Flower Arrangements for Funerals
Flower arrangements are an important part of a memorial service.
There is a tendency today to suggest that donations would be
appreciated "in lieu of flowers." However, without any flowers the
service would look quite bare. It is important to make sure that
there are some flowers there even if you have requested donations
to your honoree's favorite charity instead.
The choice of flowers presents an opportunity to add a personal
touch to the service. You could make sure that your honoree's
tastes and wishes are respected by asking some guests to bring
potted plants or even flowers or branches of flowering trees from
their garden to the service and seeing that they are returned
afterwards. A passionate gardener who loved azaleas and kept a
greenhouse could be surrounded by pots of azaleas as friends and
family bid farewell to her.
Those who ask what they can do to show support can be asked to
transport flowers from the service to the reception if it is in a
different location. They can also find a hospital or nursing home
in the area and drop off extra flowers after the reception. This
can be yet another gift of the living legacy of your honoree.
Flowers and Their Meanings
Some flowers are associated with symbolic meaning. For instance,
daisies symbolize innocence and loyal love and would be a lovely
choice for a spouse who had been part of a long and loving
marriage. If you choose flowers for their symbolism, make sure that
at some point during the service you communicate that.
Here are more flowers and their meanings:
- White lilies symbolize sympathy, warmth and
purity. Christian folklore believes the lily represents
resurrection
- Carnations are a symbol of undying love. Red
carnations stand for admiration; pink for remembrance; and white
for pure love and innocence
- Tulips represent elegance and grace; the red
tulip represents perfect love
- Chrysanthemums symbolize truth
- White roses evoke humility, innocence, and
youthfulness; red roses convey love and respect;
and pink roses symbolize courage, love and
grace
- Apple blossoms symbolize adventure,
perseverance and hope
- Pineapples represent hospitality
