Choosing the Right Flowers for a Funeral

When planning a funeral or memorial service, there are several ways in which you can personalize details to make the service special. If you are planning a loved one’s funeral or making advance arrangements for your own service, the following advice can help you choose appropriate, beautiful, and memorable funeral flower displays .

Select an Arrangement

Florists who specialize in funeral services can arrange flowers in just about any design you could imagine. Asking about commonly used floral arrangements can serve as a good starting point, but ultimately you will want to choose an arrangement that reflects the deceased’s personality . If your loved one was a traditionalist and lived to an old age, wreaths and casket sprays may be fitting for the funeral. If the deceased’s life was cut short before adulthood, a floral arrangement in the shape of a teddy bear may be more appropriate.

Choose a Flower Type

Carnations, lilies, and roses are some of the most widely used memorialization flowers, but they are not your only options. If your loved one was outspoken about his or her favorite type of flower, try to incorporate it into at least one or two of the floral arrangements you select.

Decide on a Color

Your loved one’s personality and/or expressed wishes should also be at the heart of this decision. Favorite colors, colors of favorite sports teams, and colors that were most widely represented in your loved one’s wardrobe may all be considered. If you are having trouble deciding on a color or color scheme for your loved one’s funeral flowers, white is generally a good option.

Making Special Considerations

Before you finalize a funeral flower order, it is important to ensure that religious customs and familial norms are considered. In some religious and cultural practices, for example, certain colors are considered inappropriate or ominous and should not be used at funeral services for individuals who identified with those practices.

At Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, we cater to a diverse group of individuals and are familiar with a wide range of funeral practices. To learn about the floral arrangements available from our sympathy store or to speak with a full-service funeral planning professional about any aspect of planning or pre-planning a funeral , call (510) 654-0123.