Common Funeral Flower Arrangements13 June 2025When words fail to express our grief and love, flowers speak volumes. For centuries, flowers have played a meaningful role in funeral traditions across cultures, serving as beautiful symbols of respect, remembrance and comfort during our most difficult times. Whether you’re planning a service for a beloved family member or seeking to honour a friend’s memory, choosing the right funeral arrangement is a deeply personal decision that can provide solace to both you and the grieving family. In this guide, we walk you through the most common funeral flowers, helping you make an informed choice that honours your loved one’s memory with dignity and beauty. Common Funeral Flowers Sympathy and Condolence Funeral Flower Arrangements Typical Flowers for Funerals and Their Meanings Personalised and Specialty Funeral Tributes Choosing the Right Funeral Flower Arrangement Say Goodbye with the Perfect Funeral Flower Arrangements Common Funeral Flowers Casket Sprays Casket sprays represent the most prominent and traditional funeral flower arrangement, designed to rest elegantly on top of the casket throughout the service. These substantial arrangements typically measure between three to six feet in length and are available in two main styles: full couch sprays that cover the entire length of a closed casket, and half couch sprays that cover only the lower portion while the upper half remains open for viewing. These sprays are traditionally chosen and ordered by immediate family members, particularly spouses, children or parents of the deceased. These arrangements often feature classic funeral flowers such as roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, and carnations, carefully arranged to create a harmonious blend of colours and textures that reflect the deceased’s personality. Standing Sprays Standing sprays offer a versatile and elegant option mounted on sturdy easels, allowing them to stand freely around the service area. These arrangements are particularly popular among extended family members, close friends and colleagues who want to show their respect with a substantial and visible tribute. Sprays can be crafted in various shapes including traditional fan shapes, hearts that symbolise love and cross formations for religious services, or more contemporary styles. The size can be customised to suit different budgets, from modest displays to grand arrangements that make a powerful statement. Funeral Wreaths The circular shape of funeral wreaths holds deep symbolic meaning, representing the eternal cycle of life and unending love. These timeless arrangements can be displayed on easels during the service or used as entrance decorations. Traditional wreaths often incorporate evergreen foliage to symbolise eternal life, combined with seasonal flowers that add colour and fragrance. Sympathy and Condolence Funeral Flower Arrangements Funeral Sheaves Funeral sheaves offer a beautifully rustic alternative, featuring flowers and foliage simply bound together with natural materials. These traditional tied bouquets are often laid flat against the casket or placed at the graveside, creating an organic, countryside feel that works particularly well for outdoor services or those who appreciated nature and simple beauty. Popular choices include seasonal flowers combined with wheat, grasses or herbs that reflect the time of year and create harmony with nature. Hand-Tied Bouquets Hand-tied bouquets bring an elegant, garden-fresh appearance to funeral services, offering a more personal tribute than larger formal arrangements. These natural-style bouquets can be placed beside the casket, presented to family members or used in memorial services where guests participate in laying flowers. The versatility of hand-tied bouquets makes them suitable for both formal and informal services, incorporating seasonal flowers and foliage that reflect personal touches like favourite colours or symbolic meanings. Posies and Smaller Tributes Posies provide compact, meaningful arrangements perfect for children to carry, colleagues to contribute and acquaintances to offer as sympathy gestures. These round, tightly packed arrangements may be small in size but carry significant emotional weight and show thoughtful consideration. Despite their smaller size, posies can incorporate meaningful flower choices and coordinate with larger family arrangements, creating a cohesive visual theme throughout the service. Typical Flowers for Funerals and Their Meanings Lilies Lilies hold profound symbolic meaning, representing restoration of innocence after death and renewal of life. White lilies are among the most common funeral flowers, symbolising purity, rebirth and peaceful transition. Easter lilies convey hope and resurrection, while stargazer lilies add dramatic colour and calla lilies offer elegant, sculptural beauty. Roses Roses remain versatile and meaningful, with different colours conveying distinct messages. Red roses symbolise deep love and respect, white roses represent reverence and purity while pink roses convey appreciation and grace. Their classic beauty makes them suitable for any arrangement style and their widely understood symbolic meanings make them a typical flower for funerals. Chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums hold significant cultural importance in funeral traditions. In European and American traditions, they’re associated with death and mourning while in Asian cultures they represent honour and loyalty. Their long-lasting blooms and ability to maintain appearance throughout extended services make them practical choices. Carnations Carnations provide affordable yet meaningful options with excellent longevity. Pink carnations represent remembrance, white symbolise pure love and red convey admiration. Their practical benefits and sweet fragrance make them valuable components, particularly for extended services or warm weather conditions. Personalised and Specialty Funeral Tributes Letters and Numbers Personalised letter and number tributes create powerful focal points by spelling out names, ages or meaningful words like “Mum”, “Dad” or “Friend”. These three-dimensional floral sculptures use specially shaped foam bases with flowers carefully inserted to create clear, readable shapes while maintaining natural beauty. Hobby and Interest Tributes Custom arrangements reflecting the deceased’s hobbies, interests and profession create unique tributes that celebrate individual lives. Popular examples include sports equipment for athletes, musical instruments for musicians, or gardening tools for garden enthusiasts. These specialised arrangements require consultation with skilled florists and often become meaningful talking points at services. Cushions and Pillows Floral cushions symbolise peaceful rest and eternal comfort. These soft, rounded arrangements are traditionally placed near the casket’s head, creating gentleness and tranquility. Often chosen by close family members, they can incorporate the deceased’s favourite flowers or meaningful colours while representing comfort and protection. Choosing the Right Funeral Flower Arrangement Creating the perfect send-off for your loved one can be a lot of pressure. But, by following these general rules for funeral flowers, you can have peace of mind that you are following tradition while also upholding your loved one’s wishes: Relationship to the Deceased: Your relationship with the deceased should guide your arrangement choice. For example, immediate family typically selects larger, prominent tributes like casket sprays whereas extended family and friends frequently select hand-tied bouquets or posies. Budget Considerations: Funeral arrangements are available across all price points, ensuring meaningful tributes can still be accessible regardless of budget. Our experienced florists can suggest alternatives that maintain impact while working within your parameters. Religious and Cultural Considerations: Understanding religious and cultural traditions are a must when choosing flower arrangements. Different cultures have varying preferences for colours, flower types and arrangement styles so it is important to respect your loved one’s beliefs. Personal Preferences: In some cases, the deceased may have specific requests that you should venture to honour. For example, bright and colourful flowers may be specified to celebrate a life well lived. Say Goodbye with the Perfect Funeral Flower Arrangements Selecting the perfect funeral flower arrangement is a deeply personal decision reflecting your love, respect and cherished memories. Whether you choose traditional casket sprays, elegant standing arrangements or personalised tributes celebrating unique lives, the most important consideration is that your choice comes from the heart. At Julie’s Flowers, we strive to ensure your funeral flowers offer the perfect goodbye. Get in touch with our team of expert florists today to craft a bouquet that reflects your feelings for your loved one and celebrates a life well-lived. FAQs What are typical funeral flowers? Typical funeral flowers include lilies, roses, chrysanthemums and carnations which are commonly used in arrangements like casket sprays, standing sprays, wreaths and hand-tied bouquets. These flowers are chosen for their symbolic meanings of love, respect, remembrance and eternal life as well as their ability to maintain their beauty throughout funeral services. How to arrange flowers for a funeral Funeral flower arrangements should be ordered through a professional florist who can guide you through selecting appropriate styles based on your relationship to the deceased, such as casket sprays for immediate family or sympathy bouquets for friends. The florist will coordinate timing and delivery with the funeral home, ensuring your tribute arrives fresh and is properly displayed during the service. What is the etiquette for flowers at a funeral? Immediate family members typically choose the main arrangements like casket sprays, while extended family and friends select smaller tributes such as standing sprays, wreaths or hand-tied bouquets. It’s important to consider religious or cultural preferences regarding flower types and colours as well. Related Articles The Ultimate Flower Arrangements for a Summer Wedding Top 7 Flowers for Your Home in Summer A Guide to Choosing the Right Flowers for Your Bridal Bouquet