Who am I?
I’m Atalanta! I’m the founder of Camellia Wedding Flowers, which had its humble beginnings as Flowers by Atalanta way back in 2003 with a $500 investment from my mom and a tiny bucket shop in La Jolla.
I’ve been working with flowers since I was 15, and after 27+ years, I still absolutely love what I do. I’m energetic, I like to have fun, I smile a lot—and I care deeply about every single event I’m a part of. I also have really strong arms from doing flowers for this long, which definitely comes in handy.
How did I get started in flowers?
Flowers have basically been my whole life. What started as a small hustle has grown into a full-service floral design studio, creating for hundreds of weddings and events throughout Southern California.
In 2011, I opened Camellia Flowers in Ocean Beach, and I still love having a space where clients can come in, talk flowers, dream things up, and then go grab tacos by the beach after.
Why am I the florist for you?
My Yelp reviews probably say it best—I’m easy, flexible, and I LISTEN.
If you have no idea what you want, that’s perfect—I’ll help guide you. If you know exactly what you want, amazing—I’ll bring it to life. What I won’t do is try to sell you a bunch of stuff you don’t need or push you into trends that don’t feel like you.
My goal is to take your personality and translate it into flowers. Not someone else’s Pinterest board—yours.
What kind of clients do I work with?
Everyone. I work with couples of all kinds and celebrate all love stories, as well as clients hosting all types of events. I value diversity and inclusion and believe flowers are for everyone—I love creating for all people and all types of celebrations.
What do I specialize in?
I do weddings and all kinds of events, but I especially love the fun, interactive side of things—corporate events, team-building workshops, and floral classes where people actually get to create something themselves.
I also love designing larger installations and really transforming a space. My background in theater definitely shows up here—I’m all about creating an experience and making things feel immersive, layered, and a little bit magical.
And honestly, teaching floral classes is one of my favorite things. Getting a group of people together, watching them loosen up, get creative, and leave with something they made—it’s the best.
What do I do when I’m not playing with flowers?
I love all things old—especially my 1965 Chevy Corvair, “Miss Rita Red.” If I have a rare day off, I’m probably at a car show somewhere in San Diego.
I also have a big love for hospitality and run a collection of vacation rentals in Ocean Beach where I get to create really fun, memorable stays for guests:
www.ambition-collective.com
