Flowers for All Occasions 101

Funeral Arrangements for the Dearly Departed

We've discussed the basics of floristry in our previous articles. We went over the aspects of design used in making beautiful flower arrangements. Now, we learn how to apply these principles in real life. Celebrations are so much brighter and lovely with an exquisite variety of flowers. We're here to help you get started on two of the most common occasions that come hand in hand with flowers.

For this article we discuss funeral flowers From the planning step to the wake. From choosing the theme with your clients up to the delivery or pickup of their orders. We've created a helpful primer for handling orders for a funeral. We'll help you supply classy arrangements for the grieving family. See our upcoming article for an overview of must-have essentials for every florist.

Making Arrangements with the Client

Flower arrangements, when done right, are an excellent way of paying tribute to the loss of a loved one. It's also a way to show great sympathy for the family left behind. Crafting floral tributes for them will allow them to express themselves in a hard time. It goes without saying, florists need to take careful note of every detail. This will help make the process of planning go as smoothly as possible. Here are a couple of things florists need to know for planning funeral floral decor.

Flowers in Commemoration

There's no one way to comfort someone who has just lost their loved one. But there are a lot of ways to express your sympathy to a grieving family. Ask if they would like specific flowers included, or what their loved one's favorite blooms are. Keep the arrangement as intimate and personal as possible as a tribute to the departed.

Venue

Funeral services are usually held at funeral parlors. But some people want to pay respect by having the funeral in their own house. Whatever the case, make sure to ask how large the room or venue will be. This way, you can prepare ahead for your designs and arrangements. Even better, schedule an ocular viewing of the venue. If they'll do the wake in their home, this is especially important. With these measurements, you'll be able to make arrangements with the right size.

Size and Headcount

How many guests are they expecting? How many tables are there, and what size? What's the size of the casket? Any other area your customer wants decorated? Every bit of information is vital for the perfect flower arrangements. Wakes usually stretch over a several days. You may need to change the flowers from time to time. That way, you get to keep them fresh and fragrant for guests.

Budget and Timeline

Of course, you'll want to know how much your customer has budgeted the funeral's flower arrangements. That way, you can plan and provide top quality service within their budget. Set a timeline for planning and delivery of the flower arrangements. Keep in contact with your client to make sure all flowers and designs you've picked out are up to their standards.

Read all about Art of Floristry 101 in our next article.