White Flowers In Wild

Arranging funeral flowers can be a way to adorn the coffin or bring a touch of nature to the funeral chapel. However, flowers do add to the overall funeral costs.

If you would prefer to arrange a simple funeral without any obligation to spend on extras, get in touch with us on 01543 212000 to see how we can support you.

Arranging funeral flowers is a decision which can be influenced by your family's expectations and preferences, the costs involved, your own taste and what you think your loved one would have wanted.

Knowing the different types of flowers available, how much you can expect to spend and the symbolism behind different flowers can help.

If choosing funeral flowers is adding to the pressure of making funeral arrangements, you may prefer to choose simpler floral arrangements or decide against having funeral flowers altogether.

Types of funeral flowers

Traditional funeral flowers are available in several different popular arrangement styles.

Funeral wreath

White Funeral Wreath On Wooden Table

This “O” shaped circle of flowers is an arrangement commonly placed on top of the coffin.

Spray

Dark Coffin With Flowers On Top

This larger teardrop or diamond-shaped floral arrangement is designed to lie flat on top of the coffin.

Sheaf

Purple And White Funeral Sheaf On Wooden Surface

A hand-tied bouquet with visible stems offers a smaller and more rustic arrangement for the top of the coffin.

Posy

White Funeral Posy With Roses

This small round floral arrangement can be placed on top of the coffin or on a table or windowsill at the funeral.

Letters

Dad Letter Funeral Flower Arrangement

Letters spelling out the deceased’s name or family relationship are commonly displayed in funeral cars.

Hearts

Pink And Purple Heart Shaped Funeral Wreath

A heart-shaped wreath is another popular design for funeral flowers due to its association with love.

Uniquely shaped floral tributes can be arranged to be displayed on or next to the coffin or in the funeral chapel.

Popular shapes include:

  • Teddy bears
  • Wings
  • Hats
  • Crosses
  • Pillows

The coffin can also be adorned with a garland which is a long floral arrangement designed to encircle the outside edges.

White Flowers In Funeral Chapel

How to choose funeral flowers

There is no right or wrong when it comes to arranging funeral flowers. Keeping your loved one in mind whilst you make your selection may help to make the funeral choices easier.

How can you reflect their personality?

Colourful Poppies In Field

There are many ways to reflect your loved one's personality in your choice of flowers.

  • Incorporate their favourite flower if they had one.
  • Wildflowers could be a fitting choice for a free-spirited individual.
  • Consider floral arrangements in the shape of a hobby or pet.
  • Incorporate alternative greenery like fragrant herbs for a keen cook or holly if they loved Christmas.

What colour should funeral flowers be?

Red Orange And Purple Funeral Posy

White is the most traditional colour for funeral flowers, but the flowers can be any colour that suits your loved one.

  • You may like to include your loved one's favourite colour or the colours of the sports team they supported.
  • If they were born elsewhere or had ties to a specific country, you could incorporate the colours of the national flag.
  • There may be another colour you associate strongly with them like the colour of their front door or their favourite mug.

Giles Palmer

Head of Grounds, Westerleigh Group

"The traditional funeral flowers on the coffin or decorating the chapel are not the only flowers found at our crematoriums. We want families attending a funeral or paying their respects at a loved one’s grave to experience the peacefulness and beauty of nature from the moment they enter our grounds.

“Colourful floral beds, blooming rose gardens, spring primroses and wildflower meadows at our crematoriums provide a haven for bees and other wildlife. I’m always really impressed with the horticultural improvements our grounds teams carry out and their dedication to creating a welcoming natural environment."

What is the best flower for a funeral?

As well as choosing flowers for their appearance, you may also like to consider flowers with different symbolic meanings in your floral displays.

Type of funeral flowers Symbolism
Forget me nots As the name suggests, the forget me not is commonly associated with memory and can symbolise always keeping memories of your loved one with you.
Roses The rose is the flower most widely associated with love and is beautiful in many colours from red and pink to yellow and white.
Poppies The poppy is a flower with strong associations of remembrance and could be especially fitting for someone who served in the armed forces.
Lillies Common in funeral flower arrangements, the lily is a symbol of death and grief but also purity, rebirth and hope.
Tulips The tulip and other spring flowers can be associated with renewal and new beginnings. Tulips are also symbolic of unconditional and enduring love.
Sunflowers The cheery yellow of a sunflower and the way sunflowers turn towards the sun associates them with brightness, positivity and warmth.
Carnations Like roses, carnations are also said to symbolise all kinds of deep love from the love felt between romantic partners to loving familial bonds.

When arranging funeral flowers, checking whether your loved one shared their funeral wishes before they died, for example in their will, can help you plan a funeral service with their choices in mind.

Cost of funeral flowers

People spent on average £222 on funeral flowers in 2024. Some factors that influence the price of funeral flowers are:

  • The amount of flowers you'd like
    One simple posy or wreath will be cheaper than a large spray and floral arrangements all around the chapel.
  • The time of year that the funeral is taking place
    If you'd like a particular flower, sourcing it outside of the season it grows natively may be more difficult and cost more too.

* The average spend on funeral flowers in 2024 was £222. (SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025, sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs)

White Roses And Lilies On Coffin

Funeral flower etiquette

Condolence bouquets or sympathy flowers are traditionally given to the immediate family of the person who has died to express sympathy, support and well wishes.

The person making arrangements may request funeral donations to charity in the deceased's name instead of flowers so it's best to check beforehand.

How to send sympathy flowers

Arranging sympathy flowers to be sent directly to a bereaved person's home is more convenient for them than bringing flowers to the funeral. You can order the flowers online or give the address to your local florist.

What to write on funeral flowers

Kind words from the heart or simple expressions of support like "thinking of you", "truly sorry for your loss" or "our deepest and most heartfelt condolences" can bring comfort.

Do you write the person's name on funeral flowers?

You can address the flowers to the bereaved recipient or directly to your lost loved one. You can also include both names by expressing your sympathies and including a message directly to your loved one as well.

Should funeral flowers be in a vase?

Some condolence bouquets will come in a vase, but others may come in a basket or a box. A longer-lasting alternative to funeral flowers you could consider is a living flowering plant in a pot.

Should you throw flowers on a coffin?

Throwing flowers or dirt onto a coffin has the symbolic significance of returning a loved one to the earth. This is traditionally done at a burial funeral. You can follow the lead of the chief mourners and throw a flower or handful of earth onto the coffin if you are invited to.

Overwhelmed by traditional funeral etiquette?

You can arrange a completely unattended direct cremation instead. Having an unattended funeral gives you time to arrange a separate end-of-life event free from tradition wherever and whenever you want.

Choosing an alternative way to remember your loved one lets you celebrate their life more personally.

Arrange a funeral

FAQs about choosing flowers for a funeral

Still have questions about arranging funeral flowers? These frequently asked questions may help you answer them.

Who pays for the flowers at the funeral service?

Wallet With Coins On Table

It's usually the person organising the funeral service who pays for the funeral flowers. If you are concerned about affording flowers, you can ask friends or family for support or simplify arrangements with a low cost funeral.

What happens to the flowers after a funeral?

Wooden Coffin With Flowers In A Sunny Wood

What you do with the flowers after the funeral is your own choice. You can leave the floral arrangements at the burial ground or crematorium. Or if you prefer, you can take the flowers home or gift them to family or friends.

Do flowers go at the head or foot of the coffin?

Dark Coffin With Flowers On Top

Funeral flowers are conventionally placed on top of the coffin at the head rather than at the feet or where the coffin is widest. Some larger floral arrangements and sprays may cover the majority of the coffin's lid.

Can you prepare the funeral flowers yourself?

Vase Of Orange Flowers

Arranging funeral flowers yourself could save you money but may add to the stress of planning. You will need to check how long the flowers you want will last and prepare them last minute to make sure they’re fresh.

Other useful resources

For support arranging a dignified and inexpensive cremation funeral, call our customer service specialists on 01543 212000 or see our guidance about other aspects of the funeral service.

Arrange a funeral

Arrange a Funeral

We provide all of our own cremation services, supporting you with the necessary paperwork, facilitating a respectful cremation and personally returning your loved one's ashes.

Arrange a funeral

Funeral plans

Sue bench with funeral plan guide

Whilst planning a funeral service you may make some choices about your own wishes. A cremation plan with Distinct Cremations lets you choose your own funeral in advance.

View funeral plans

Funeral urns

Man Passing Funeral Urn With Ashes To Woman

If you've chosen a cremation for your loved one's funeral, depending on your plans for their ashes you may need an urn or other ashes container designed for burial or scattering.

Funeral urns guide

What our customers say about us

We offer the highest level of support, but don't just take our word for it. Below are recent reviews from customers who bought a funeral with us.

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Anonymous, on Feefo 10 Mar 2025
Bought a policy online which was quick and simple to do and then received a courtesy call from Distinct Cremations to make sure that I was happy with my purchase. Very professional.
Debbie Burchell, on Feefo 8 Mar 2025
I had no idea where to go when my mum passed away. We had discussed that she wanted to be cremated, but that was it. My partner saw Distinct Cremations on our local Crematorium website, as they work with them. I didn't want loads of fuss, or to go into an office. Just a lovely personal service. Distinct Cremations went above and beyond in every area. I picked my options on the website, nice and simple, to get an idea of my quote. Then had a lovely discussion on the phone with Dan. We talked about all the options I wanted and he was so thougthful, sincere and genuinely supportive, I was really nicely surprised. It was really simple to put the order through and to pay for. Since then I have had a singluar, regular contact called Grace who looked after me every step of the way. The professionalism and compassion of the staff at Distinct Cremations is second to none. I was informed at every step with what was going to happen. They regularly checked in with me, to make sure I was doing ok. The service and celebrant Carol Porter was incredible. Everything happened exactly as planned. I couldn't have wanted anything better. The ashes were delivered to me at home, I had the standard box for them to be delivered in. The gentleman who delivered them was really kind and compassionate also. They came in a really nice blue box. Thank you for making one of the worst times of my life as easy as it could have been. I would highly recommend Distinct Cremations to everyone. I would definitely use them again myself.
Yvette Glover, on Feefo 7 Mar 2025
I am so grateful to the two people who looked after me during the process of organising the cremation. They were really caring and nothing seemed too much trouble. A huge thank you to Daniel and especially Maxine.
Anonymous, on Feefo 7 Mar 2025
I purchased a cremation plan for my wife and myself. It was very easy to do and so far everything is fine. Just hope I don"t need to use it for a while. Bob
David Peter Lee, on Feefo 6 Mar 2025
Excellent company and great customer service and follow up.
Anonymous, on Feefo 5 Mar 2025
Godfrey Peter Tucker, on Feefo 27 Feb 2025
The telephone service personnel were very friendly and helpful, not at all pushy. Would recommend the service, as every thing went to plan.
Anonymous, on Feefo 24 Feb 2025
the staff were very helpfull
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