Are you planning on sending sympathy flowers to a loved one or friend? Do you want to let a person know that you’re sympathizing with them, even when you are miles away?
Sending flowers is a great way to show someone that you care, no matter what the situation is. This is especially when someone is going through a tough time. To learn how to send sympathy flowers, continue reading the guide we have below.
Flower Etiquette: Sympathy Flowers
It’s tradition to send sympathy flowers to the home of the bereaved. People often send out flowers that carry symbolic meanings as sympathy arrangements. After all, flowers can convey deep emotions and condolences that words can’t express. It’s one reason why 77% of Americans perceive people who give flowers to be thoughtful.
Types of Flowers Sent as Sympathy Flowers
In the language of flowers, white stargazer lilies are the best flowers to send as part of a sympathy bouquet. They stand for sympathy. Meanwhile, lilies symbolize purity and innocence. Gladioli express sincerity and moral integrity.
The various colors of carnations may also stand for certain things. For example, red carnations symbolize admiration and pink indicates remembrance. White carnations are symbols of pure love and innocence.
In many European countries, chrysanthemums are symbolic of death. In the East, white chrysanthemums get associated with grief, sadness, and the afterlife. Thus, these flowers often get used for sympathy bouquets and funerals.
White roses convey reverence and remembrance. Red roses speak for love, while pink ones show admiration, appreciation, and gratitude. Orchids are the flowers you send if you want to say “I will always love you.”
If you want to convey a specific message to the recipient of the bouquet, consult a florist. Florists are fluent in the language of flowers. They can customize your bouquet or arrangement to express certain emotions and thoughts.
Potted or Bouquet?
Most people send sympathy bouquets to the grieving family’s home. However, you can also send out your sympathy flowers in pots. It’s a thoughtful add-on, especially since the flowers are going straight to a home.
The bereaved won’t have to think about finding a vase for the flowers. They can put it straight on display when they receive it. Potted flowers are also more likely to last longer than cut flowers.
Where to Send Sympathy Flowers
During the pandemic lockdowns, many florists in the US saw a rise in sales of their goods. It showed how many people wanted to express what they wanted to tell their loved ones for years. Sending sympathy flowers shows you think about them, even during times of sorrow.
Before, people sent sympathy flowers to the place of the service or viewing. Today, the common practice is to send sympathy flowers straight to the person’s home. Sympathy flowers sent to the funeral service may get left behind with the funeral flowers.
Sending flowers to the home can brighten that home and comfort them after the funeral. If the grieving person is a co-worker, you can also send sympathy flowers to their office. If they went on compassionate leave, you can wait a few days until they’re back in the office before you send it.
When to Send Sympathy Flowers
In sending flowers, there is no right or wrong time to send sympathy flowers to a grieving family. Many people wait a few days to send sympathy flowers to a friend or loved one. Others do it the moment they hear about their loss.
While there isn’t a wrong time to send sympathy flowers, there is the best time to do it. The ideal time to send flowers for sympathy is as soon as possible. Most funeral homes will deliver them as soon as possible, but you don’t need to rush the delivery if it’s not possible.
What to Consider When Sending Sympathy Flowers
Don’t forget to sign the sympathy bouquet with a short message of condolence. Craft a personal message for the grieving family, or take a short poem or quote to send them. Most florists also have short pre-written sympathy messages for their clients.
You can stick to the traditional white bouquet, but your florist may also suggest a colorful one. Colorful flowers can help brighten and give more life to the grieving home. Most flower colors used in sympathy bouquets have muted colors.
These often include yellow, pink, pale blue, and lilac blooms. Some exceptions include deep purples and rich blues. Often, florists avoid adding bright-colored flowers on sympathy bouquets.
Sympathy Flowers vs. Funeral Flowers
Most people interchange the terms funeral flowers with sympathy flowers. However, remember that sympathy flowers aren’t the same as funeral flowers. Some key differences separate a sympathy flower arrangement from a funeral flower arrangement.
The first one is how they’re arranged. Funeral flowers follow certain shapes. They’re meant to drape over a casket and get arranged as wreaths or other large arrangements.
Often, the bereaved family is the one choosing the funeral flower. When you say funeral flowers, these are the arrangements placed around a coffin. Sympathy flowers are the flowers sent to the bereaved to express sympathy.
Another key difference between sympathy and funeral flowers is the delivery location. A sympathy flower arrangement arrives at the home of the bereaved family. Funeral flower arrangements often get delivered to the place of the service or viewing.
This is why florists arrange sympathy bouquets to be less formal and more soothing. They’re meant to stay in the bereaved family’s home as signs of comfort and consolation. Funeral flowers go to the viewing or service as signs of respect to the deceased and often get left there.
Pick and Send Sympathy Flowers to a Loved One Today
We hope you enjoyed reading and learning from our guide on sending sympathy flowers. Now, you know how to send sympathy flowers and what you should do when you’re sending them. The next time you hear about a friend losing a loved one, express your sympathy for them with flowers.
Do you want to learn more about the meanings of flowers? Do you want to send flowers to go with your letter of apology, yearning, or love? Check out our other guides now to learn more about flowers and sending them out on other occasions.