Send Flowers for Funeral

Flowers speak louder than words and can transmit a message between people without words. During the times of love, passion, happiness, excitement, joy, achievements and during the times of loss, grief and sadness.

Flowers at a funeral are a simple yet beautiful way to create a personal tribute to the deceased person. Flowers can also show your support to a person suffering a loss of a beloved one. Especially if you are far away and cannot express condolence and support in person. Sending a funeral arrangement is a great solution for such a situation. 

The choice for what type of floral arrangement to send depends on your relationship to the deceased or their relatives as well as on your budget. We will provide some information on that later in the post but at first let’s look at different types of floral arrangements common for a funeral.

Funeral wreath

Is by far the most popular floral arrangement for funeral in Russia. Traditionally funeral wreathes in Russia are made of artificial flowers and fur, however, recently there is a trend to have them made of fresh flowers when possible. 

Funeral Basket Arrangement

Traditionally these arrangements are delivered to the funeral home. They are a way for friends and family to pay tribute. The basket arrangements can decorate the funeral home and then be taken home by the family members. You can also order a funeral basket arrangement to be delivered to a home of a family member of the deceased if you cannot make it to the service itself.

Funeral Standing Spray

Standing sprays are a large physical symbol of sympathy. Standing spray is one of the most common floral arrangement delivered to the funeral or memorial service. Standing sprays are one of the best ways for close friends and family to show their condolences. Standing sprays can be done in any color scheme or flowers, which can add a personal touch to the spray. You can select the color or the flowers that the deceased liked or stay on a neutral side and order white spray. 

Standing wreath can be made in the shape of a heart, oval, circle or cross.

Casket spray

Casket spray is usually reserved for the immediate family, but you can talk to the family members of the deceased and see if they are open for such a gesture from another relative or close friend. Casket spray is a floral arrangement that is placed on top of the casket. This type of arrangement is more common in the USA but not a part of the tradition in Russia. 

Sympathy  vase arrangement

A sympathy vase arrangement is a nice way to show your care and concern.  These arrangements can be delivered to the funeral home or to a home or office,  if perhaps you missed sending flowers to the scheduled service. Sympathy vase arrangements can be made of any flowers and most of the colors, white, red, blue and yellow being the most common. It is better to keep the bouquet in one color or maximum 2-3 colors (for example, white with blue, or white with red). 

Sympathy plant

Sympathy plants are appropriate to send to a home or office of a person who is suffering a loss of a family member.  A beautiful plant is a loving way to brighten someone’s home with your care and support at this difficult time. Peace lily is commonly sent as a sympathy plant although you can choose a plant that you know the recipient will like. 

When choosing a floral arrangement for a funeral you will also want to take into considerations the faith and culture of the deceased. Below you will find some common practices of flowers giving for funeral in different faiths:

• Catholic – most flowers and arrangements are acceptable.
• Protestant Christian – most flowers and arrangements are welcome. Flowers can be sent as at the memorial service as for the funeral. 
• Mormon – most flowers are appropriate, however,  it is better to avoid arrangements on a crucifix or cross.
• Eastern or Greek Orthodox – most flowers are accepted, and white flowers are favored.
• Jewish – flowers at the funeral home are not typically displayed. Some of the more contemporary Jewish funerals allow flowers at the entrance of the synagogue. You may however send flowers to the family members’ homes.
• Baha’i – most flowers and arrangements are appropriate.
• Buddhist – most flowers and arrangements are appropriate.
• Hindu – garlands are more common at a Hindu funeral, although floral arrangements are also acceptable.
• Muslim – the appropriateness of flowers varies in the Islamic religion, so gently ask family members before arranging flowers delivery to the funeral. 

Other members of the family such as aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and even close friends also have a wide range of options. The traditional standing spray or a basket arrangement is an appropriate options. Such arrangements can go home with the immediate family or be taken to the cemetery.

Close friends and business associates of the family of the deceased may want to send flowers to express their condolence. Some of the best options for friends include standing sprays, wreaths, basket arrangements, bouquets in vases, and live plants that can go home with the family after the funeral. Sympathy arrangements and plants can be also delivered to the office of the family member. In such a case, appropriate choice will be ordering floral arrangement is a vase, basket or a plant so that it can be displayed in the office or home unlike the wreath or standing spray that are more appropriate to send to the memorial service or funeral. 

When ordering a funeral floral arrangement to Russia, Ukraine or other country of the former Soviet Union, be aware, that in that part of the world the funeral arrangements must consist of the even number of flowers. Local florist of course know that and will make a flowers arrangement according to the local traditions, so you do not have to worry about it when placing the order.