Marcela López-Vallejo is an accomplished floral designer, educator, product developer, and industry leader based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Originally from Costa Rica, she brings more than 26 years of experience in the floral industry, with a career spanning retail floristry, wedding and event design, shop ownership, education, and product development for the mass-market floral sector.
Currently, Marcela serves as Lead Designer at The English Garden in Raleigh, where she leads the creative execution and production of weddings and special events. Her extensive background in product development has also shaped her approach to design, combining creativity with an understanding of trends, consumer preferences, branding, and the commercial floral market. Her education in Advertising and Arts, complemented by an MBA in Marketing from the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC), brings an additional business and communication perspective to her work.
Marcela is an Accredited Member and Certified Evaluator and Judge of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), a Professional Floral Communicators–International (PFCI) member, and holds the European Master Certification (EMC), completed in Bruges, Belgium, under the instruction of Tomas De Bruyne. Her work and professional achievements include being named South Carolina Designer of the Year in 2015, being featured in Artistic Floral Design 2020, and receiving the AIFD Foundation S.H.I.N.E. Scholarship in Product Development in 2021.
Education and mentorship are an important part of Marcela’s career. She has presented and taught for floral professionals in the United States and internationally, most recently leading the workshop “Bridal Bouquets Made Easy” at the 2025 AIFD National Symposium in Palm Springs, California, in collaboration with Smithers-Oasis North America. Her bilingual and multicultural background allows her to connect with floral professionals across languages and markets while sharing practical design techniques, product knowledge, and industry experience.
Deeply committed to professional service, Marcela currently serves as Secretary of the AIFD National Board of Directors, while continuing her 2025–2028 term as a Director at Large. She previously served as President of AIFD’s Southern Chapter and also serves on the PFCI Board of Trustees for the Society of American Florists and as an Ambassador for Smithers-Oasis North America. From her beginnings in the floral industry in Costa Rica to her work and leadership in the United States, Marcela’s career has been shaped by a passion for design, education, and connection. As a bilingual professional with experience across cultures and different sectors of the industry, she is especially passionate about creating opportunities for floral professionals to learn from one another, strengthening connections across communities, and contributing to the continued growth of the floral industry.
