A Quick Guide to Selecting Funeral Flowers

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  • Post last modified:October 31, 2021

The funeral is the most difficult time for the family of the deceased. They need people who can comfort them without saying or doing too much. For the grieving family or friends, it is a time to show love and gratitude for their loved one.

In both cases, funeral flowers can help you express love for the departed soul or help you comfort their family or friends.

Note that you need to choose the right flowers according to your emotions and the message you want to convey. For these reasons, we have mentioned a quick guide to select the right funeral flowers.

So, read further to make the right decision.

Funeral Flowers and Their Meanings

funeral flower for showing love

When it comes to flowers, you have plenty of options. But do you know that some flowers have specific meanings?

Understanding the meaning of the flowers will help you honor the deceased in a much better way. Plus, if you are planning to send flowers to the relatives of the deceased, sending the right flowers can help you convey your profound message to them.

Here are some of the most common and best flowers to choose from for a funeral.

Lilies

These flowers are the most simple and elegant option. Lilies symbolize the purity and innocence of the soul. You also need to know that they are the most popular flowers for western burials.

Additionally, they also look appealing in almost every type of floral arrangement.

Peace Lily Plant

Generally, people send peace lily plants in a pot instead of beautiful flower arrangements. The meaning of peace lily is the return of innocence and rebirth.

It is a best and long-living houseplant that the deceased’s family can keep in a prominent place to peacefully and happily remember their loved one.

Roses

Rose is available in a different range of colors, from red to white. Therefore, the color of the rose decides its meaning.

In the case of funerals, red roses symbolize courage and respect. They are also a great way to send your love to the grieving family. On the other hand, white roses represent reverence, innocence, and youthfulness.

Pink roses symbolize love, grace, and gentility, whereas yellow roses represent friendship. If you want to show gratitude to the deceased as a mentor, friend, teacher, or older relative, you can do so by sending a dark pink rose.

Orchids

While orchids are available in a great range of colors, white phalaenopsis and pink dendrobium are excellent options for funeral flowers – they both show eternal love.

Chrysanthemums

These are vibrant flowers that help you celebrate the life of your deceased loved one. In Europe, Chrysanthemums are associated with death. This is because of their usage in funeral arrangements.

Apart from this, these flowers represent innocence and love.

Carnations

Carnations are flowers that allow you to show your right feelings for the departed soul. As they are available in several colors, you have lots of options to pick from.

Red carnations can help you show love and admiration, whereas white ones symbolize innocence and love. On the other hand, pink flowers represent memory.

Hyacinths

Unlike other, hyacinths have different meanings for several purposes or contexts. When it comes to a funeral, they symbolize deep anguish.

It helps you to tell the deceased’s family that you will remember them in your prayers.

Hydrangea

You can present these flowers as potted plants and cut flowers. A hydrangea shows the depth and sincerity of your feelings. When you add them with other attractive blooms, it signifies the value of other messages.

Gladioli

This is another bloom that stands for sincerity and strength, particularly of character. Gladioli provides you with the best way to honor the soul of the deceased and console the grieving family.

Meaning of Flower Colors

funeral flowers meanings

If you are still confused about which flower to choose to express your emotions and feelings, you can simply select flowers from their colors.

Here are the common colors and their meaning. After choosing the color, you can opt for a flower in that color. So, read more to get an idea.

  • Blue: serenity and peacefulness
  • White: purity and innocence
  • Pink: admiration, innocence, and youth
  • Lavender: grace and elegance
  • Purple: wisdom, dignity, and respect
  • Red: profound strength and love
  • Orange: great affection and passion
  • Yellow: friendship and closeness

Best Floral Arrangements for Funerals

best floral arrangements

When you determine the best funeral flowers, it’s time to think about their arrangements. You need to know which arrangement is best for what purpose.

Also, it is essential to keep in mind that not every floral arrangement is best for every blossom. So, read more to know which flora arrangement you need.

Casket Flowers

Commonly known as casket sheaths or casket sprays, these flower arrangements make the casket look beautiful and add a personal touch to it. The florists you choose will help you dress the casket.

These flowers are the most noticeable and prominent floras at the funeral. You also need to know that casket floral arrangements can include many blossoms such as white lilies, roses, carnations, and others.

Standing Flowers

Another common flower arrangement is standing flowers display. Plus, you may have heard about them as standing funeral spray. These floral arrangements are kept in a wire or upright easel stand.

In addition to it, you need to keep them near the casket. You can also present them as crosses, hearts, wreaths, or if you are creative, you can personalize them in several shapes.

Hence, you will be able to show more gratitude and affection towards the dressed person.

Bouquets

The conventional bouquet floral arrangements are also ideal options for a funeral. Besides, you can find them at an affordable cost compared to other arrangements.

The best part is that bouquets are not only for funerals. You can also send them to the family members or friends of the deceased person.

With flowers, you can send them the message that you are with them in this hard and challenging time. Plus, when you don’t find the right words for condolence, flowers can become the best substitute.

Posies

Giving posies or arranging posies at the funeral is a caring way to show love for the deceased or their loved ones. Posies are a kind of small bouquet that contains relatively fewer flowers.

They are a thoughtful way of showing sympathy and sadness. You may also want to know that you can opt for any flower for these arrangements.

Inside Pieces

These are the artistic flower arrangement that you need to keep inside the casket. The flower shops arrange them with crosses, sheaves, pillows, and clusters.

Traditionally, younger relatives of the deceased, like grandchildren, children, or great-grandchildren, have to bring these flowers at the funeral.

Wreaths

These circular-shaped floral arrangements represent eternal life. The best placements for the wreaths are the doors of the funeral homes.

Generally, people need to bring flowers to the home or church. But in the case of wreaths, you need to bring them to the burial location.

Choosing Floral Tributes for Funerals

funeral floral types

It is important to keep in mind that flowers and their arrangement should represent the deceased’s character and personality. Everyone is unique and special, but sometimes you need to give a special tribute to the departed soul.

Military Flowers

We all know that the military arranges military funerals in a different way. This is why you can opt for the military flower arrangements that represent heroism and peace. As our nation considers the fallen as heroes, everything in their funerals needs to acknowledge their goals and services.

Commonly, flag motifs are also incorporated in the funerals for the tribute. You can also choose from wreaths made from flag colors that will help you appreciate their services. But make sure to opt for the less bold options.

Children’s Flowers

Every person has its importance and value. However, the death of a child is the most devastating and heartbreaking. Not to mention, it brings great stress and sorrow to the parents of the deceased child.

Flower arrangements of the children’s funerals are a bit simple rather than traditional options. The flower arrangements focus more on representing the child’s interests and hobbies instead of showing a certain message through the colors or variety of flowers.

You can incorporate angels, teddy bears, footballs, guitars, and anything that the deceased enjoyed in the memorial. You can also find some florists that can help you get customized designs based on your own requirements.

Sympathy Flowers

People often hold their emotions of confusion, sadness, grief, running high, and anger. Simply providing a shoulder to cry to the deceased’s family members is the most comforting thing anyone can do.

It’s a common practice to offer sympathy flower arrangements as an empathetic gesture. Remember that funeral flowers are the best way to show your feelings through a gift instead of words.

Expert florists have the tools and artistic skills to craft the best color scheme or design for the sympathy flowers. However, make sure to tell them what you need and how you want to comfort the deceased’s relatives.

How to Show Support to the Grieving?

showing grief support

It is important to keep in mind that showing your support and presence to someone who has gone through a loss is the most important thing to do.

But of course, you might be wondering how you can be a good family member or friend at such a challenging time.

What can you do? What should you say? The following are some tips that will help you know the impactful methods to show your support.

Be Present

You need to understand that showing your support doesn’t mean that you have to make a huge gesture. Just be with the people who are grieving, hold their hand, listen to them, and let them cry.

It is an ideal approach for helping them. Your presence will help them go through this tough time.

What is Best to Say?

If you live near the location of the deceased’s family, you may attend both wake service and funeral. These are the moments when people don’t find the right words to comfort the grieving.

In fact, most often, they don’t even know what to say. Well, you don’t need to be a poet. All you need to do is to speak from the heart.

If you are still confused, the following statements might help you.

  • I don’t know what I should say, but I need to tell you that I care for you.
  • I am really sorry for your loss.
  • Tell me, how can I help you?
  • You and your loved ones will stay in my prayer.

What Do You Need to Avoid Saying?

Not only do you need to think about what to say to the grieving person, but you also need to avoid saying a few things by all means. Sometimes people say wrong things because of their emotions, but it can be hurting for another person.

Here are the things that you need to avoid:

  • Be strong
  • I know how you are feeling
  • God has a bigger plan
  • There are reasons for everything
  • Don’t cry; he/she wouldn’t want you to be sad
  • At least he/she didn’t have to suffer before dying
  • At least he/she lived a happy and long life; many people die at a very young age

Bottom Line

In a nutshell, you have a wide variety of flowers and floral arrangement options that you can choose from. But, as we discussed, each blossom has its value and meaning, so you need to choose funeral flowers accordingly.

Plus, every floral arrangement has a different purpose, so first, think about why you need a flower arrangement before purchasing one.

Linda Chavez

I'm a burial & senior life insurance expert, independent agent, Founder & CEO of Seniors Life Insurance Finder. I have been working in this sector since 2004 and established my own company in 2014. I have a team of seven members, and we are trying hard to share the knowledge we've gathered. We know how difficult often it is to find an affordable policy. Hence, we are doing our best to help you.