When someone you are close to passes away or looses someone they hold very dear to them, it can be very difficult to express your condolences through words alone.
That is why the long standing tradition of sending flowers and plants to funeral services or to the homes of loved ones has become so popular. Flowers say it best when you do not have the words to express your grief.
Oftentimes people can get a bit confused as to what is appropriate to send to the funeral service or to someones home in this situation, so I will give you a few tips to keep in mind when ordering sympathy flowers.
For the service, the flowers should be delivered to wherever the visitation or wake is taking place. If the funeral service or mass is at a different location afterwards the funeral directors will be sure to get your arrangement there also.
The casket spray or larger arrangement to encompass the urn in the instance of a cremation are generally ordered by immediate family, what you want to send would be something smaller to add to the display at the service.
Your budget greatly depends on what style of bouquet will be best to send. For larger arrangements, sprays done on an easel are always lovely, they stand up and can be easily seen at the service, as well as the traditional funeral spray or basket of flowers. These types of displays are most commonly sent by businesses or family members.
For a more average budget we generally suggest a lovely vase of flowers, a house plant, or a dish garden or European basket of blooming and green plants. These arrangements are very nice because a family member can also take them home easily to enjoy, and in the case of a plant, keep for years to come in remembrance of the deceased.
If you are sending flowers to the home of a family member or friend who has recently lost someone, you would not want to send a traditional funeral spray or large basket that will be too difficult to display in the house.
The best option is a plant, dish garden, European garden, vase of flowers in a modest size or a lovely centerpiece. These items can be displayed in the home but still express to your loved one how you care for them.
Why are flowers so important at a funeral service?
The main reason is to memorialize and pay tribute to the deceased, to display to them how much you cared and that they will be deeply missed.
Another reason the flowers are so important to have at the service is to help sympathise with the family members that have lost the person. They may be walking into the service wondering if there will be any flowers, if anyone cared or remembers their loved one. If they come into the service seeing an outpouring of love and remembrance in the form of flowers they will know they are not alone in grieving the loss of their loved on. The flower displays can be very touching.
This August I had a couple different weddings that were in the softer pink, blush family.
