Whether you are planning the funeral yourself, or simply finding the right gift for the bereaved it is important to take into consideration all aspects of what will happen. One aspect that may not be on your radar is how to order the right funeral flowers. Flowers are often one of the most personal parts about funerals and can really make or break an event.

You will want to ensure that the flowers you choose, just like the music and any religious or humanist aspect of the service, reflects and celebrates the life you are now putting to rest.

If you are reading this blog post because a friend has passed away, or you are guiding a friend who is in that situation, then let me just say I am sorry for your loss and I hope these tips help assist with some flower ordering decisions.

In this article, we have broken down the art of buying either sympathy flowers or flowers for funerals into three R’s; Reflect the person, respect the religion, and reach out for help.

1) Reflect the Person.

Above anything else, you want the flowers you buy that express sympathy or flowers for a funeral arrangement to reflect the person whose life you are celebrating.

If you are celebrating the life of someone who always brought light to dark situations, and whose personality shone through in every encounter, then bright vivacious colours are recommended. Consider for example a multi coloured bouquet of tulips or a Honolulu Hope Hand-Tied bouquet featuring gingers and heliconias.

If the person who passed away was a keen gardener or enjoyed flowers, try to recall, or find out what their favourite flowers were and make your purchase accordingly.

2) Respect the religion..

Different religions have different floral traditions for funerals. If the person whose life you are celebrating was someone of faith, then consider the following flowers depending on their specific religion.

Catholicism: A wide variety of flowers are welcome for a Catholic funeral however there are certain colours and species which hold a particular significance for those of the Catholic faith.

Some Catholic traditions hold that Jesus’s tomb was filled with roses and lilies when it was opened by Mary, and white roses are often considered the symbol of innocence and purity.

Pink Carnations are also said in some Catholic traditions to have been created from the Virgin Mary’s tears.

Protestant Christianity:- All kinds of flowers are appropriate to send to the funeral of a Protestant.

Buddhism: - White Flowers are used in Buddhist Funerals to signify mourning. They wear white in the hope that their loved ones are reincarnated in the continuous circle of life.

Mormonism:- Any kinds of flowers are considered appropriate and are welcome at Mormon funerals. There is no one flower with an overwhelming symbolism; however, it is advised to avoid any floral arrangements in the shape of a cross.

While religion plays a role in selecting specific flowers- for other religions, flowers at a funeral ought to be avoided.

Judaism: - It is a Jewish funeral tradition to have no flowers at the service. This is because Jews believe that we should not be mourning over the person who has died, but rather celebrating their life and remembering all the good things they did in their lifetime. This is a tradition that is first recorded in the Babylonian Talmud.

Consider a gift to charity on behalf of the deceased instead or a condolence card.

Hinduism: Similarly, flowers are not considered appropriate at Hindu funerals. This aversion is rooted in a strong belief that death should be respected and honoured as part of life. Flowers symbolize new beginnings and rebirth, which go against these beliefs.

At some Hindu funerals, it is customary to bring fruit instead to express sympathy and honour for the deceased.

Islam -. Traditionally, Muslims do not have flowers at their funerals because they believe it would be disrespectful of the earth to take something living as an offering during a time of death.

3) Reach out for help.

How to use flowers to celebrate the life of an individual will always be difficult, no matter how many funerals who have attended or organised in the past.

Large funeral homes usually have a dedicated floral specialist who can walk you through their different arrangements and what they signify. If you tell them about the person ahead of time, they may be able to prepare some arrangements for you to preview.

For buying sympathy flower bouquets, florists will always be happy to help you via email or telephone, or now you can drop by and ask them in person.

While talking to the family may be difficult at a time such as this, you should not be too afraid to reach out to them for help and advice.

Conclusion.

We hope that this blog has empowered you to make a compassionate decision for the person you are buying sympathy flowers for or assisting in the funeral arrangement of.

We appreciate that funerals can be both emotionally and logistically difficult to plan at such short notice.

So while most florists for a customised funeral request would like 7-10 days’ notice, for pre-tied bouquets, Fleur De Luxe has an extensive range avaliable for same day Birmingham flower delivery, and next-day delivery for the rest of the country.