Flowers, Community & Craft: Inside Aubrey Maria Designs, Donaroma’s & Juniper on Martha’s Vineyard
On Martha’s Vineyard, some businesses become part of the rhythm of island life. You see them at celebrations, milestones, and quiet moments alike — weddings, birthdays, memorials, and everything in between.
Few places embody that more than Donaroma’s Floral Department, Aubrey Maria Designs, and Juniper — three connected creative forces that together shape many of the Vineyard’s most meaningful occasions.
A Floral Legacy on the Island
Donaroma’s has long been an institution in Edgartown, and its floral department carries more than 120 years of combined floral experience. Today, the wedding and event side operates through Aubrey Maria Designs, led by designer Aubrey Sirois.
Together, the team produces roughly 100 events each year — nearly 50 in August alone — making them the premier wedding and event florist on Martha’s Vineyard.
Behind those events is a deeply experienced crew. Department heads Sue Weyl and Mariko Kawaguchi help lead a 22-member team that has worked together for years — a rarity in the seasonal world of Island businesses and a major reason the group is able to execute both large-scale weddings and everyday arrangements with equal consistency.
And their work isn’t limited to the Vineyard’s celebrated summer season.
Year-round, they serve the community with arrangements for birthdays, memorials, anniversaries, and everyday gestures — the moments that quietly shape life here just as much as the headline events.
From Learning the Craft to Leading It
Aubrey’s path to launching Aubrey Maria Designs started inside Donaroma’s itself.
Her early years working alongside seasoned florists gave her the technical foundation and creative confidence to develop her own design voice. When she launched Aubrey Maria Designs, it wasn’t a departure — it was a natural evolution, continuing a tradition while bringing a fresh artistic perspective to Vineyard weddings and events.
Separating retail and wedding design has allowed her to focus even more deeply on custom event work and innovative installations — the kind brides now specifically seek her out for.
Juniper: A Shop That Became a Community
In March 2020, Aubrey opened Juniper, originally envisioned as a creative retail space. Over time, it transformed into something larger — a gathering place for local artists and makers supporting each other’s work.
In 2022, Donaroma’s purchased the space, a transition thoughtfully guided with the help of Pam Dolby, who helped bring the parties together and ensured the shift preserved both the spirit of Juniper and the legacy of Donaroma’s. The nursery now oversees the seasonal retail operation, allowing Aubrey to concentrate on weddings and events while the shop continues to evolve.
Today Juniper is a staple in the Vineyard community, offering plants, florals, gifts, and artisan goods that reflect the island’s creative culture.
A Store Built on Collaboration
What makes Juniper unique is its commitment to collaboration with local small businesses. The shop functions less like a traditional retail store and more like a rotating showcase of Vineyard craftsmanship.
Among the featured partners:
Chilmark Coffee
A family-run small-batch roaster combining art, athletics, and entrepreneurship into a thoughtfully crafted island product.
Mimi’s Hot Sauce
Handmade entirely on Martha’s Vineyard — from garden-grown peppers to hand-labeled bottles — a true labor of local pride.
New Lane Sundries Jams
Seasonal preserves made from hand-foraged island ingredients like beach plums, elderberries, and rosa rugosa petals.
Island Bee Co.
A local apiary producing award-winning raw honey and beeswax products using all five elements of the hive.
Alena Grady Art
Paintings inspired by the Vineyard’s landscapes, capturing the calm and texture of island life.
More Than Flowers
Taken together, Donaroma’s, Aubrey Maria Designs, and Juniper represent something uniquely Vineyard: a business ecosystem where creativity, history, and community support one another.
They design large-scale weddings seen in magazines — and the small arrangements that sit on a neighbor’s kitchen table after a hard week.
On an island known for celebration, they help shape the way those moments are remembered.
