Sympathy flowers are a common form of a gift to those grieving over someone's loss. They help to memorialize them even if the person no longer exists in our presence.
If you are wondering which flowers are the most suitable within a given context, most florists have explained that both the lively, colorful arrangement and the soft arrangement are acceptable for funerals. Both are equally appropriate. In terms of the type of flowers to use, large carnations, gladiolas, and roses are typically used for the service. Lilies, daisies, and other small flowers are used for home arrangements.
If you are not necessarily close to the deceased person, it is probably best that you send the flowers to the person's workplace or house. From there, a family member or a close friend will take it to the funeral home. It is a tradition for someone in the family to be the one to show respect for the deceased through the purchasing of casket coverings and lid arrangements. It is the family members or close friends that decide on a tribute dependent on the deceased person's personality, profession, affiliation, or pastimes. For a cremation, it is also a tradition for the ones closest to the deceased person to decorate the urn. The same type of customization should be used, taking into consideration the person's character.
Each funeral home has different policies regarding the flowers. While some have people who deliver the arrangements to the family's home after the service, others expect the family to take them home with them. Also, if an arrangement differs completely from the norm of arrangements, you might want to inquire whether it is acceptable by the funeral home's standards.
It might be helpful for a group to contribute money for a single arrangement. In that way, you might be able to afford a more expensive one, and thus a better looking one, and still save the money that it would have cost if you were to buy that same arrangement on your own.
There is no certain time frame in which it is the most appropriate time to send these flowers. Even if you missed the funeral and you end up sending the flowers a week later, it is still perfectly fine. It is better to send them late than to never have sent them at all. Sending them after a longer period of time may indicate to the family that they are still in your thoughts even after all the time that has passed. It is the thought that counts. However, do not send flower arrangements to the funeral home, church, or mortuary during the service. It is improper and disrespectful. You can send them directly to their home if you feel it may arrive during that time.
In some cases, families request that you send money "in lieu of flowers." Although you should send a contribution for the amount of your choice, it is recommended that you still get flowers in addition to the money, as they can serve as a type of diversion during the somber event of a funeral.
