Life has a beginning and an end. A cut flower symbolizes the passing of life: just as it quickly withers and dies, so does human life pass quickly. A loved one’s death is a time of grief and sorrow, and we can change nothing. In any case, sending funeral flowers shows that you care, and it is comforting to the family. A flower arrangement is a beautiful way to express your condolences to the family. Funeral flowers etiquette has relaxed over the years and is quite simple.
There has been a tradition associating death and plants since ancient times. According to the Greek myth about the rose, it appeared from the blood of the murdered beloved of Aphrodite – Adonis. Slavs used Spruce to symbolize immortality: they wove wreaths from them for the dead. Each nation has its own beliefs regarding mourning floristry, which you should learn by choosing a wreath or bouquet. Now let’s explore several features of funeral flowers etiquette.
Funeral Flowers Etiquette: The Aim of Burial Flowers
There is no death! What seems so is transition.
Longfellow
Traditional funeral customs for people all over the world are not complete without flowers. For those gathered to bring flowers to the funeral is a way to express their attitude towards the deceased. Previously, we have already talked about the language of flowers as your tools to convey a tailored message used in various situations. If chosen carefully, flowers can reflect the deceased’s life; for instance, the person’s favorite color or flower. Families who have lost a loved one can be comforted with them. Funeral flowers are a welcome diversion in a time of sorrow, providing cheer and comfort for the bereaved. It is easy to talk about them when it is not easy to come up with something to say because they are light-hearted topics. It is essential to choose the bouquet with the appropriate number, type, and color of plants.
Funeral Flowers Etiquette: Flower Suggestions
Despite the motley palette of natural flora, it is better to stop choosing light or dark shades. Instead, you will want to pick a bouquet representing them and showing reverence for their life. If it is necessary to emphasize an extraordinary tragedy, you can paint the flowers in black tones. Take freshly cut white plants (roses, chrysanthemums, gerberas) and place them in a vase of cold water with the black paint. Such a bouquet is taken to a dark place for three-five days – and the petals will acquire the desired shade.
However, modern florists offer a rich assortment of already grown flowers so that you can make a ready-made composition from existing ones.
Funeral chrysanthemums represent eternal life and are available in several colors. As a traditional symbol of strength, gladioli are also popular flowers for funeral arrangements due to their tall size and capacity for filling out large compositions. Flowers representing honor and reverence, such as white roses, are commonly used. The forget-me-not symbolizes remembrance and hope, while the lily symbolizes peace, and the fern represents sincerity. Also, carnations, daisies, and tulips are usual. Traditional funeral flowers are white and pale.
The Cost of Funeral Flowers
Basic bouquets and wreaths, which are very simple, cost between $30 and $80. Floral arrangements typically include flowers, fillers, and a vase or basket for delivery. You don’t need to worry about getting an elaborate bouquet or anything out of season for this price range. But you’ll still get a professionally delivered composition that will help make the funeral look and feel memorable.
The costs will rise when you start looking for shaped wreaths or casket displays, and so on.
Most people spend around $100 for a mournful arrangement, with the specialized displays moving upward from there. Casket sprays tend to be the most expensive at about $600 to $800, but usually, the family purchases them.
Budget Option
If you are on a budget and want to show your support without breaking it, one good way to cut back is to choose dark-colored carnations. Elegant terry inflorescences of this plant are traditionally a symbol of sorrow, mourning, and, oddly enough, love – faithful, honest, to the grave. They can be classic red, but also dark cherry, purple, and white-red.
Another budget option can be chrysanthemums. They are a sign of immortality and the flower of the emperor in Japan. In ancient times only he wore this flower in the buttonholes of his jacket, and the rest were expected to die for this action. For Europeans, a similar meaning can be found in asters. They are for aged people who passed away quietly and serenely.
You may consider purchasing a group arrangement. It will be another excellent option for saving money. This action is socially acceptable in almost all situations: sending the flowers as a family, workplace, or community group. Ask everyone to chip in $20 or so, and your display will stand out at the funeral.
Lilies and Roses – Light Sadness for the Departed Soul
If money is no object, then you can look at specialized funeral flowers that include things like lilies. Lilies are a symbol of purity, happiness, maternal love, and memory. They mean light sadness for the departed soul: they are usually intended for dead young women, dead children, or unexpectedly departed loved ones.
And without a doubt, roses, the prickly flower queens, remain classics for expressing feelings of respect and attention. Dark red, burgundy – they will fit perfectly both on holiday and on the day of farewell to the deceased. The main thing is to remember the restraint of packaging and the number of pieces in the bouquet.
Dark red roses are associated with fading beauty, the decline of life, and frozen blood. The dark red flowers of this species are suitable for both deceased relatives and former colleagues. It is a win-win.
By sending flowers to the family of someone who has passed away, you can provide comfort and beauty during this time. The knowledge you are thinking about them will mean a lot to them.
Sending flowers is a time-honored way of expressing your condolence.
- If you want to offer comfort and support, but not say something that will further sadden the recipient, send them a flower message;
- You can send funeral flowers abroad using Good Choice Flowers services;
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Born in Nalchik in 1966, graduated with a major in English Lit, and working as a school teacher since 1990. My interests are diverse: music, good literature, and computer technology at the user level. I like to try new things, and I bring what I started to its logical conclusion. Oh! And I do love my pets! I’m already 54 and I still believe in miracles and hobbits with elves and Gandalf. I myself am a bit of an adventuress like a hobbit, and I love mushrooms, too, like they do.