In order to help, we’ve provided a quick run-down of the main styles of funeral flowers and how they are used at services or at home.

For the Service

There are a number of different styles that should be looked at. Box cover arrangements are usually large and expensive funeral flowers. They’re meant to be placed above a closed coffin and are available in either a “full” or “half” style. These are most often purchased by immediate family members.

Inside casket pieces are intended for use in the coffin lid’s interior (at open-casket funerals) and are, most often, provided by someone in the deceased’s family. Funeral sprays are meant to be held in one hand by a member of the funeral party or placed on an easel. They can range in size from small to large arrangements. Coronas, also meant to placed on an easel, are carried to the grave and usually take the shape of a ring — often a solid or framed heart — or a bouquet.

If you’re not part of the immediate family, funeral baskets can be sent to the service. Baskets can be composed of flower arrangements that stand with wire support on the floor or can be any type of visually pleasing arrangement that is put together in a basket or similar container.

For the Home

Picking the right funeral flower style is much easier when it is intended for use in the home. Many different types and styles of flower arrangements are appropriate for sending to (or bringing by) the home of the bereaved. Baskets or vases of flowers are a smart idea as they can be used at both the funeral service and at home. Plants can accompany flowers or stand on their own. The fact that they can be tended to long after they’re received is a plus. Plants allow for long-term enjoyment.

Historic/Practical Reasons

In Judaism, the burial of the deceased must take place immediately. Most often this means that a body should be committed to the earth within 24 hours or, at most, within three days following death. Because of this, the speed by which a burial takes place has historically allowed Jewish funerals to avoid having to mask the odours of a decaying body. In non-Jewish tradition flowers have become part of funerals in order to avoid this problem but, due to the speedy burial rites of Judaism, the use of blossoms in funerals hasn’t taken the same cultural hold.

Religious Reasons

Aside from the practical considerations of a quickly scheduled burial, Jewish faith also makes note of reasons for avoiding funeral gifts like flowers. The Jewish religion emphasizes the importance of true equality among all people and this is especially important in funeral services where gifts can make one person seem more loved or of a higher stature than another. Sending sympathy flowers to one person, who accumulates more than another, can be seen as a violation of this concept.

When the family or the loved ones of the deceased are sitting shiva (a word that means “seven” and refers to the traditional grieving period) it is also important not to send sympathy flowers. During this period of time specific customs are followed and the sending of flowers is, usually, inappropriate.

Depending on how strictly the deceased and their loved ones follow Jewish law, flowers could, potentially be appreciated. For this reason, it’s a good idea to call those in grief to inquire as to their views. If they would rather not accept flowers then charitable donations are often considered an appropriate replacement for showing respect and sympathy.

Here are a few essential points to keep in mind as you choose sympathy or funeral flowers.

Sending Your Sympathy Flowers

Sympathy flowers are almost always an appropriate gift but it’s a good idea to consider the background and personal wishes of the recipient before going forward with your order (for example, if recipients are Jewish and observe shiva, it is improper to send flowers during this time of grief — choose a fruit basket instead). Once you’re sure that the family or loved ones of the departed would appreciate them, ask where flowers are most needed. Recipients may wish to make use of them for viewings or the funeral service itself while others would rather receive flowers at home to liven their house during a time of sadness.

Funeral flowers should be coordinated with the other blossoms being used at the ceremony while those being sent to a home can be picked on knowledge of the recipient’s personal taste.

Sympathy Flower Customs

A few customs are important to keep in mind as well. For instance, if you plan to send sympathy flowers to the recipient’s home, avoid purchasing sprays or wreaths. These are more typically used in funeral services and viewings and will look out of context in a house. There are no strict social rules to follow when sending sympathy flowers to a house, however. Feel free to exercise your own creativity (and knowledge of the deceased or his or her loved ones) in order to make your arrangement special.

Sympathy notes or cards are customary and, even if they’re short, are sure to be appreciated. Take the time to write out your thoughts and send a message along with your flowers.

We’ve prepared a few tips on the most common ways to express etiquette when receiving sympathy flowers in the event of sickness or the death of a loved one.

Get Well Soon Flowers

If you’ve fallen ill then you may be lucky enough to have loved ones that care to send you expressions of their thoughts and concerns in the form of sympathy flowers. The best way to show visitors and recipients that you appreciate their concern is by either writing short notes of acknowledgement or by displaying your gifts in your home or hospital room. Those that stop by will be happy to see that their flowers are with you in a trying time and a quick note lets them know that you appreciate their thoughtfullness.

Funeral Sympathy Flowers

It’s easier, in many ways, to receive get well soon sympathy flowers rather than ones that are meant to help you after losing a loved one. Just the same, there are some guidelines that should be followed if you are concerned with displaying proper etiquette during this period of time. Like with get well soon flowers, funeral sympathy flowers should be acknowledged with a quick thank you note. Most of us won’t feel like writing long letters to anyone but our closest friends but it is a very good idea to at least put down a few simple words of thanks so that the sender knows their efforts are appreciated.

For funeral sympathy flowers, displaying them at the home, funeral service or wake is also important. Friends and family should be able to see that their gift was put to good use in honouring the deceased.

Here are a few tips for how to tell right from wrong choices when selecting funeral flowers.

Too Cheery?

One of the most difficult choices when choosing the right funeral flowers is whether or not to pick flowers that are typically considered “cheery”. Light colours and tones are most often associated with being uplifting and happy but is it appropriate to send them to someone in grief? The answer to this question can depend greatly on personal preference (always defer to your own knowledge of the sympathy flower’s recipient) but, most often, light or “cheery” flowers are acceptable. Basing an arrangement around lighter colours can send a message of hope and positivity — something that is always a good idea when a terrible event like the loss of a love one has just occurred.

Bad Styles?

Many of us may be wary about sending certain types of flowers that we believe could be inappropriate for sympathy or funeral purposes. Some flowers carry connotations that people may believe are not to be sent to mark an occasion as solemn as a death. Roses, lillies, sunflowers and others can be seen as inappropriate but deciding on whether or not to send an arrangement based on them depends, in a large part, on personal preference. Combine your knowledge of the deceased (and their mourners) with your own taste to select blossoms that are a good fit for the ceremonies. Seasonal choices should not be entirely disregarded because of a fear that they may seem out of place. Personal judgement and knowledge of the specific situation can go a long way when choosing the right style of flowers.

By keeping these tips in mind (and using your personal knowledge of the deceased and their loved ones) you can be better prepared for an upcoming funeral.

By looking at different cultural and religious traditions we can see how to avoid causing offense to those we want to help through a difficult time. Here is a basic overview of some major religious groups and their view on sympathy or funeral flowers.

Religions and Cultures: Interpretations of Sympathy Flowers

Most Christian traditions appreciate the gift of sympathy or funeral flowers as a regular part of the grieving process. Sending blossoms to Catholics or Protestant denominations (like Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, and others) is a good idea. The gift of sympathy flowers is a sign of respect for the deceased and can be crafted (through colour and floral choices) to make for an effective, emotionally resonant message of support. Buddhists find flowers acceptable but one extremely important note is to centre on white (the colour for mourning in Buddhism) and avoid red flowers.

On the other hand, sending funeral flowers to some other religious and cultural groups can be tactless or, even worse, cause actual offense. Hindu and Muslim families do not commonly send and receive flowers in the event of a death and, because of this, it’s not proper to send blossoms to them. Jewish families should never be sent flowers while sitting Shiva (the traditional period of mourning) as it is highly offensive in the religious tradition. Fruit baskets can be offered instead.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can be sure that your expression of sympathy is directed in the right manner and avoid causing any offense to those in grief. Your efforts are sure to be appreciated if you take the time to consider the religious and cultural background of the mourners and send a gift that is appropriate for their traditions.

That’s why we want to help by providing some tips for how to send funeral flowers to a Mormon event.

Mormon Funeral Flowers

To help with this difficult time, we’ve assembled a number of tips for how to choose and send flowers to a relative’s funeral.

Sending Funeral Flowers for Relatives

Whether you want to send a simple bouquet or help with funeral by providing casket sprays or wreaths, there are a number of important things to keep in mind for a relative’s funeral. The first is to decide on where to send your funeral flowers.

It’s essential to get in touch with the funeral home to see what their policy is regarding sending funeral flowers. Most locations allow arrangements and wreaths to be sent to churches or halls but military graveyards and other highly regulated institutions may have rules that must be considered. Always check before sending any flowers over.

Appropriate Flower Choices

The relative’s family may appreciate bouquets of flowers or small plants for home decoration. A floral arrangment can inspire hope and bring a recognition of the cycle of life. Picking peaceful pastel lilies or strong, vibrant wildflowers or roses are ideas that can help get you started if you decide on creating bouquets or other arrangments.

Something Special

If you’re close with the recipient of the sympathy flowers then it’s a great idea to base your arrangement on their favourite flowers or colours. Designing a great bouquet is easier when you know where to begin. If you’re creating a sympathy flower arrangement for someone who loves, say, white tulips, start from there and work your way through the rest of the design by selecting blooms that complement your base.

Even if you’re unsure of the recipient’s favourite flowers and colours, defaulting to “hopeful” colour pallettes (yellows, whites, pastels or other soft colours) is a smart idea that should help to get your feeling across appropriately.

Add Some More Brightness

Accessories and cards are the perfect complement to a sympathy flower arrangement and add an even more personal touch to the overall gift. Pick out a situation-appropriate card and take the time to express yourself (and your emotions) thoughtfully in order to communicate your empathy. You can also add in synthetic materials (like plastic baubles) to lend a whimsical or elegant touch to your arrangement.

Finishing Touches

After creating a great arrangement and complementing it with accessories and a card, consider the addition of live plants and special containers. The best way to go ahead with these finishing touches is by considering the season and picking from items that represent it well. Fall sympathy flower arrangements look beautiful with autumnal leaves and wicker basket containers for just one example.

Keep these tips in mind and the recipient of your sympathy flowers is sure to understand that they’re appreciated and in your thoughts during a troubling time.

The passing of someone, whether they were close to you or to one of your friends or family members, is always difficult. In wanting to express our emotions — our regrets and empathy — we often want to send a token that demonstrates our feelings properly. Choosing between sending funeral or sympathy flowers can be difficult in this case.

Read on for a few tips that help to make this process easier.

Funeral Flowers

Funeral flowers, as a general rule of thumb, are most often sent by immediate family and close friends. Usually funeral flowers feature more elaborate designs and construction, being compositions of religious or personal meaning. It’s difficult for anyone outside of those most intimate with the deceased to select the right funeral flowers for these reasons — and a few others.

Since funerals are such carefully planned events, entire colour schemes and other details have likely been decided ahead of time by the organizers. This fact makes choosing appropriate funeral flowers difficult and something that is best left to those involved with the funeral itself.

Sympathy Flowers

Sympathy flower choices are much more versatile and can be sent to the bereaved by nearly anyone that’s acquainted with them or the deceased. Unlike funeral flowers, sympathy flowers are not usually used in the ceremony itself, instead being brought home by the bereaved as a token of the sender’s respect and condolence.

As mentioned above, anyone that knows the deceased or the grieving family can send sympathy flowers tactfully. Funeral flowers are much more ceremonial and, in some senses, private. Sympathy flowers are a thoughtful way to make your sentiments known without being overbearing or intrusive.

The accepted difference between sympathy and funeral flowers, in a nutshell, has to do with their use and your relationship to the funeral itself. Generally, when funeral flowers aren’t a good idea, sympathy flowers are.