Funeral Flowers

The choice here is obviously down to the family – I would just like to run through some of the options.

At the point of arranging a funeral, the Funeral Director will usually ask the family if they require assistance in this matter. The family can use the Funeral Directing service to choose their requirements, usually from a brochure, and the payment will be included in the final funeral invoice. Alternatively, they may recommend a florist that they work with on a regular basis. If families have their own florist that they are happy with, I would normally recommend them to stick with what they know.

Some families, if they are struggling with loss, prefer to give the organising to someone else and really appreciate the professional involvement.

The majority of florists do funeral flowers and have brochures and price lists available. Local florists may deliver free of charge but a small charge may apply so don’t forget to check. The flowers can’t be ordered until the funeral is booked (day and time). A delivery time for the flowers can then be organised and the delivery location set.

Flowers can go to the deceased’s house, the funeral home or the funeral venue. They can also be collected by family members at a time to suit them.

The majority of funeral services in my area tend to include cremation. Main flowers travel on the coffin on its journey to the service. In a lot of instances, families request ‘Family flowers only’ and ask for donations in lieu of the flowers to go to a chosen charity. This is also sometimes the case with burials.

It is usually just the flowers on the top of the coffin that are taken into the church or cremation chapel. The Funeral Director will follow the family’s instructions and advise according to the establishment’s rules. Special tributes may be placed on the catafalque or the floor.

Following the service, if a cremation has been requested, the flowers are displayed and are then either removed by the family or left on display in the crematorium grounds.

Flowers displayed may be moved the following day to another area, depending on the crematorium setup. If left at the crematorium, they are usually disposed of within a week to make room for new funerals.

In the case of burials, the flowers will be displayed graveside for the completion of the service, usually on green matting. When the mourners have left, the grave is filled in and any flowers are arranged by the grave diggers upon the grave. It is up to the family to dispose of the flowers when they have deteriorated and most cemeteries provide metal bins for this purpose.

The choice of what arrangements people can have is vast. Gone are the days from the past when wreaths of laurels and lilies were the traditional funeral flowers. It must be said that not everyone chooses to have flowers. Budget may also come into play and costs can range from about £3 for a single flower to many thousands of pounds especially if the family plan to decorate the church.

Let us look at some possibilities starting with the more common:

• Casket sprays. These can be double or single ended in whatever colour(s) the family want. Particular flowers can be requested but, bear in mind that this may add to the cost. Flowers in season provide the best value for money. Size can vary considerably from a couple feet long to a full coffin top.

• Bouquets. A lot of the above applies. I would always recommend open bouquets and limited wrapping so you can actually see the flowers. Cellophane tends to steam up. The advantage of bouquets is that they are more versatile after the funeral – for example, they could be taken home and placed in vases.

• Named tributes. This may be, for example, ‘MUM’, ‘DAD’, a person’s name etc., usually with a chrysanthemum or open flower base. Florists usually charge by the letter. This type of arrangement does not travel on top of the coffin but is placed at the back or sides of the hearse deck. At the service, they may be taken in but are not normally placed on top of the coffin. Discuss this aspect of placement with the Funeral Director. If a burial has been chosen, the tribute would be placed on the filled grave. In the case of cremation, there is little that can be done with the arrangement afterwards unless the family wish to remove it to their own garden or a family grave.

• Religious tributes. These are not as popular as they used to be, but would include such things as crosses, wreaths, pearly gates, angels etc.

• Tributes that represent the deceased’s interests or work connections. These can be anything you like. Some examples I have seen are; fire engine, rugby ball, football pitch, cricket bat, dog, cat, teddy bear, butterfly, spanner and guitar.

• Single flowers. Some people choose to have a single flower from a loved one or single flowers placed on the coffin by mourners. Single flowers devoid of plastic can normally stay with the coffin through the cremation process if it is requested. Some families have a last act of placing flowers at the end of the service both at the crematorium and after final prayers at the graveside. Flowers can been thrown into the grave as well as or instead of soil.

As I have said, flowers are a very personal thing, but I hope this blog post has helped you.