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Sending funeral flowers is the traditional way to send your condolenses. Here is the complete guide and etiquette for sending sympathy flowers.

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The Meanings Behind Sympathy Flowers

August 2nd, 2011

For centuries, flowers have been used as an expression of sympathy during times of loss. Sending flowers in honor of the deceased is a sincere way of expressing love, respect and sympathy. Flowers have a language all their own, conveying secret messages that can often speak louder than words.

Flowers represent and symbolize different characteristics, meanings, and emotions, with each flower and color symbolizing something different. Once you have decided what message you want to convey, you can customize your arrangement using the language of flowers. Below is a chart defining the hidden messages behind each flower:

Sympathy Flower Meanings

  • Alstroemeria: Symbolizes friendship
  • Carnations: Depending on the color the meanings change. Red stands for admiration. Pink conveys remembrance. White represents pure love and innocence.
  • Cherry Blossoms: Stands for innocence, spring and simplicity
  • Chrysanthemums: Represents truth
  • Cyclamens: Symbolizes resignation and farewells
  • Forget-Me-Nots: Represents faithful love and remembrance
  • Gladiolus: Conveys strength of character, sincerity and moral integrity
  • Iris: Symbolizes Christian resurrection
  • Lilies: Represent innocence, sympathy and purity
  • Sweet Marjoram: Stand for comfort and consolation
  • Roses: Depending on the color they have different meanings. White shows reverence, humility, and innocence. Pink represents grace and love. Red shows respect, love and courage.
  • Statice: Symbolizes remembrance

Any and all flowers are acceptable when sending sympathy arrangements. Here is a list of the general meanings behind the color.

Continue reading “The Meanings Behind Sympathy Flowers” »

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Flower Customs for Asian Funerals

July 30th, 2011

White OrchidsSending flowers to a funeral or to a family in grief is always appropriate and appreciated. Different religions and cultures have their own traditions passed down from generation to generation; it is important to respect and honor these traditions when sending flowers for a funeral. You want to make sure that the flowers you send convey the right message.

Significance of Flowers for Asian Funerals

In Asian culture, the color and type of flower is very significant. Each flower and color symbolizes something special.

White, light yellow, light pink and other pale colors are the most commonly used colors for an Asian funeral. These flowers give hope to those who grieve.

In Asian cultures, white is the color that represents death and is very appropriate for funerals.

REMEMBER: Red is strictly forbidden for funerals. It is the color of happiness and celebration, making a mockery of those who are grieving.

The most commonly used flowers for an Asian funeral are: Continue reading “Flower Customs for Asian Funerals” »

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Why Funeral Flowers Are Still Important Today

May 21st, 2011

Standing Spray Funeral FlowersFrom birthdays to Valentine’s Day, weddings and funerals — flowers are a way to commemorate life’s most significant celebrations and events. Because flowers are essential to almost all family occasions, funeral flowers continue to hold great importance to most funeral traditions and services today.

Words are sometimes hard find when a friend or loved one passes. Often, flowers better express the sympathy we feel for the family and our lost friend. The love and respect you feel toward the deceased and their loved ones is immediately conveyed by sending flowers. They are a means of communicating one’s love and support for the family, and a sign they are not alone in their burden of grief.

Today, flowers are not just sent to the funeral service, it is also becoming popular to send flowers to the home of the bereaved after the service.  This simple gesture of support can mean a lot to a family that is in the process of grieving the loss of a loved one.  As mentioned before, flowers can sometimes express what words cannot.  Sending flowers to the funeral home where the service will be held is still the most popular way to express sentiment.

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More on In Lieu of Flowers
How Funerals & Flowers Got Together

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How To Incorporate Flowers With Funeral Urns

April 26th, 2011

The iconic, casket flower arrangement has become a staple in our funeral flower traditions. Open or closed casket, the large spray of lush flowers and foliage has a way of calming our spirits in a time of loss. Beautiful flowers have a way of enhancing the atmosphere at somber events. Additionally, it gives guests a subject to talk about that is comforting and uplifting.

But what if there is no casket? What if your loved one chose to be cremated, can you use flowers with a cremation urn? The answer is yes! Florists everywhere are creating beautiful floral memorials especially for cremation urns that are just as impressive as the traditional casket arrangement. As if they were sheltering the urn, flowers create a comforting effect when surrounding whatever vessel you choose to carry the cremains of your loved one.

Funeral Urns & Flowers Funeral Urn Flowers

While cremation urns are beautiful, they are often dark in dim funeral home lighting. Having flowers cradle your loved one’s cremains brightens the mood and gives the cremains an over-all sense of resting in a garden.

You can even personalize the memorial urn’s flowers to celebrate the life of the departed by using the their favorite flowers and colors. Incorporate favorite hobbies and pastimes into your flowers. If they were an avid gardener or loved to fish, use some of their equipment within the flowers to better represent them. Talk to your florist about these suggestions and see just what they recommend.

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Is “In Lieu of Flowers” a Good Idea?

February 28th, 2011

In Lieu Of Flowers A Good Idea?The death of a friend or family member is always a difficult and confusing time. Families often make requests that gifts be given to charity in lieu of flowers.  This is usually the result of advice from well-intentioned friends or organizations. While a family may want to do something special in the name of the deceased, it is not always appreciated by all. There are many implications that go along with an in lieu of flowers request.  An obituary itself is an announcement of the death and an invitation to friends and acquaintances to attend the funeral.  The obituary is not, however, an expectation of flowers, gifts or donations.

In some cases, an in lieu of flowers request can cause discomfort or embarrassment for friends and relatives. Those who do follow the request may be confused and embarrassed by those who ignored the request and sent flowers. Many people prefer more traditional ways of expressing their sympathy and like to make the decision on their own whether to send flowers, make a donation or send a card.

No matter one’s preferences, in most funerals today there is room for both flowers and charity.  The concept of giving to charity during a times of sadness can help lift the spirits of those left behind.  The comfort and tradition of giving flowers can also help to lift the mood of the day, as well as create a lasting memory of the funeral.  Personalized funeral tributes can spark wonderful thoughts of times spent together.

In any case, it is always very important to consider what the deceased person would have wanted when making certain requests.  Regardless of the request, a funeral is a celebration of life that should be honored according to the wishes of the deceased and their family.
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More on In Lieu of Flowers
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How Flowers and Funerals Got Together

February 24th, 2011

The idea of funeral flowers has had both a practical and a symbolic use for many years.  In the beginning, using flowers and spices were used at a funeral or burial-place as a pleasant way to mask orders. Today, we use funeral flowers as loving tributes to our lost friends.

The History of Flowers & Funerals

Send Funeral Flowers From A Real Local Florist With Flower Shop NetworkIt wasn’t until the 18oo’s that the practice of embalming became a popular practice.  Conservation practices have been done in many cultures for thousands of years, but it is not until the Civil War that embalming become common in the United States. President Lincoln actually became interested in the idea so that Union soldiers could be returned to their loved ones for proper burial.  After the Civil War however, embalming fell out of use, and once again funeral flowers became popular.

In 1914 C. Austin Miles wrote the famous funeral hymn, “In the Garden” which referenced the afterlife being like a garden stroll. This eventually lead funeral homes to develop indoor gardens as the backdrop of the funeral.

Flowers at funerals are also used when it is difficult to know what to say.  People are often at a loss for words in times of grief. Even when the passing is expected, it is sometimes hard to know what to say.

Why Sending Funeral Flowers Is So Important

  • Sending flowers is a wonderful way to express one’s sympathy and compassion for the family, and show respect for the deceased.
  • Funeral flowers often are meant to show one’s  love, and support for the family.
  • Personalized funeral flowers can often spark happy memories of those close to the departed.
  • Flowers also have a symbolic use in that they can create a warm and comforting feeling during the funeral.
  • Flowers can be a great comfort to those close to the deceased and create a special memory for loved ones to recall long after the funeral.

Related Articles:

History of Embalming
Personalized & Creative Funeral Flowers
In Lieu Of Flowers Doesn’t Mean No Funeral Flowers
Funeral Flower Etiquette

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Funeral Flower Ordering Tips

February 24th, 2010

Standing Spray Funeral Flowers

Many of us are at a loss when it comes to expressing our condolences. Sympathy flowers are a natural and comforting way to express our feeling of loss while comforting others. At some point in our lives, we will be faced with the need to order funeral flowers.

Fortunately Debra Kerr-Hunter of Eden Garden Center & Florist has a few simple steps and tips that will make the process of ordering funeral flowers easier.

How To Order Sympathy Flowers

KNOW THE DETAILS – Before you order flowers for a funeral, you will need to know the name of the deceased and the location and date of the funeral. This information can be obtained from an obituary listing, a friend or family member, or from funeral homes in the area. Have all the information written down and within reach before you call.

SET A BUDGET – This can be difficult if you don’t know how much the florist charges. Here are some things to consider.

  • How many people are going in on the arrangement? If there are 5 people, you might each contribute $10 or $20.
  • How well did you know the deceased? If it was a relative, your floral sentiment might be more generous.
  • What is the minimum order amount? Wire services and most florists have a minimum amount on a phone order. If it’s a local funeral and you walk into the florist, there may not be a minimum, however.
  • Basket and container arrangements usually begin at $30 – $40, and can run as high as $120 – $150 depending on the size of the arrangement and types of flowers used.
  • Standing sprays, wreaths and crosses are much more expensive, starting at around $100 – $130, and running as high as $250 – $400 again, depending on the blooms used.
  • Plant gifts usually start around $30 and run up to around $75 at a high end.

Continue reading “Funeral Flower Ordering Tips” »

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Grave Blankets

January 5th, 2010

Everything You Need To Know About Grave Blankets

Grave blankets, also referred to as cemetery grave blankets, are decorative coverings for the gravesite. In the same way that casket sprays decorate a casket at the funeral, grave blankets decorate the gravesite at the cemetery.

Grave blankets are traditionally made of evergreens (such as pine) and decorated with accents like baby’s breath, ribbons, bows, etc. Grave blankets come in many sizes. The smallest of these, often referred to as grave pillows, are more compact and reside near the headstone.

Areas Where Grave Blankets Are Popular

Grave blankets, though not traditional to any part of the country, are an American tradition that has taken root in northernmost states. Grave blankets are most common in states with colder winters. The most popular locations for grave blankets are Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York.

Even in areas that do not suffer harsh winters, grave blankets are a popular winter cemetery decoration because most fresh flowers cannot tolerate the cold. Live evergreens in grave blankets provide a fresh alternative whereas otherwise the only options are silk flowers, artificial flowers, or no decorations at all.

The Proper Time To Use Grave Blankets

Grave blankets are typically used in the late fall and throughout the winter. Though each cemetery is different, most allow grave blankets to be displayed from November through late March or early April. During this season, Christmas grave blankets are popular.

As this season wanes, grave blankets for other holidays are selected. These may include a grave blanket for Mother’s Day, the anniversary of the person’s death, the birthday of the deceased, and other occasions.

Other Helpful Information About Grave Blankets

 

Learn how to make a grave blanket.

 

 

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