Flower Choices For Expressing Sympathy And Grief

There is nothing quite as painful as losing a loved one, and it’s a tragedy that we all have to undergo at some point in life or the other. When someone close to you loses a loved one, it’s understandable to feel confused and lost and unsure of how to make the person feel better. After all, in a moment of such pain, there is really very little you can do to improve the situation.

However, gifting sympathy flowers is a beautiful way of expressing your sorrow over the person’s loss. Flowers are the traditional choice of expressing grief and conveying condolences. Even though flowers are an appropriate gesture for the sombre occasion, choosing the “right” kind of flowers can be difficult. Truth be told, there is no perfect bouquet or flower arrangement for such a sad occasion, but here are some tips for making sure you convey your sorrow and support in the most appropriate manner possible.

The first question most people ask is whether the flowers need to be a sober, understated colour. Well, traditionally, most people do prefer sending (or taking along) flowers in subtle, muted colours because it just seems more appropriate than a bunch of wildly coloured, cheerful blooms. Technically there is no rule as such, but try to steer clear of extremely bright or “loud” colours. You can go in for pretty pastels and even rich tones of red but avoid anything that has an obviously happy vibe.

White flowers make a beautiful addition to any sympathy bouquet because they are simple, elegant and classy. If you’re using other flowers as well, white will help to balance their colours out and create a serene and soft overall look.

If you can find a colour and pattern that is expressive and beautiful, make sure it is tasteful. You don’t want to offend any sensibilities and you don’t want your flowers to stand our like a sore thumb amidst all the other bouquets at the service.

Never, ever go in for visibly extravagant or exotic flowers when you are picking a sympathy bouquet or flower basket. You might be tempted to go out of your way and send something really beautiful but remember: you’re not trying to mark the occasion. Now is not the time to make a statement if any sort. Grief and loss are extremely complex sentiments, and the only way to do justice to them is through simple gestures.

Another common doubt when it comes to sending sympathy flowers is about timing. Is it important to send the flowers before or on the day of the funeral service? Actually, there is no constraint in terms of when you can have the flowers delivered. Even if you did miss the service by mistake; it is absolutely all right to send flowers later. The whole point is to get your sentiment across.

In case there is no funeral service or the traditions are different for a particular friend or family, the flowers can be sent or taken directly to the person’s house. Just remember, that according to convention, flowers for the service parlour or funeral home are generally big flowers, but when you’re taking them to the house, you should opt for smaller, more discrete flowers. This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, just the basic sensibility that for the home, the gesture should be more personal and less about how displayable the bouquet or basket is.

It is essential to include a sympathy card. Whether you’re taking the flowers along in person or having them delivered, you must attach a small note or card to the flowers. You can use one with a standard printed sympathy greeting though it is much nicer to write something personal on your own.