Choosing the Correct Sympathy Flower Arrangement: Funeral Flowers Compared

        Flower arrangements have long been a symbol of celebration, compassion and love. Today, flowers have multiple purposes in a funeral from honoring the life of the one who has passed, bringing comfort to a friend or family in mourning, and filling the room with beauty.  It is important to select the appropriate funeral arrangement based on your relationship with the family in grieving, according to your intended purpose in the funeral and to express your sympathy best. This simple guide compares all the common floral designs, which should make it easier to choose the appropriate arrangement.

Standing Sprays: Funeral flower arrangements designed and displayed on easels. 

• They are strictly for formal services such as memorials, funerals, and graveside services. 

• They should never be sent to homes or offices.

Casket sprays and Inside Pieces: Casket sprays are flower arrangements made to be displayed on top of the casket, and inside pieces are smaller sprays or individual flowers decorated inside the casket.

• These are usually ordered by direct family members

Wreaths, Crosses and Hearts: These are typically larger than standing sprays and are usually displayed near the casket on an easel. The circular shape of the wreath represents eternal life, while the cross represents faith, the heart represents undying love.

•  These types of arrangements are typically given to/by family or very close friends 

Floral Baskets: Floral baskets for funerals are the most common and versatile floral arrangement. They are elegant arrangements that come in various sizes.

•  They can be delivered to a funeral home
•  A wake viewing
• To a church for a religious service or to the family’s home. 

Dish Gardens or Plants: Dish gardens are a miniature garden filled with vibrant green and/or flowering colorful plants. Which are typically planted and arranged in a shallow dish, or in a decorative basket. 

• These are appropriate to send directly to a family’s home or a wake viewing.

These are the most common types of floral arrangements used at funerals as a visual expression of our sympathy, grief, love and respect to the deceased.  At a difficult time, such as this the little things we do could mean so much to the family in mourning. To learn more about the deeper intricate meaning, symbols of the flowers and colors, check out our blog.