Tips to Select the Right Funeral Flowers

Various types of funeral flower arrangements

When a friend loses a close family member, there are not enough kind words to say to express your sympathy. However, your gestures will remind your bereaved friend that you are together in grief. Sending sympathy flowers and funeral flowers is a sentimental way to show compassion to a grieving friend. You must select the right funeral flowers that communicate the appropriate message, given that flowers have different meanings.

Don’t fret because these tips will help you select the right funeral flowers.

Know the Meaning of the Flowers in Your Funeral Bouquet

Before sending funeral flowers either to the home of the bereaved family or to the funeral service, you must consider the meaning that the flowers convey. Keep in mind that a type of flower may have different meanings depending on the culture or religion of a person. It’s important to conduct some research before sending your flowers because some religions may not accept funeral flowers. You want to have proper funeral flower etiquette so your gesture doesn’t disregard the culture or faith of the mourning family.

Generally, there are five types of flowers that are the go-to flowers for funeral ceremonies. They include lilies, chrysanthemums, roses, orchids, and carnations. Each of these flowers conveys different meanings, but you shouldn’t sweat over it because Dundalk florists will have your back.

Nonetheless, let’s explore the meaning of these flowers.

White lilies in Essex Greenhouses
Lilies in the Essex Florist Greenhouses

Lilies and Chrysanthemums

Lilies represent innocence, peace, and sympathy. White lilies and peace lilies are most appropriate for funerals. Most people choose to send peace lilies to the home of the deceased and white lilies to the funeral service.

Chrysanthemums symbolize loyalty, sorrow, and well-wishing. Depending on the culture, different colors of chrysanthemums may have contrasting meanings. For instance, in some Asian cultures, yellow chrysanthemums represent luck, while white chrysanthemums symbolize grief. Also, in multiple European cultures, chrysanthemums represent death and are specifically used as funeral flowers.

Roses

Roses are the most common funeral flowers. This is understandably so because they’re readily available in any florist shop and come in several colors. For funeral flowers, the most appropriate rose colors are yellow, crimson red, and white. Crimson red roses denote grief, loss, and sorrow, yellow roses signify friendship, and white roses are a symbol of purity and innocence. As a florist in Dundalk will tell you, the meaning of roses is pretty much uniform in most cultures worldwide, so they’re a safe and popular choice for funeral flowers.

Child offering carnations as a gift.

Orchids and Carnations

There are over 20 types of orchids, but the most suitable types for sympathy flowers are dendrobium and phalaenopsis. You may also select white orchids, which symbolize purity and innocence, pink orchids that signify grace, or purple orchids, which show respect and dignity.

Carnations are popular funeral flowers. In some French cultures, purple carnations are purposely used as funeral flowers. White carnations symbolize pure love, red carnations represent deep love, and pink carnations are symbolic of a mother’s love, as they are usually bought by the mother of the deceased person. Yellow carnations represent dejection and are not appropriate for a funeral service.

Select the Appropriate Flower Arrangements for a Funeral

Typically, you’ll find four main types of funeral flower arrangements in a florist near you. These are standing spray, crosses, hearts, wreaths, baskets, bouquets, and casket wreaths.

Standing sprays are usually attached to a stand and positioned next to the casket. You should send them to the funeral home to be used for the service. Casket wreaths are placed on the casket after it has been closed. Usually, the immediate family members of the deceased purchase casket wreaths.

As a close friend, it’s appropriate to send crosses, hearts, and wreaths to the funeral home. Then, you should send baskets and bouquets to the home of the bereaved family.

With many factors to consider, purchasing the right funeral flowers can be hectic, especially if your floral knowledge is average. However, Dundalk florists are at your beck and call whenever you need help choosing sympathy flowers.