When you’re arranging a funeral, it’s common to include flowers. They might be placed on the casket, on an easel or table at the entrance to the service, or even at the headstone or graveside, depending on your plans.
And while, traditionally, people tend to choose a simple wreath or arrangement using their loved one’s favourite blooms, there are lots of other options. Themed flowers are a wonderful way to personalise a funeral service and evoke special memories of the person who’s passed away.
If you’re considering themed funeral flowers, we’ve got some ideas to help give you inspiration:
Create an arrangement using favourite colours
Is there a particular colour that you think of when you picture your loved one? Perhaps they lit up at sunshine yellow or they always wore blue? Were they keen on subtle pastel colours, or did they love brighter tones? By selecting a colour first, you’ll be able to narrow down the options when it comes to choosing which flowers to go for.
But why pick just one colour? If you’re creating a funeral flower arrangement for someone who was always vibrant and full of life? Why not show everyone who they were with a riotous arrangement of rainbow colours. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to flowers. But one thing is for sure. Simply by picking their favourite colours you’re sure to end up with a display that you know they would have approved of.
Choose to celebrate heritage with flowers
A great idea for someone who was forever proud of the place they came from. Celebrate their cultures and customs by creating themed funeral flowers in national colours. Or choose native flowers as the centrepiece. Think thistles for someone who was proud of their Scottish roots, maple leaves for Canada, poppies for Belgium or Edelweiss for Austria. Each country has its own national flower, and choosing to include it can be a subtle nod to the background of the person you’ve lost. Create Irish themed funeral flowers, for example, by choosing from green hues, or incorporating a lucky four-leafed clover.
Alternatively, you could create a flat display of a flag, using florist foam and different coloured flowers for a stunning visual.
Sports themed funeral flower arrangements
If you’re a family of sports fans, a sports themed flower arrangement might be an obvious choice. Perhaps football themed funeral flowers in the colours of your loved one’s team. You could add in a treasured jersey or create a floral representation of the crest or emblem of the club. Fishing themed funeral flowers are a popular idea, too, with taller arrangements including a well-loved rod, or even a ‘gone fishing’ sign for a humorous nod.
Golf themed funeral flowers can be more subtle, with the addition of white golf balls, tees, or a ‘lucky’ golfing glove included in an arrangement. Or they can be more overstated, with flowers cascading from a caddy bag. The possibilities are endless.
Walking boots filled with wild poppies and purple heather, antlers or feathers for beautiful hunting themed funeral flowers, or nautical themed funeral flowers created by turning a traditional wreath into a ship’s wheel? A subtle nod to a beloved activity can add personality and a wonderful talking point for people attending the funeral.
Funeral flowers that are perfect for the time of year
If your loved one passed away at a particularly poignant time of year, you might decide to reflect this in the flowers. Christmas themed funeral flowers in deep reds, for example, bright summer sunflowers or autumnal colours. Include interest in your arrangements with unexpected additions that add to the visual appeal or even provide a particular scent. Dried orange or lemon slices and cinnamon sticks can evoke memories of Christmases past, while including rosemary, thyme and other fragrant herbs can elevate a springtime bouquet. But remember, if you’re creating the arrangement yourself, you’ll need to think about how these fragrances will blend with the scents of the flowers you choose.
And it’s worth considering that finding flowers that are in season locally can be much more cost effective, and likely more environmentally friendly too.
Celebrate a special hobby or pastime
There’s a growing trend for incorporating interesting objects into funeral arrangements, either as a vessel to hold the flowers, or as a centrepiece to evoke memories and start conversations. Chosen items might be things that belonged to the person who died or might just represent something they used to love doing.
Pretty antique or vintage teapots and teacups are popular, but this works with many items. Perhaps a striking watering can as a ‘vase’ for garden themed funeral flowers or a favourite mixing bowl for an accomplished baker.
Placing smaller items into more traditional-style arrangements, too, can be a subtle but effective way to bring a loved one’s personality to the fore. Get creative with playing cards, book pages or a little metal bicycle for a cyclist. What about using musical notes or pages of a favourite score, to create music themed funeral flowers for a keen musician?
Embrace symbolism in your funeral flowers
A beautiful flower arrangement can evoke very real emotions, especially if it’s going to sit on top of the casket. So, think about what you want the flowers at your loved one’s funeral to represent. Then work your theme around that.
Butterflies, for example, symbolise life, beauty and transformation. Including delicate butterflies on sticks in a large bouquet could add an unexpected and meaningful touch. Similarly, vintage birdcages have become popular for modern funeral flowers. With blooms weaving around the bars and resting inside, and the door left ajar to enable the bird to fly.
Lanterns and candles (choose battery-powered candles if real ones are not allowed at your venue) can also be a lovely touch, symbolising light and hope.
In many cultures specific flowers have different meanings. You could incorporate these to create a truly symbolic arrangement.
Special funeral flower themes for children
A beautiful floral arrangement for the top of a child’s casket can be particularly poignant. And there are lots of special themes you can choose from depending on the age of the child and their interests.
Flowers shaped into a teddy bear or angel wings are popular designs for babies and toddlers, often incorporating favourite toys and items too. It’s also possible to use floral foam to create letters, words or even intricate pictures out of different coloured flowers. You could perhaps include a name or nickname, or even a favourite cartoon character or animal.
Whether you choose a subtle approach with garden themed funeral flowers or go all in with fishing theme flowers complete with rod and tackle box, there’s no right or wrong way to approach this.
If you’ve come up with a great idea but you need some help to pull it together, talk to a professional florist. They’ll be able to help you create a fitting tribute to your loved one. One that’s sure to be both eye-catching and memorable.
And if you want to find a way to preserve the flowers long after the funeral, have a read of our article: Funeral Flower Keepsake Ideas & How To Make Them.
Image by Jacinta Christos on Unsplash.
