Flora by Arquetipo has been creating social and corporate events locally and internationally for clients that include President George W. Bush, Donatella Versace and Martha Stewart, and Marc Anthony. Since 1996, the innovating and stylish owners, Julio A. Cintrón and Emilio Olabarrieta, have made Arquetipo the leading event design firm in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Their unique and sensational work has been featured in magazines like Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Martha Stewart Weddings and InStyle. Having had the pleasure of spending time with Julio and Emilio recently, we thought we’d share them with the rest of you as they are too talented to keep to ourselves!

{THE BRIDAL CIRCLE}:  CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELVES, WHERE YOU’RE FROM AND WHAT YOU DO?

{ARQUETIPO}:  I’m Emilio Olabarrieta from San Juan, Puerto Rico and I studied advertising and marketing. I’d say I’m sensible, creative and passionate about art, and I see the opportunity to create a design out of everything around me! I’m also a perfectionist and always pay attention to the details.  And I’m Julio A. Cintrón, also from San Juan, Puerto Rico. I studied drama and humanities and am passionate about theater, music and traveling the world, particularly the planning of the trips!  Together, we’re the design duo behind Flora by Arquetipo.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN THE EVENT INDUSTRY?

We first started by doing a painting treatment called aging on the walls for clients, then we started helping our friends with floral arrangements and decorations for parties. One thing led to another until Arquetipo was created filling an empty space in the event industry.

WHAT THREE WORDS DESCRIBE ARQUETIPO? 

Creative, sophisticated and trendsetter.

WORKING AS A TEAM, HOW DOES YOUR PARTNERSHIP DIFFERENTIATE YOU FROM OTHER EVENT DESIGN FIRMS?

What differentiates Arquetipo is our previous 17 years of experiences and also we are a couple that’s been collaborating together for many years. Our minds are well balanced between creative and administrative duties. We are also our best critics and we have an extremely refined eye in everything that has to do with detail. We make each event part of our lives.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? 

What most inspires us is fashion, which is related to design, of course. As is interior design, nature, colors and traveling the world, all of which inspires us everyday in what we do in designing parties.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK/HOPE FOR IN A CLIENT?

A client that understands our work, sophistication, attention to detail and “speaks our language” so that the client can feel proud of our work.

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU MEET A POTENTIAL CLIENT? WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE YOU PAINT FOR THEM?

The first thing we do when we meet our client is listen and observe what the client wants. The passion we use to sell our ideas is very important, also we give the clients visual elements to illustrate our concepts such as sketches and samples, so they have a clear reference of what they are looking at in the design.

HOW DO WEDDINGS AND EVENTS IN PUERTO RICO DIFFER FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD?

In Puerto Rico we have a very competitive industry with high end clients that have a very critical eye. Because we live on an island, we have very creative people that are always in the vanguard looking to stand out. In the last fifteen years the event industry has reinvented itself in Puerto Rico.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE WORKING ON A GROUP OF TROPICAL ISLANDS?

Because we are not a big city like New York or Los Angeles we don’t have the advantage of having a flower market. Meaning that we have to go international to buy flowers because there is very low amount of local products available. We have to be very creative and inventive to achieve majesty.

PUERTO RICAN STYLE MEANS… WHAT?

For Arquetipo, Puerto Rican style means: sophisticated, tropical but not typical.

WHAT’S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING AN EVENT DESIGNER CAN DO TO UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET THE VISION THE BRIDE/CLIENT HAS FOR HER WEDDING?
We take a lot into consideration. Listening to what the client wants, as well as the visual examples like the inspiration board of the bride, pictures, photos, magazines. But on top of everything, Arquetipo works keeping in mind that in one way or another we are part of the history of that person. That responsibility we always have it on our shoulders and we understand that what we do is creating timeless memories.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST EVENT DESIGN FAUX PAS?

Not creating harmony with the space trying to impose style or color.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE A BRIDE WHO HAS NO IDEA WHAT SHE WANTS IN A WEDDING DESIGN?

When a bride has no idea at all we interview her carefully.  We strive to hear what is needed so that the ceremony and reception not only have our taste sensibilities and design skills, but that we are also creating something that represents the personality of the bride and groom.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE WEDDING DESIGN THAT YOU CREATED, AND WHAT MADE IT RESONATE WITH YOU?  

It’s a complicated question because in every wedding and event we always learned something and gain memorable experiences. We love to create every event as a memorable one.

WHAT IS THE ONE DESIGN ELEMENT THAT SIMPLY CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED, REGARDLESS OF BUDGET?

Candles. It’s very simple, but if done right it creates a romantic ambiance that can’t be beat no matter how much lighting is put in the room. The glow from candles is warm and sensual.

IN YOUR WHOLE CATALOG OF RENTAL EQUIPMENT AND PROPS, WHAT PIECES SEEM TO STAY POPULAR WITH BRIDES? ARE THERE ANY THAT YOU WISH WOULD JUST GO AWAY ALREADY?

The most popular design element brides want is chandeliers. What we wish that will just go away are the hanging crystals. Enough already.

WHAT COLORS, TEXTURES OR DESIGN ELEMENTS DO YOU LOVE FOR 2013?

For 2013 we go with everything organic and natural, creating a wow effect without anything artificial avoiding mass production and paying more attention to details. From one concept we can create different designs and varieties, so that the client has more of a visual experience.

WHAT’S ON YOUR SUMMER PARTY PLAY LIST? 

Sexy lounge music like Café del Mar and Buddha Bar.

JUST BEFORE “DOORS OPEN” AND GUESTS ARRIVE AT THE WEDDING, WHAT MIGHT YOU BE CAUGHT DOING?

Verifying that all chargers are separated a half inch from the table, that the linens are aligned with the floor (boxy style) and all chairs and goblets are perfectly aligned.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?

That in our house we don’t have flowers only green foliage and that in our special events we almost never use oasis for the flowers.

WE THANK JULIO AND EMILIO FOR THE INTERVIEW. WANT TO SEE MORE OF THEIR WORK?  CLICK HERE.