How would you describe your signature style?
I think people are sometimes too focused on having a signature style. You are not just one person in life, you are constantly evolving. You see this in other arts, in paintings, in sculpture, in cinema … a person and obviously an artist is never just one thing. I can’t really describe my style, because I’m a mix of things, I’m evolving and my style is evolving with me. One season I love this flower, the other season I’m tired of this flower. I suppose I could say I work in two opposite directions, either very avant garde or very light and organic.
What makes Oh, Maria Flowers stand out?
I think clients pick us because of the feeling that we bring. I know that the job is done when I look at it. I get very emotional. We make a lot of people cry, so I think it’s just that our clients feel something. I think a lot of people identify with the work I do, because they can see themselves in it.
“We have to embrace the cringiness and put ourselves out there and do the work!”
What do you want your students to take away from your workshop at MADRID BLOOMS?
Oh my God! That they should embrace the cringe! They have to put themselves out there as florists and as artists. I want people to stop being self-conscious, especially in 2026, where everyone is looking at us all the time. It’s so overwhelming. We are always comparing ourselves, and then we hate everything we do because nothing is enough anymore. So, we have to embrace the cringiness and put ourselves out there and do the work!
What do you think is the most valuable thing about spaces like MADRID BLOOMS?
When I started I remember the thing that I felt the longest was the loneliness. I just felt so lonely all the time. People in Portugal don’t really open up. My first flower friend was an Italian florist, he was not even Portuguese. People just take so long to engage, especially local florists. The loneliness is literally the hardest part to deal with and then you start second guessing yourself. Am I doing something wrong? Then you feel self-conscious about putting yourself out there even more. So I think MADRID BLOOMS helps with the loneliness.
What is the job for you that changed everything?
It was an event in 2024, it was the biggest event that we had done, and the first without any foam. Right now we are only in our fourth wedding season, but the first three years I owned a shop in Lisbon city centre, and events came almost by accident. We worked so hard, went through so many challenges and obstacles, and there were lessons at every turn. It sounds strange, but by the end of it, it felt like destiny, like every difficulty had been preparing us for exactly that moment. We delivered in a way that felt like the culmination of everything we had been building. It was very special.
How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your daily practice ?
Well, I don’t compromise the results over the technique, and I don’t have anything really against foam, but we just personally don’t use it, it never goes well for us. I have a lot of thoughts about foam. It’s like the paper straws and the billionaires. If you have the massive guys doing massive events that are 100% foam, it’s not for the little guy to be stressed about using it. I’m foam free for several reasons, sustainability is just one of them. In the heat in Portugal, flowers are just happier in water. But other than that, we separate the garbage and we reuse a lot too. We try to reuse the pipettes as much as possible. We use a lot of plants, structures too.
What inspires you?
So many things, I think the majority of my inspiration is the women around me. They are powerhouses. But creatively speaking, everything inspires me, I go outside, I see the sun, and I think, today I want to do sunflowers. But what makes you successful in business is not what inspires you creatively, because everyone can be an artist. When you run a business, what has to inspire you is people that get things done. I have a lot of amazing women in my life that just go for it, and just push and push and push until things work out, and that’s it.
What’s the creative process for a wedding like?
I tend to work with a planner, but sometimes the couple finds me first. I do a lot of research. I had this Armenian project which was so great, an Armenian movie director was the kickoff concept, which was so interesting to study. The reality is that in 2026 weddings are still ruled by trends, so people buy what they see, and most people see a lot of the same things. We have to try and create something fresh and new, but this is still for the client, and there’s no space for an artistic ego. It’s someone’s most important day of their life, you’re there to make them happy, and that’s what you have to do.
When someone sees your work, what do you want them to feel?
I just want them to feel happy, I know it’s a very mainstream answer, but that’s what life is. It’s really about small moments of happiness, and sadness, and all the emotions. I just want them to feel curious, and happy, I want people to keep looking at my compositions. I love it when people say, “wow, I just keep looking at it and finding something new”, that’s the best compliment for me.