Jacqueline Benevides, a Brazilian artist, spent six months preparing 9,000 massive EVA flowers that transformed a wedding ceremony in Saudi Arabia into a vibrant floral spectacle. Along with her team of 10, Benevides arrived in Riyadh in late 2023 to set up the elaborate décor for the event, which was attended by 1,000 women.
“After producing the flowers, we shipped the materials to Riyadh and spent 45 days setting up the wedding decorations,” Benevides recalled. “It was grand — I’d never worked on a project like this before.”
The wedding featured bright hot pink and orange flowers, a color palette that surprised many given that brides in Brazil tend to favor more subtle tones. Benevides emphasized that Arab women love bold, vivid colors for their celebrations.
The invitation to create the wedding decorations came in May 2023. In June, Benevides traveled to Saudi Arabia for the first time to meet with the bride and design the flowers. Once the design was approved, preparations kicked off in Brazil, with work continuing through November 2023.
Despite the language barrier, Benevides and her team had no trouble communicating with the local people. “Everyone spoke English very well, and even the Portuguese-speaking members of my team communicated effectively,” she said. “The Arab people were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout the process.”
This rewarding experience has opened new doors for Benevides. “I would definitely work on Arab weddings again. The whole experience was amazing,” she added. Since then, she has expanded her artistic reach, creating giant flowers for weddings and store windows in Costa Rica, the United States, and Brazil.
Originally a business administrator, Benevides shifted her career to become a visual artist after discovering her love for flower arrangements in 2017. Since then, she has honed her craft and gained recognition, including a feature in Glamour magazine. With her growing international client base, she is now exploring new techniques, including fabric and paper sculptures, as she looks ahead to the future of her artistry.
