A Guide to Sending Funeral Flowers and Sympathy Flowers

Losing someone important in your life may probably be one of life’s harshest events. If someone has become part of your daily life and has inspired you to be better holistically, losing that person is indeed a very hard obstacle to go through. If a family relative or a friend is mourning the loss of their loved ones, it is a great sign of sympathy and respect to offer them some flowers to show your condolences to the bereaved family.

Of course, not all flowers and arrangements will fit funerals. There are very specific types of flowers and arrangements you can choose from and your florist for sure knows all of it. There are also various traditions in each country, and you must also take into consideration these customs and practices to not disrespect anybody. Funerals must be a celebration of the life well lived and it must be well incorporated with beautiful flowers to send off the soul of the deceased with respect and a positive outlook.

1. Know the correct type of arrangements for funerals

You may choose among flower baskets, standing sprays, crosses, hearts, and wreathes. These flower arrangements are also suitable for funerals and can really beautify and add serenity to the wake viewing of the deceased. Flower baskets are very easy to bring and are very handy especially if the wake is far from you. They can also be easily added to the existing floral decorations. Standing sprays are very common in funerals as well because they add height and give a more peaceful background surrounding the casket. This is most common in Asian countries. Flowers shaped as crosses and hearts is also a great way of showing sympathy to the bereaved family and it symbolizes afterlife and the love and appreciation you have for the deceased. Indeed, choosing the correct type of flower arrangement is important so as to not offend anyone or send a wrong message. Just among the abovementioned and you will never go wrong.

2. Choose your flowers wisely

Choosing flowers may be one of the hardest tasks in picking out funeral flowers but you must know that you can always ask your florist to choose the best for you. One of the most popular funeral and sympathy flowers include white lilies, carnations, chrysanthemums, roses, and orchids. You can choose the more neutral colored flowers because they never go wrong in funerals. Set aside the selection of bolder colors as it may denote a different meaning to the wake goers. Not only do these flowers express message, but they also have meanings and symbols in them that some people may be aware of.

White lilies symbolize the restored innocence of the deceased as he or she moves forward after death. White carnations symbolize pure love and appreciation to the deceased while other colors like red and pink signify admiration and remembrance to the good life of the deceased, respectively. Chrysanthemums are usually found in funerals; even most European traditions believe that they must only be given as a funeral or sympathy flower. Roses are also popular in funerals and each of its many colors signify a message and a symbol.

Pink and white orchids symbolize deep sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family. White is the color of purity and heaven – a great and safe choice if you are having a hard time choosing which flower to include in your arrangement.

3. Be aware of other cultures and their tradition in giving sympathy flowers

Like mentioned earlier, not all cultures consider giving sympathy flowers as a positive gesture. That is why if a friend or a colleague has a deceased loved one, it is important to ask them first before purchasing your flower arrangements. For example, Jewish and Islamic traditions do not consider sympathy flowers as customary. They do not practice this and are usually not pleased when someone gives flowers during mourning. In Buddhist culture, it is strict that only white flowers must be given as sympathy flowers. No other colors are accepted especially red which is a color of poor funeral tradition in their culture. In Hindu tradition, funeral goers are expected to come in empty handed. They do not usually practice bringing in flowers, offerings, or any material gifts.

4. Choose an appropriate message for the card or the floral sash

If you will choose standing spray as your floral arrangement, usually the florist will ask you what message they should write on the sash to tie around the arrangement. You may choose appropriate words and phrases like “Our Deepest Sympathy” or “Our Sincerest Condolences”. You may also write a message in the card about how sorry you are for their loss and that the deceased has been a great inspiration to many. These positive words will surely be appreciated by the bereaved family and they will really feel your condolences through your gesture of giving sympathy flowers and giving a short and sweet message together with it.

Indeed, losing someone is a bittersweet thing – bitter because their loss will really create a profound space in the hearts of the people who love them; sweet because death is the start of a new chapter and creates a longing that someday, everyone will reunite once again in heaven. Giving sympathy or funeral flowers is a great gesture to show how sorry you are for the unfortunate loss. If there something the family needs at this time, it is the warm presence and love of the people who care for the deceased and his or her family.

You must always remember the tips we listed above so that you will not break any customs and still give respect to the deceased. This might be a good gesture but if it is wrongly done, it may leave a bad impression – something we all do not want, especially in a funeral. Give time to take note of the tips above and you will surely show your condolences in the best way possible.