It’s difficult when someone close to you experiences the loss of a loved one. What should you say to a friend or a family member who has lost a loved one? It’s common to be at a loss for words in these situations. The most thoughtful thing to do is to send flowers.
Flowers can bring both solace and beauty to a sorrowful time. It would be best if you carefully consider the most thoughtful sympathy flowers. Every flower color has a meaning and can symbolize different things.
As you would like to communicate the appropriate message, you need to ensure that your flower gift expresses your sympathy correctly.
Five Important Aspects to Consider When Choosing Sympathy Flowers
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The Type of Service
Find out if it will be a funeral service or a memorial service. Funeral services often have large bouquets, flower arrangements, floral wreaths, and flower baskets. In contrast, cremations with memorial services usually have just green plants.
You can also find out if the family will have an open-casket or a closed-casket service. Open caskets normally have smaller arrangements of flowers, while closed caskets can have large flower sprays that cover up to the entire top of the casket.
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Your Relationship
If a close relative has passed, you should consider a large floral arrangement. Pale or white-colored simple bouquets are acceptable for distant relatives.
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Add Your Personal Touch
If it’s a formal funeral, stick to the normal etiquette and include roses and lilies in your sympathy arrangement.
However, if the occasion is more of a celebration of the person’s life, you can think a bit out of the box.
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The Meaning of the Flowers
The religion of the deceased plays a very important role when choosing the right sympathy flowers. The meaning of flowers and their different colors vary depending on culture and religion.
Before choosing a flower arrangement, consider the family’s background.
Carnations – Christian or Catholic Funerals
These flowers have ruffled petals and a very distinctive smell. Blooms of carnations are most commonly used in floral wreaths and memorial arrangements.
When red carnations are given, it shows that you’ll always be there for your friend in their time of need. Pink carnations show that you’ll keep the memory of their loved one alive.
Chrysanthemums – Depends on the Family’s Heritage
This flower has many different meanings. In the United States, these flowers are viewed as lighthearted, and they honor the life of a lost one. In Europe, these flowers symbolize death and they’re only used at memorial services. In Asia, families view the white version of this flower as a symbol of grief.
Lilies – Christian Families and Renewed Outlook
This flower represents new chapters and beginnings. It symbolizes to the family that the deceased will not be forgotten and that they themselves should focus on a new viewpoint in life.
Orchids – Christian Families and Loss of a Significant Other
Orchids symbolize eternal love due to the ability of the flower to live longer than other flowers. The most common orchids come in white and pink, which are the best choice for conveying remembrance, and innocence.
Roses – Love and Memorial Services
The classic rose is an icon among flowers. Universally, roses show appreciation and love. They’re a perfect flower for memorial services. You may choose yellow roses to show the remembrance of a special friend, or you may choose red roses to symbolize eternal love. In any combination, roses always create beautiful bouquets.
Daffodils – Encouragement and New Beginnings
These flowers may be used in a sympathy arrangement that celebrates a happy life. The daffodil is known as a flower of spring. It represents new beginnings and a rebirth. The flower’s bright colors lighten up the room.
Forget-Me-Nots – Everlasting Memories for the Family
This flower symbolizes memories that will never be forgotten. It also shows how important the deceased was in your life. Offering an arrangement of Forget-Me-Nots to the family of the loved one who has passed shows how much of an impact that person left in your life and that they’ll never be forgotten.
Gladioli – Strength and Upliftment
These flowers are known for their bright colors and long stems. Giving these flowers to the deceased’s family can help them endure during this time. They can also symbolize that their loved one had a strong character.
Hibiscus – Loss of a Mother or Grandmother
These flowers are very popular in honoring the loss of a mother. The blooms are very delicate and they symbolize beauty and femininity. It’s a perfect sympathy flower for children grieving the loss of their mother or grandmother. The hibiscus has strong associations with the Pacific Islands, so it’s good to use in an arrangement for a family with strong ties to these islands.
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The Colors of the Flowers
When you choose an arrangement, you need to consider what colors you’re going to include:
- White is the traditional color that communicates sympathy and can induce feelings of innocence, peace, and honor.
- Red flowers depict beauty, strength, and vibrance.
- Pink flowers are a sign of respect, representing sympathy and softness.
- Yellow flowers give rise to happy memories and friendship.
- Purple flowers signify respect and dignity.
- Blue flowers indicate deep mourning and condolences.