Our funeral silk and seasonal wreaths are made with care and attention by our florists, providing a sincere tribute to remember your loved one.
Our Funeral Directors…
will advice you on the best choice of funeral flowers to ensure they reflect your loved one's personality and interests. We can provide a variety of traditional, contemporary and seasonal flower arrangements, as well as more personal expressions.
At WJ O’Donnell and Sons, we understand the importance of commemorating the life of a loved one with a fitting tribute. Our selection of funeral flowers is designed to offer comfort and express heartfelt condolences during these difficult times.
Choosing the Right Arrangement
We offer a variety of arrangements, each with its own unique purpose:
Coffin Sprays: These large, diamond-shaped tributes rest on top of the coffin, symbolizing respect and love. They are usually chosen by immediate family or the person arranging the funeral.
Wreaths: A traditional sign of respect and eternal life, wreaths can be sent by anyone wishing to express their condolences.
Hearts: A symbol of love, generally sent by close family members.
Posies and Pillows: These delicate, dome-shaped arrangements are often chosen by distant relatives or younger family members.
Special Tributes and Crosses: Funeral letters and bespoke tributes are usually chosen by immediate family members.
Bouquets and Baskets: A bouquet of flowers is an elegant gesture of sympathy.
Delivery Details
If you wish for your flowers to be included in the service, they should be delivered to the funeral home. Our team will ensure that they are displayed appropriately alongside other tributes. If you’d like to send flowers directly to the bereaved, this can be done either before or after the funeral itself.
Making Your Choice
Selecting funeral flowers is a deeply personal decision. While some arrangements are designed for specific purposes, there’s no strict criteria to follow – choose the flowers that feel right for you.
At WJ O’Donnell and Sons, we’re here to support you during this difficult time. Our experienced team will guide you through the process, ensuring your floral tribute perfectly commemorates your loved one.
Sympathy flowers…
can be sent to the family upon hearing of a loved one’s passing. There’s no set time for this; you can send them immediately or wait until a week or so after the funeral. This gesture can serve as a reminder to the bereaved that they are not forgotten.
Choosing the right funeral flowers…
Is a traditional way to express your love for the deceased and condolences to the family. While some families may prefer donations to charity instead of floral tributes, flowers can still offer a comforting and beautiful expression of your love for the departed and your thoughts for those grieving.
If you choose to send flowers for the funeral, they should be delivered to the funeral home before the first visiting hours, ensuring they are there when the family arrives.
Flowers have been used for centuries as a way to express emotions that can’t be put into words. This practice is known as “the language of flowers” and each flower has its own unique meaning. Here are some examples:
What are the different funeral flower meanings?
Traditional funeral flowers such as lilies and roses are chosen often for their beauty and individual meanings. If you are looking to personalise your flower choice with a special symbolism, then be inspired by these funeral flowers ideas of old and new and their meanings.
Traditional funeral flowers
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Lilies – innocence restored to the soul of the departed Lilies are often the first choice for funeral service flowers because of their association with peace, purity, and innocence, most specifically related to the deceased. The White Stargazer variety is a symbol of sympathy.
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With their huge array of colours and meanings, roses are a popular choice for mourners looking to express sentiments that are more individual either to the deceased or their relationship to them. White roses stand for reverence, humility, youthfulness, and innocence whereas pink roses say love, appreciation, gentility, and grace. Red roses are for courage, love, and respect, but a dark crimson rose is the traditional colour for grief and sorrow. Yellow roses are often given by close friends of the departed to symbolise a strong platonic relationship.
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These fragrant and very affordable flowers stay their best for a long time, which makes them a wonderful option for those looking for a more affordable option. White carnations represent pure love and innocence whereas pink stands for remembrance and red, for admiration.
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Item A simple, elegant choice; gladioli’s have a striking, tall flower stem that is available in a range of colours including white, pink, red, purple, yellow, orange and salmon. With their symbolism of strength of character, gladioli are a classic choice of funeral flowers for a man.
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In parts of Europe and Asia, chrysanthemums are exclusively associated with grief, however, this is not the case in the UK or the USA where chrysanthemums traditionally stand for truth. Find out more on worldwide funeral traditions. Nevertheless, these are positive and cheerful flowers that are ideal gifted as a token of sincerity and understanding.
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This graceful flower says I will always love you. Traditionally, pink or white orchids are given as sympathy flowers.
What type of funeral will it be?
Is it a traditional service or celebration of life? The tone of these services may dictate the arrangements or colours chosen.
What is your budget?
This is an important factor because funeral flowers can go up to several hundreds of pounds. Larger, more intricate displays will cost much more than simpler, smaller arrangements. Prices vary even within types of funeral flower arrangements. Getting the best for what you can afford is key, and florists will have a wide range of funeral flowers available for your budget. It is the gesture that matters most after all.
“We honour your life”
When it comes to penning messages for funeral flowers, don’t stress about crafting something deep or profound. It’s okay if words can’t fully express your feelings.
The key is to reach out and let the family know they’re in your thoughts. Funeral flower messages don’t need to be lengthy; short and heartfelt phrases like ‘Always in our hearts’ or ‘You will be dearly missed’ can suffice.
Personalizing your message by sharing a cherished memory or trait can provide comfort to the bereaved and aptly express what the departed meant to you. For more guidance, you might want to look at our advice on what to say when someone passes away and how to write a eulogy.
Finally, there are some practical aspects you might want to consider before finalizing your choice of funeral flower arrangements.
What arrangement of flowers should I send?
There are different kinds of arrangements you can consider when ordering your flowers and some have a more specific function than others. These are the ones more commonly used.
Who can send funeral flowers?
Anybody can send funeral flowers, but traditionally coffin flower arrangements, and those displayed at the service, will be organised by immediate family. The funeral director will support the family through this process with the help of a good local florist. Friends of the deceased or individual family members who wish to make their own floral tributes can do so either through the funeral director or independently.
Where should I send funeral flowers?
Funeral flowers delivery should be to the funeral home if you would like them to be included in the service. The funeral director will take care of your flowers and ensure that they are displayed appropriately alongside the other tributes. If you would like to send flowers directly to the bereaved to let them know that you are thinking of them, this is ideally done either before or after the funeral itself. Many types of funeral flowers discussed in this guide will also be entirely appropriate to send as sympathy flowers with a thoughtful card.
Types of funeral flower arrangements
Deciding which flowers for a funeral will express a particular sentiment is a difficult choice, especially for those making the funeral arrangements. For practical reasons, some arrangements are specifically designed to be laid down, but there really is no strict criteria to follow – selecting the flowers that feel right is always best.
Alternative funeral flowers ideas
Hydrangea – heartfelt sincerity
More commonly sent to a family in bereavement, the hardy hydrangea is a fine plant to be enjoyed indoors and eventually planted outside, where it will continue to bloom for many years.Tulips and daffodils – fresh start, hope
These spring blooms can bring encouragement and hope to families in difficult times. Their vibrant and cheerful hues make daffodils and tulips fitting for a celebration of life.Their favourite flowers in a funeral bouquet
If the deceased had a favourite flower, it may be comforting to you and the family for this to lead the funeral flower design. Perhaps a flower that reflects their personality would be more significant, such as bright and bold or delicate and graceful.
Sources for all flower meanings:
Marine Florists https://www.marineflorists.com/sympathy/funeral-flowers-meaning
Memorials of Distinction https://www.memorialsofdistinction.co.uk/useful-guides/the-definitive-guide-to-funeral-flowers
Funeral Flowers https://www.funeralflowers.org/
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