Funeral flower arrangements are a beautiful way to honour the life of a loved one. Whether you are thinking about sending a bouquet as a gift, or arranging casket toppers for a funeral service, there are many styles and collections to choose from. This guide will help you organise and select the funeral flowers which are the right option for you and your loved ones.
Where are floral arrangements typically displayed during funeral services?
- Casket Flowers
Often known as Casket Sprays or Casket Sheaths, these floral arrangements are specifically designed to add that personal touch to the top of the casket. They dress the casket and as such are often the most prominent floral arrangements that you will notice at a funeral service. Casket flower arrangements can cover a diverse range of floral options from Australian natives, roses, white lilies, carnations or coloured assortments. - Church Decoration Flowers
Floral arrangements are a wonderful way to express feelings of sadness and hope. A church can be enlivened with flowers on the altar, at the end of each pew, adoring the lectern and of course on the casket itself. Floral tributes can come in a wreath, round posy arrangements, tied sheaf or more personal tributes like a basket or box of flowers. - Standing Flowers
A popular floral arrangement is the standing flower display. Also known as a standing funeral spray, they are floral arrangements that are presented on an upright easel or wire stand and are positioned at the front of the funeral service in close proximity to the casket. You can present them as wreaths, crosses, hearts or you can get creative and personalise to various shapes – so long as it is upright in nature. - Bouquets
The traditional bouquet floral arrangement is also a popular funeral flower arrangement. These are often the lowest cost floral arrangement option. Bouquets are not restricted to the funeral itself, as often funeral bouquets are sent by friends and relatives to the family home, letting them know that they are being thought of during this sad time. When it’s hard to find the right words to say at such a sad time, flowers can be a beautiful substitute. - Floral arrangements as gifts
Often friends and family will arrive at the funeral service with floral arrangements as a gift. These posies and bouquets are a thoughtful way of showing sadness and sympathy for the family of the deceased. Funeral company staff are well placed to decide where these gifts should be collected and displayed.
Types and styles of funeral flowers
The type of flower most appropriate for a funeral should begin with the personality and relationship you have experienced with the deceased. Choosing a flower arrangement should reflect this personal significance.
The most appropriate types of funeral flowers are in the end up to you. Arrangement shapes and styles also vary greatly – hearts and shapes, rose arrangements, bright florals, native florals, tranquil and pastel arrangements.
How to buy funeral flowers?
When it comes to buying Funeral flowers there are a few considerations you should think about.
Funeral Flower packages
Your funeral director may offer a package deal for arrangements and wreaths and this can often bring peace of mind for the family of the deceased. Especially since this task being is outsourced to a trusted florist that the funeral director works with regularly. Many florists will also offer packages which allow you to order with confidence and ensuring they are delivered fresh.
Buying online
Any local Google search will show you the many local florists who sell online. There are also online florists that deliver across Australia such as FreshFlowers.com.au, Flowers for Everyone and Interflora.
Cost of funeral flower arrangements
As you would expect costs can vary greatly depending upon your requirements such as the size of the arrangement, quality, type of flower and the delivery needs. However, you can expect to pay on average between $300 and $700 for a standing funeral spray and casket flowers. If budget is a problem then you can consider artificial flowers that may be rented at a small cost or around $50 or you could go minimalist and have a single flower like a rose adorning the casket.
When should funeral flowers be ordered and delivered?
Most florists offer same day delivery however, for more elaborate casket flowers and standing sprays it is wise to allow for 2-3 days for sourcing and styling. The funeral director will want the flowers delivered on the day of the funeral so they are fresh and it will help to be as early as possible.
Where should funerals flowers be sent to?
It really depends if the floral arrangements are for the funeral service or as a sympathy gift for the family of the deceased. Sympathy flowers should be delivered to the residential address of the family within a 2-3 week window of the passing, together with a personalised card or note of sympathy. For delivery to the funeral director, you will require the name and address of the funeral director, the name of the deceased and time of the funeral. Ask the funeral director if there are any specific delivery protocols that need to be followed to avoid your floral arrangements going missing or accidentally being used for someone else’s funeral! The same requirements apply for the delivery of funeral flowers to a church or crematorium.
What type of sympathy messages should go with funeral flowers?
All deliveries of funeral flowers should have a card with a simple sympathy message. At a minimum, a simple message containing the sender’s name to communicate whom the flowers came from. Finding the right tributes and words to say is not always easy.
Can I bring funeral flowers from the deceased’s garden to personalize the casket flowers?
It is absolutely ok to include flowers as part of the casket flowers, particularly if the deceased was a keen gardener. Keep in mind, however, that the preparation of an entire casket sheath is a big undertaking that requires the specialist skills of a florist and their implements and materials to construct. Therefore, it is best to personalise the casket sheath by providing flowers from the garden to the florist who will use their professional craftsmanship to create that personal touch. Or you can simply bring them along on the day to add to the casket flowers. Adding a personal touch is always encouraged and can extend to a personal item like a hat or even fruit and vegetables from the garden – it all depends on the personality and interests of the deceased.
It’s unlikely that organising Funeral Flowers is a core skill, so hopefully, this guide helps cut-through any first-time ordering funeral flowers confusion. Remember your florist and funeral director are there to help you in your time of need. Together with this guide, you will be able to use flowers to personalise the funeral for a special goodbye and time of grieving for family and friends.