Home Shop Flowers Bloomin' Blog Find Florists About FSN Contact FSN Florists Only!
Find Your Local Florist:
Home Shop Flowers Bloomin' Blog Find Florists About FSN Contact FSN Florists Only!

Find Help Expressing Your Condolences With Sympathy Card Messages

There is no easy way to express condolences. Extending sympathies to someone who has lost a loved one is never without a pang of emotion. Many people express their sympathies in different ways such as sending funeral flowers to the funeral services. Others choose to wait a few days or more before having a arrangement of sympathy flowers delivered to the funeral home. It is very important to the grieving that they never feel the void of loss, never feel alone. This is why it is so important to send flowers but even more important to include an enclosure card with the right message.

There is no single correct way to express condolences. Many begin to compose a sympathy card message but get lost somewhere between “is this helpful” and “am I being insulting?” It is completely natural to have a difficult time writing sympathy cards. After all, often the sender is a close personal friend of the family was the same to the deceased. There is no need for this difficulty anymore. Florists understand the grieving process. To make the process of sending sympathy flowers easier on everyone, below is a list of condolence card messages compiled by empathetic local florists.

Extend Your Sympathies With These Condolence Card Messages:

1)       With deepest sympathy

2)       Keeping you in (our) thoughts and prayers

3)       Thinking of you during these difficult times

4)       Deepest condolences for your loss

5)       May the Lord comfort your heart as only He can do

6)       Sharing in your sorrow

7)       Please know that (our) loving thoughts embrace you

8)       May the peace which comes from the memories of love shared comfort you now and in the days ahead.

9)       May you rest in the peace of God which surpasses all understanding

10)   Words are not enough to convey my sympathies at a time.

11)   Just thought you could use a little extra sunshine today.

12)   Just wanted to let you know that (we’re) here for you

13)   Thinking of you with sincere sympathy at the loss of someone so dear.

14)   Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

15)   Condolences on your loss. May you find strength in the love of God.

There are more condolence enclosure card messages to help express your deepest sympathies. These enclosure card message ideas are brought to you by Flower Shop Network and Flower Shop Network Funeral Homes.

Funeral Flowers Live On Despite Changing Memorial Traditions

Funeral services are taking on a very different tone these days while the desire for funeral flowers remains constant. Funeral services today, though not always religious in nature, reflect the long-held traditions of many religious memorial services that celebrate the life of the deceased moreso than mourn a passing.

The family of my sister’s boyfriend recently celebrated ten years in the funeral home industry. My sister’s boyfriend Josh and I stumbled across a recent Ramblin’ Jan blog article that outlined some of the recent changes that help to personalize a loved one’s funeral service—a practice that is gaining popularity largely due to its help in expediting the healing process. Josh confirmed the personalization of funeral services and less rigid practices of mourning.

Josh was also able to offer very valuable news, that is, that funeral flowers are still in high demand and used in a wide variety of ways during the funeral service. According to Ramblin’ Jan, funeral flowers were used to decorate a Steinway and Sons piano during the non-traditional funeral for a concert pianist. Though personalized memorials are becoming the practice of the future, a traditional funeral service still requires traditional memorial gifts, i.e. funeral flowers. Sympathy baskets, casket sprays, funeral arrangements and more will long remain accepted and respectable choices for sympathy gifts or adorning funeral parlors.

Local funeral home directors and florists will be able to guide you in selecting an appropriate sympathy arrangement for the funeral service of a friend or loved one. Whether a traditional funeral service or a personalized memorial service, contact your local florist for information about which funeral flowers or arrangements are appropriate.

Funeral Flowers

Funeral Arrangement

Funeral Flowers
After the death of a close friend or family member, those in mourning need a support system of people comforting and nurturing them through one of life’s most painful episodes. Most of us are anxious to find some way to help soon after we hear the news of someones passing. Nothing is more appropriate than the age old tradition of sending funeral flowers. Grief therapists agree that the rituals surrounding death, aid the grieving process.

Flowers for non-traditional services

Changing trends in how we commemorate deaths in this country has added some confusion about traditional funeral customs and funeral etiquette. Flowers have traditionally been sent to the funeral home for display during the viewing/visitation and funeral service. However, if no service is held, it does not mean that there should be no show of sympathy. In instances where there is no service, experts recommend sending condolences to the homes of the bereaved.

  • Cremations: Urns and cremation boxes can be accentuated with appropriate floral tributes. A small wreath or garland for these containers is appropriate and can even be incorporated into a larger floral arrangement. An array of coordinating baskets and sprays can also be placed around the container. When ashes are scattered on water, sympathy wreaths, loose flowers and flower petals are often tossed onto the waters surface.
  • Memorials: Places of significance, such as the podium where readings will be performed, a table displaying remembrances such as photos or special mementos and even a cemetery monument, can be adorned with flowers. Depending on the particular focal area, garlands, sympathy arrangements in vases or baskets and sympathy sprays are all appropriate choices. Just as flowers add softness and warmth to the surroundings, live plants displayed around an area can create a peaceful garden setting. Dish gardens and plants can be sent to the homes of family members of the deceased. Chrysanthemums or flowering shrubs such as azaleas are also good choices.
  • Ceremonial placement: A tragic death may be memorialized near the site where it occurred. Trees, markers, fences or other objects in the area can be adorned with floral decorations, such as garlands, wreaths or bouquets. Oftentimes attendees will place individual stems of flowers like roses at the ceremonial location.
Funeral Flowers - View Larger Picture Of In Loving Memory Basket
More Funeral Flowers Here

Too late for the funeral?

At one time or another it will happen to the best of us. The funeral was today at 10 a.m. and you just heard about it. Do not despair. It is considered proper funeral etiquette to send flowers to family members of the deceased at their residences. In fact, it is appropriate to send flowers, plants and sympathy gifts up to a month after the funeral services. Some people actually prefer to send funeral flowers at a later date. Although the initial outpouring of sympathy is a great comfort, eventually the chaos subsides, friends and relatives return home and reality sets in. At this point, many people feel lost and alone. Consider sending flowers or a plant with a personalized sympathy card that reads I’m here if you need me.” The bereaved will know you are still thinking of them and they can count on your support.

Make mine stand out, please.

To make your funeral flowers particularly special, ask your local florist to create an arrangement that reflects an aspect of the deceased’s personality. A rustic basket of wildflowers incorporating branches and natural materials is a perfect choice to honor someone who loved the outdoors. You could request that the florist use the deceased’s favorite flowers or colors or a flower with special significance. Be prepared to give the florist a few hints about the person you want to memorialize. Highly-personalized sympathy tributes might even include a sheaf of wheat in an arrangement for a farmer or a ball of yarn and knitting needles for someone who liked to knit. Toys can be used for adults and children alike. For instance, a semi-truck could be added to flowers for a truckers funeral or a teddy bear for a child’s service. You are limited only by your imagination. Almost anything can be incorporated into a floral arrangement, depending on the ability of your florist to accommodate your request. Whatever you do, the family is sure to notice your effort and appreciate it.

Remember to shop local!

Consult your local florist regarding any specifications at the particular funeral site. Some churches, funeral homes, and other sites may have strict regulations regarding location, size and types of flowers that are used in funeral services. With the guidance of a floral professional, you can make the appropriate choice in flowers that beautifully convey your expressions of sympathy toward the bereaved and serve as a lovely tribute to the memory of the deceased.