The act of sending flowers dates back to the Stone Age. In 1951, the excavation in the Shanidar Cave (Northern Iraq) revealed different burial sites with flower fragments dating back to 62,000 BC.
This discovery was later documented as the world’s oldest ritual in the Guinness book of world record.
Losing a loved one can be a painful experience. However, you can show your condolence to those grieving by sending flowers. This way, you’ll let the grieving family know that you’re in their thoughts.
Today, flowers aren’t just used to comfort, but also act as a reminder of the spirit of life. That said, the flowers you send will lift the spirit of the relatives, provide comfort, and celebrate the life of the deceased.
Not sure how to order flowers for a funeral? Choosing the right flowers for a funeral can be difficult, but here are the key factors to consider when ordering.
Your Relation to the Deceased
Your relation to the deceased will determine the type of funeral flowers you should get. If you’re from the immediate family, you should select a casket wreath or spray. The alternative arrangement can include heart-shaped arrangements, swag inside casket lid, and table arrangements.
You should settle for an informal arrangement or standing spray if you’re a member of the extended family. Close colleagues or friends to the deceased can send a live plant, bouquet in a vase, or basket flower arrangement.
Tribute to the Personality of the Deceased
Flowers act as a way of recognizing what the deceased loved to do in life. So, by choosing a unique bouquet with special meaning, you’ll be honoring the life of the departed. If the deceased loved outdoors, you should send a basket of rustic wildflowers.
If the deceased favorite color was yellow, send a bouquet of yellow flowers on his/her funeral. If he/she was a gardener, consider sending plants which the family can plant in honor of their loved one.
The Faith of the Deceased
Flowers arrangement varies depending on religious traditions, cultural beliefs, or faith. What may be acceptable in one culture may not be so in another. Protestants and Catholic Christians have no specific styles or recommendations. Nearly all types, colors, and floral arrangements are acceptable.
Most flowers are acceptable to Mormons, but you should avoid arrangements with crosses or crucifixes. In Jewish funerals, flowers aren’t supposed to be displayed primarily where the funeral service is held. While it’s a common practice to send flowers to a members’ home, you shouldn’t do so during the home sitting Shiva.
In the Islamic faith, for instance, the acceptability of flowers varies across the faith. So, it’s best to ask about the desires of the bereaved before sending.
Consider Color Meanings
When selecting flowers for an emotional event like a funeral, it’s vital that you factor in the color of the flowers. If it’s a Buddhist funeral, red flowers should be avoided, but go for white instead. Green flowers should be avoided as they represent health and good fortune, which isn’t appropriate for such an event.
Choose white flowers to represent reverence and peace, and blue flowers for calm and comfort.
Know the Meaning of the Flowers
There’s no fast and hard rule regarding the flowers that should be sent to homes or funerals of the bereaved. However, there’re a few traditional favorites.
For instance, apple blossom represents better things to come, lilies of the valley symbolizes the return of happiness, ivy represents eternal fidelity, and roses (pink) is a sign of grace/gentility.
Check with your Local Florist
When ordering flowers, it’s vital that you check with your local florist to make sure you’re sending the right type and right arrangement of flowers. If you’re from a small town, the deceased may know the bereaved or deceased personally and may give you additional advice.
The Type of Funeral
You should consider the type of service that’s going to be held (funeral or memorial). There’re sometimes different needs for flowers. If it’s a cremation service with no burial, then live plants, or any flower arrangements should be taken home.
The traditional burial can have the same flower, but the emphasis should be placed on the stand that can be placed on the cemetery.
Age and the type of Flowers
The age of the deceased plays a significant role in the kind of flowers you’re going to buy. If it’s the burial of a senior, customary bloom arrangements are mostly used. You can also go for more masculine designs that are appropriate.
Don’t forget to incorporate neutral, darker, or bolder variants such as white, orange, dark blue, and purple. When it comes to kids, flowers can be arranged in cartoon-like shapes.
The Season of Your Funeral
The season when your funeral is held will play a part when choosing blooms. This is because not all flowers are in season at the same time. The cooler autumn month is the best season for fresh flowers like lilies.
Richer hued options are common during the winter months. In the summer months, you can opt for the daffodils, irises, carnations, or gladiolas.
How to Order Flowers for a Funeral
If your loved one has just passed on, it can be challenging to know how to order flowers for a funeral. If you’re attending the burial of your closest friend, come prepared with a basket arrangement of flowers or live plants.
People have different tastes and preferences when it comes to colors. So, when in search of an ideal bouquet, you should incorporate the deceased favorite color in the collection.
Flowers have their meanings! This is something you should consider when selecting funeral flowers. Calm and comfort can be depicted in blue flowers, while white represents peace and reverence.
Take note of the deceased religion. Jewish religious tradition doesn’t allow the display of flowers, and you should avoid arrangements in crucifixes in Marmon’s funerals.
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