Category: Sympathy

Alfa’s Simple Guide to Sympathy Flowers

One of the many wonderful things about flowers is their fascinating ability to help us express our feelings at times in life when words are simply not enough.

We send a dozen red roses when saying “I love you” doesn’t seem strong enough. A heartfelt “thank you” goes a long way, but a handwritten thank you note attached to a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers does a much better job of conveying our appreciation.

This is especially true when we have to say, “I’m sorry.” Those words never seem like enough in any situation, especially when they are used to express feelings of sorrow instead of offering an apology. Fortunately, sympathy flowers from Alfa can help in a big way when we cannot find the words ourselves.

Things to consider when selecting sympathy flowers

The experience of grief effects everyone in different ways, and every situation is unique. So, (with a few exceptions) there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to selecting appropriate sympathy flowers. But there are several factors that can help make the choice much easier.

  • Consider your relationship with the recipient(s). The size and type of flowers you choose to send for the funeral service is a visual display that plays an active role in the service for all in attendance. While most may never know who gave each individual gift, they will know that each display represents an important person, family, or group in the life being celebrated. The family will distribute the sympathy flowers after the service and will certainly acknowledge and appreciate every gift they receive.
  • Consider honoring the deceased in a special way, but do not worry too much about the details. Throughout history, different flowers have been considered symbolic of specific feelings such as honor, love, peace, and tranquility. But in modern times, most people will not even try reading deep enough to decipher the meanings behind each individual flower and will simply view the entire gift as a thoughtful, and beautiful gesture.
  • Consider the fate the sympathy gift after the service. In most circumstances the family of the deceased will distribute the gifts as they see fit to family members and friends. Sometimes, the family donates any extra flowers to local care centers or senior facilities so the flowers can later be enjoyed by others. If you wish to give a gift; a lush plant will not only look beautiful at the service but will also serve as a long-lasting memorial afterwards.

Let us take care of the details

The best advice for sympathy flowers is to give what you feel is appropriate without worrying too much about the details – because we’re here to take care of them for you. The experienced sympathy flower specialists at Alfa Flower & Wedding Shop will not only help you select an appropriate sympathy gift, but we will also confirm the delivery time with the venue prior to the service whether it takes place in Milwaukee, WI, or anywhere else in the USA.

Selecting the Perfect Sympathy Flowers

When it comes to selecting a memorial gift to send for the funeral service, the specific types of flowers you choose can help convey your sentiments and send a meaningful message through the traditional language of flowers. Plants are also excellent choices because they provide a beautiful, long-lasting tribute to the lost loved one and also serve as a constant reminder of the love and affection you share to support the bereaved during the grieving process. Here are a few of the most popular funeral flowers and what they represent.

Lilies

Lilies are the flowers that are most commonly associated with funeral services because they symbolize innocence restored to the soul of the departed as well as the hope offered by the renewal process.

Roses

Your Light Shines
Your Light Shines by Alfa Flower & Wedding Shop

As one of the most iconic flowers, roses are a tasteful and beautiful part of an arrangement of funeral flowers. White roses evoke feelings of reverence, youthfulness, innocence, and humility while red roses convey respect, love, and courage. Other colors like pink signify appreciation, grace, love, and gentility while dark hues like crimson denote grief and sorrow. Yellow roses are often given by friends of the deceased as a way of symbolizing their strong ties. Including a single rose in a bouquet traditionally expresses everlasting love for the deceased.

Gladioli

Gladioli have a tall stem composed of multiple flowers that can measure up to four feet tall. Typically used in fan sprays, gladioli are classic and elegant in arrangements for traditional funeral services. The gladiolus embodies strength of character, sincerity, and moral integrity and are available in a range of color options from white to dark greens, oranges and reds. As a sympathy flower, gladioli is an excellent choice to send to the family because of its uplifting message during a time of loss.

Carnations

Carnations are long-lasting and fragrant, which makes them a popular choice for sympathy arrangements. Carnations are fragrant and hearty, making them ideal for services that last more than a few hours.Red carnations stand for admiration while pink carnations symbolize remembrance and white carnations denote innocence and pure love.

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are another flower that is frequently included in arrangements for funeral services depending on what part of the world the deceased lived. In much of the United States, mums symbolize truth and are usually regarded as positive and cheerful, although New Orleans is a notable exception. In some European countries, chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and are only used for funerals or on graves. In China, Japan and Korea, white chrysanthemums are symbolic of lamentation and grief making them a wonderful choice when mourning with a family that has ties to Europe or Asia.

Orchids

Regal Orchids by Alfa Flower & Wedding Shop

Orchids plants express everlasting love. When giving an orchid plant as a gesture of sympathy, it is important to give consideration to color. Pink and white are traditional colors of sympathy. Varieties such as the phalaenopsis orchid and dendrobium orchids are varieties we suggest as appropriate plants to denote sympathy.

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are large seasonal spring plants that are a nice and appropriate gesture to give to a grieving family. It can be enjoyed indoors after the service and can later be replanted in their garden. This hardy plant that will grow in almost any moist soil and  will continue to bloom for many years.

Tulips

Tulips and daffodils are symbolic of renewal and fresh starts. They are an excellent choice to send as a sympathy gift to the family home of the departed because they are believed to bring encouragement and hope to a person who is grieving. Tulips represent grace and elegance. Yellow tulips represent cheerfulness while white tulips symbolize forgiveness. Purple tulips are reminiscent of nobility or royalty while red tulips represent perfect love.

No matter what message you are trying to convey with your sympathy flowers, Alfa Flower & Wedding Shop is here to help you select the perfect memorial gift for any occasion. Give us a call today at (414) 475-7080 to talk to one of our experienced floral designers and we will take care of the rest.