products such as perfumes, colognes, and other fragrances.
Your consideration will allow others with severe chemical sensitivities
and reactions to more actively participate in our wedding. Thank you!
Has anyone else had experiences with this issue?