Choosing the right words to express sympathy to someone that has just lost somebody is hard. Where words fail, flowers speak. Therefore, you’re better to order flowers online, ask for flower delivery, and express your condolences to the grieving family by sending them flowers. This is an appropriate gesture to help someone during the mourning period.

However, you have to make sure you choose the appropriate funeral flowers and make an informed choice. For that reason, Perfect Petals – the ultimate flower bouquet online and flower delivery shop – has come up with the following guide on funeral flowers choice and funeral and sympathy etiquette:

How are Funeral Flowers different from Sympathy Flowers?

Even though funeral flowers and condolence flowers seem to be the same thing, they actually differ. In fact, the flowers ordered by close family members and friends that attend the funeral, whether at church or memorial service, are referred to as funeral flowers.

On the other hand, sympathy flowers are sent by people who didn’t go to the funeral. They usually order flowers online and ask for flower delivery to the home of the grieving family. Plus, for this occasion, you can also choose a living plant instead of a floral arrangement to provide a lasting reminder in memory of the deceased person. Such perfect choices for this would be a Peace Lily plant or Phalaenopsis Orchid plant are among the most popular.

How to Make the Right Flower Choice?

Choosing the right funeral flowers can be challenging if you do this for the first time. Yet, flowers are an appropriate choice for the bereavement process since they convey special meanings and can express your true feelings and condolences. However, different flowers and colours represent different things and that’s the reason why you should be mindful when choosing funeral flowers.

In general, when it comes to funeral flowers, people tend to order white blooms and other flowers in other pastel colours. Common flowers to order for a funeral include lush oriental lilies, Tulips, Carnations, Roses, Chrysanthemums, Gladioli, Dahlia, Gerberas, Orchids, and Hydrangeas.

Just bear in mind that when you order flowers online, ask specifically for white flowers or other appropriate colour palettes.

How to Choose the Right Funeral Floral Arrangement?

You can express your emotions and condolences not only by making the right funeral flowers choice but also by the visual presentation of the floral arrangement. Typically, if you order for a big and formal floral arrangement, you can ask the flower delivery service to take it directly to the funeral home. Or, if you’ve decided to get a smaller floral arrangement you can send it to a person’s home, i.e. to the grieving family.

Here’s a brief description of the most common funeral flowers options:

• Casket sprays – as the name suggests, they are put directly on top of the casket and are usually ordered by the closest family.
• Simple sprays – similar to the previous one but smaller, simple sprays are reserved for friends and relatives and can be placed on the grave.
• Wreaths – the circular form of wreaths symbolizes eternal life which is why they are the most common funeral arrangements and they are usually placed on the grave or displayed on a stand.
• Floral arrangements – these are quite versatile and can come in different styles, shapes, and sizes, from bouquets to container arrangements.

To sum up, if you’ve heard of a demise, and don’t know what’s appropriate, just call Perfect Petals and make an appropriate funeral flowers choice to express your condolences and respect for the deceased and their grieving loved ones.