How To Choose A Sympathy Message For Flowers: Three Main Factors
The ritual of laying flower arrangements on the grave is rooted in paganism. In ancient times, plants were endowed with various symbolic meanings, including they were perceived as guides to the world of spirits. Today, roses that mean sympathy are carried to the funeral to send off the last journey, to express sorrow and pain of loss.
How to choose a sympathy message for flowers? Three factors influence which composition to buy for a funeral rite:
- Religion. Among the world confessions, only in Christianity and Buddhism, the laying of flowers is allowed. In Islam, it is forbidden to bring plants to the cemetery. In Judaism, such actions are considered an echo of paganism; they are condemned but not prohibited. In Catholicism, the more magnificent the bouquet, the more respect is expressed to the deceased.
- Deceased status. Relatives are given red roses that mean sympathy and symbolize consanguinity, friends, teachers, and senior mentors of the carnation - chrysanthemum.
- Plant type. There are no significant prohibitions. The main thing is inconspicuous tones, variegated petals, and bright colors are unacceptable. Preference is given to mono-bouquets, or compositions, where there are no more than three shades of a similar tone. Be sure to add greens as a symbol of eternal existence. Evergreen coniferous twigs are ideal.
What flowers express sympathy?
The choice of colors for expressing sympathy depends on the sex and age of the deceased.
Flowers to express sympathy for a man. Choose a cool palette (blues, lilac tones) and plants that are elongated. Exception maroon sympathy roses for a man. They are versatile and suitable for saying goodbye to a father or husband. A young man is usually presented with irises, gladioli, calla lilies, or daffodils. Elderly - chrysanthemums, carnations, dahlias, and lilies.
Flowers for expressing sympathy for a woman. In this case, warm shades are preferred. The specific color of the inflorescences depends on the age of the deceased.
- The girl is seen off on her last journey with the best sympathy roses in light shades of white, pale pink, or cream. Usually, they buy roses or tulips. They are the ones associated with innocence and purity.
- Orange or yellow buds are placed on the grave for a woman. Choose scarlet roses that mean sympathy.
- The grandmother and the older woman are paid tribute to the memory with the help of chrysanthemums and carnations.
Order sympathy flowers delivery
Drawing up funeral bouquets is one of the most challenging types of floristry, as it requires moderation in colors and restraint in forms. Such bouquets often use light and bright colors of yellow, white, blue makes high demands on the master. The line between a funeral bouquet and a festive one can turn out to be very thin, and it is important not to step over it, just as it is essential to arrange flowers according to their symbolic meaning. You can order delivery to choose the best and most appropriate sympathy flowers.
- The best sympathy roses. Today they accompany any celebrations, and the ancient roses were considered a symbol of death. For example, in Greece, during mourning, rosebuds were attached to the chest to remind of the transience of life and that in this moment allotted to a person, he should bloom as brightly as possible, completely surrendering his beauty to people. Roses laid on the grave indicate that the deceased has coped with this destiny.
- Lilies are presented to the grave in the event of the premature or violent death of the deceased. German beliefs say that a lily is a flower that grows on the grave of a murdered or suicidal person and is a symbol of posthumous absolution.
- Chrysanthemums. In the traditions of all the peoples of Europe, this flower is a symbol of sorrow and grief. Chrysanthemums are the last to bloom before the onset of winter and are the last word of the passing autumn, just as the funeral is the last presence on earth.
It is also essential to pay attention to the values of the selected color shades:
- Red is traditionally considered a symbol of human suffering during earthly life, embodies the fact that the deceased honestly carried his cross and now counts on God's forgiveness.
- The pink symbol of the Garden of Eden, an expression of the hopes of loved ones that the deceased will be deprived of those sorrows that accompanied him on earth.
- Yellow is the color of separation; flowers of all shades of yellow symbolize sorrow from loss.
- Blue and white are the colors of purity, the highest spirituality of man.
You can order delivery sympathy flowers made by the accepted symbols or, focusing on the personal preferences of the deceased. Experts will make funeral bouquets, wreaths, or collect baskets of any complexity so that you can fully express gratitude to your loved one for the role he played in your life.
Which flowers are better than natural or artificial?
When choosing colors to express sympathy, most people are guided by the taste of what they like and buy. But it is better to proceed from tradition and practicality:
- Synthetic plants are used to decorate the grave. They are placed on the day of burial and are sometimes renewed. Fresh flowers are brought on memorable dates or when they visit the deceased to indulge in memories.
- Natural plants are environmentally friendly. When wilted, they turn into natural fertilizer and do not pollute the ecosystem with synthetic fibers.
- Fresh flowers symbolize the transience of existence. Historically, they were the ones that were left in cemeteries. Artificial ones appeared much later.
Flowers are truly unique. They are delightful and uplifting, but they also help express deep grief, the pain of separation and loss.
Rules for presenting flowers at funerals
There are several rules and customs on the day of the funeral associated with flowers and their presentation:
- The funeral bouquet is designed to emphasize mourning and the pain of loss, so it should not be colorful and elegant. They usually stick to shades of muted tones and do not use packaging at all.
- For funeral compositions, no more than 2-3 shades are used; as a rule, they are monochromatic.
- When choosing flowers and colors of petals, the age of the deceased person, the degree of relationship with him, and his lifetime preferences are taken into account.
- At the funeral of a very close relative, you can bring flowers that were favorites during the person’s lifetime.
- If a person cannot attend the funeral, he can send a basket of flowers through the delivery service.