Condolence flowers are one of the most common ways to show love, support, and sympathy to someone who is experiencing a loss. They are also commonly featured as an adornment to funerals, celebrations of life, or memorial services. At Lighten, we believe condolence flowers can go even further beyond their traditional purposes of a gift or component of the decor.
In this article, we have gathered inspiration and examples to help you delve into the opportunity that condolence flowers present to add a deeply personal touch as you celebrate the life of your loved one.
Rooted in a Special Place
We at Lighten encourage you to feel free to think outside of the box; however far out you need to in order to arrive at an element of your loved one’s celebration of life that is completely unique to them. So, we’ll start this article with an example of a family who thought outside the flower vase.
The father of this particular family was the loved one being honored. He was known for filling his community with beautiful daffodils. The father was an avid runner and would carry bulbs in the pockets of his running jacket, then plant them along his usual running routes. The town bloomed with yellow daffodils, thanks to him. When it came time to plan his memorial, the family chose to make yellow daffodils the central theme of the decor.
By tying a memorable event of their loved one’s life into the memorial celebration, this family turned condolence flowers into a personalized way to honor the contributions of their loved one to his community.
Your Loved One’s Favorite Things
Condolence flowers can be used as a medium to represent a larger picture. In other words, you may find that you can highlight your loved one’s unique passions in life through the use of flowers. For example, consider the traditional practice of adorning a memorial or funeral event venue with wreaths or heart-shaped arrangements. Some families, rather than opt for one of these customary shapes, have chosen to have the arrangements made into the shape of their loved one’s favorite sports team logo. Outside of shape, you could also choose flowers that are representative of your loved one’s favorite colors, scents, or a plant from their garden. To arrive at a truly personalized condolence flower arrangement, you can begin your search for ideas by examining your loved one’s favorite things in life.
Traditionally Meaningful Selections
You may choose to add to your personalized floral representation of your loved one by turning to traditionally or historically significant condolence flowers. Over the years, some flower types have gained meanings that give them a special place in a memorial garden or floral display. For example, lilies typically express the purity of the soul, roses show love and support, and orchids convey deep sympathy. These meaningful variations in a floral display can work in conjunction with the unique ideas you may come up with to result in an arrangement that best represents and honors your loved one. Or, the meanings may help to provide a source of inspiration. Inspiration that could then lead to a condolence flower arrangement that is genuine and authentic to your loved one.
Personalized Guidance
Lighten is here to help guide you through the process of creating something that is deeply personal and as one-of-a-kind as your loved one. We have helped many families turn traditional notions, such as a wreath or bouquet of condolence flowers, into a completely customized element of a celebration of life event. If you’re looking for guidance on planning a memorial or celebration of life, please feel free to reach out to Lighten.
