Sympathy Etiquette

Funeral Flowers and Plant Etiquette

When a death occurs, knowing how to comfort those left behind is not easy and sending funeral flowers can be sometimes even more difficult.

What is appropriate to memorialise relatives, or people to whom you are not related or those you've not personally met, such as the wife or husband of someone you know.

For a funeral:

Anyone may send floral baskets or living plants or to the bereaved's home or workplace.

Family, or those who had a deeper, or formal relationship with the deceased can send floral wreaths, crosses, and sprays or sympathy baskets to the funeral home.

Associations that would like to honour the deceased for service during their lifetime can also send floral wreaths, crosses, and sprays.

Traditionally reserved for family members and younger children, or grandchildren of the deceased, is the right to honour the disceased with lid arrangements and casket covers. Floral arrangements known as tributes are generally chosen by good friends or family members, you can choose a special design based on an aspect of their personality, their occupation, an association membership, forces connection or a hobby.

For a cremation:

A tastefully designed floral tribute adds beauty to any type of memorial service.

It is common for the family to have an arrangement designed for display with the urn.

Because cremation is quite common in an increasing number of regions, we may have specific suggestions.

In the case of cremation, much depends on whether; a funeral service is planned or a memorial service at the bereaved's home, or if there will be no services at all. Generally It is always appropriate to send an all-occasion type floral basket arrangement.

Bright flowers can reflect on the energetic personality of the deceased and are chosen to send a message about how we felt about that person. Floral arrangements known as tributes are generally chosen by good friends or family members, you can choose a special design based on an aspect of their personality, their occupation, an association membership, forces connection or a hobby.

Regarding green or flowering plant:

Some funeral homes will deliver plants or flowers to the bereaved's home after the memorial services and others may require that the family take them home with them please ask the funeral home staff about their policy.

Sending flowers in a glass vase to a funeral home is acceptable, however, some funeral homes have rules about certain types of arrangements. If the arrangement you would like to send is anything outside the realm of traditional sympathy floral designs, please consult the funeral home concerning their policy on such arrangements before ordering.

Sending flowers as a group:

This is a very good idea, when mourners pool their financial resources for one arrangement, it can be that much more special, and will have much greater impact.

Gift cards are large enough to hold a number of names, if the list of names is very long, you may choose to identify yourselves by family, group, or department if coworkers. In either case, you should supply one contact name and address so that the family can send thanks.

You missed the funeral:

It is OK to send flowers to the family's home, as flowers are always appreciated, no matter when they are received ande ven if you will also be attending the funeral, sending flowers to the bereaved's home is a wonderful gesture.

Some people choose to send flowers a week or so after the funeral, after the necessary chaos of a death.

Some people send flowers to the home over a period of time after the funeral to remind the bereaved that we are still thinking of them and their loss.

We are often asked if it be all right to send flowers if the death notice requests a charitable donation, "in lieu of flowers"?

We think you should make the contribution, however to send flowers at the funeral service adds warmth and life to a somber event and are a tangible tribute.

Letting the bereaved know, visibly, how much their loved one touched the lives of others, just as we would never choose not to send sympathy cards, offer assistance, or donate food when asked to make a financial contribution, flowers are always appropriate and appreciated.

Experience Counts

We have experience in providing funeral flower arrangements and are able to create and theme a unique floral tribute based on the life of your loved one and offer excellent advice and guidance as to what flowers and arrangements will be most suitable.

We are flexible in the delivery of your flowers and sensitive to the needs of the situation in terms of when, where and how the delivery will take place.


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