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Above & Beyond: The Quest For Perfect Personalized Funeral Flowers

November 12, 2010 by 8 Comments

As florists, if we are lucky, we sometimes get those unique and unusual design requests that give us the freedom to be creative. As peers have told me, it is always best to leave the designing to the designer.

Harley Davidson Funeral Flowers Request

I got a call from my best friend, she said she had a special request. She told me about the loss of a dear friend of hers. The friend loved Harley Davidson motorcycles, so I was thinking, Okay, logo.

She continued on to say that she wanted not only the logo, but also wanted to use black and orange flowers, some accents of cream, and definitely some silver to represent the colors of Harley Davidson. My mind came to a complete stop, while my mouth said, “Sure I can do that.” I hung up the phone and thought, Okay, what am I going to do now? How do you make black and orange look sophisticated and not look like Halloween.

Can Black & Orange Look Sophisticated And NOT Like Halloween?

For starters, I work out of my home, and live in a small rural town. Supplies are limited, to say the least. Like most of us, I started brainstorming and headed to the internet in hopes of finding anything to get me started. Nothing! Not many want to share their designs.

I always aspire for my floral designs to stand out and make a statement. I wanted people to remember my flowers and this order was no different. Who wouldn’t want their flowers to stand out and be the best, or at least make us feel that we have done our best.

Go Above & Beyond — Think Outside The Box

So here we go with the design. I started at an auto parts store to try [Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design Tagged With: ,

The ART of Dying by Ty Leslie

July 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Ty Leslie AIFD gives a little insight into his presentation The Art Of Dying. This was a fascinating presentation about revitalizing the old traditions and funeral customs from the Victorian Age and transforming them into something new and beautiful. Sympathy flowers are important and vital role in a florists’ industry and should not be overlooked!

Ty talks about establishing a relationship with your funeral directors, working with customers to personalize funeral tributes, early symbolism in the 19th Century funeral monuments and much, much more.

Filed Under: Floral Convention Videos, Floral Conventions & Flower Shows Tagged With: , ,

Personalized & Creative Funeral Flowers

May 26, 2010 by 5 Comments


Funeral flowers are not what they used to be, and for good reason. We have become so used to personalization, why not customize our final tribute to a lost loved one? People everywhere are opting for sympathy arrangements with a more personalized feel.

Above you see an incredibly detailed floral guitar set piece made by Hart Floral in Modesto, CA. This is a great custom funeral design for someone who was known for their love of music. Perhaps they were sent by someone in a band with the deceased. What a great way to honor those memories they shared together. Custom set pieces* are great to pay tribute to the deceased favorite hobby or interest.

Tribute symbols are also popular in funeral flower design. Whether a heart, cross or peace sign, these symbols can have a calming effect in the minds of those attending the funeral. If you know the deceased favorite color, use flowers in shades of that color in your memorial design to create a more personal final tribute (like the heart arrangement above, by Hart Floral.).

In life, the things that make us the happiest are often our hobbies and interests. Even the colors Hart Floral used are the favorite football team’s colors. I’m sure this sports fan would be beaming with pride over this sports themed funeral wreath.

The above couch casket display** has been perfectly personalized for any fisherman to love. Even the mossy greens and flowers used reminds me of underwater lake photos with fish swimming in the aquatic plants. This great casket piece was created by Every Blooming Thing in Akron, OH.

So, even if it’s as simple as the deceased favorite color, or as elaborate as a full tribute set piece, funeral flowers like this remind us in the final moments of precious memories together that do live on forever.

*Set Piece – the custom shaped funeral flower pieces, such as the guitar in the top photo.

**Couch Casket Display – the large floral design that sits on top of the casket.

This article is brought to you by Flower Shop Network – A Network For Local Florists.

Filed Under: Floral Design, Funeral Flowers Tagged With: , , , ,

TSFA Members Work Together to Raise Awareness at ICCFA Funeral Convention

May 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment

funeral-flower-awareness

It’s an ages-old tradition to send flowers and plants to honor a loved one after they’ve passed. In our faced-paced world of running and doing, traditions tend to get lost in the hustle. For the Texas State Floral Association (TSFA), this is one tradition they intend to keep!

Recently, the TSFA participated in the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Directors Association Convention (ICCFA) in San Antonio, Texas to promote awareness on the importance and value of flowers in funeral and memorial service settings.

Ms. Dianna Nordman, Executive Director of TSFA, turned to Clay Atchison, TSFA member and Webmaster of www.inlieuofflowers.info, to secure a booth, without cost to TSFA, in the registration area for the event. Their booth neighbors were representatives of the Texas Funeral Directors Association.

Both as a florist, and as Webmaster for Inlieuofflowers.info, Clay is committed to educating funeral service professionals, and the general public, on the true value of flowers in comforting the bereaved and bringing color, life and beauty to the funeral setting.

Funeral directors who attended the ICCFA convention were drawn to the TSFA booth, which was almost the first thing they saw after registration. “Many really enjoyed speaking with us, and quite a few were struck by the visual impact of the center display,” commented Dianna.

“It was a lovely cremation-based presentation, and many directors remarked that it gave them ideas on how to use flowers to highlight the cremation urn. In fact, quite a few said they had never thought of doing it that way – and they took photos to take home to share with their staff members.”
Despite the brevity of the event, everyone involved felt it was quite a success. “I’m pleased TSFA was there, and I want to thank all who helped to make this event come together so smoothly. I’m also pleased that TSFA, through the focused efforts of our members, is reaching beyond the borders of Texas to get the in lieu of flowers message out to funeral service professionals, and the general public. I’m so very proud to be a part of that combined effort.”

Filed Under: Floral Industry News Tagged With: , ,

Developing A Positive Relationship With Funeral Homes

January 12, 2010 by 1 Comment

Cheryl Bakin (Parkway Florist), along with 4 other florists Clay Atchison (McAdams Florist), Lisa Greene (Nunan’s Florist), Melissa Mega (The Ivy Green) and Kathy Dudley (The Bloomery), recently attended the National Funeral Directors Association convention. After speaking with several funeral directors, Cheryl Bakin (Parkway Florist) developed a list of 8 tips florists should follow to aid in developing a positive relationship with funeral homes.

  • Deliver On Time. Check viewing arrangements in the paper, online or call and deliver appropriately. (Deliver Sunday flowers on Sunday — NOT on Saturday!!)
  • Do Not Deliver Old Flowers. Especially mums or other flowers that shed. Your funeral customer has paid the same amount of $$ as your everyday customer. They deserve the same quality of flowers!
  • Eliminate All Hand-Written Cards. Cards should be on plain, or nearly plain, card stock & printed in block style printing that is at least 18 to 24 point type. (So that it can be read from about 3 feet away from the arrangement, and does not require a magnifying glass to read!)
  • Include A Brief Description And Sender’s Info. On the back of the card, write a brief description of the flowers, or at minimum, the name and address of the sender to make sympathy thank you cards easier.
  • Offer Small Take Home Pieces. If there is a short viewing followed by a service offer smaller pieces that family members can take home like plants, planters or vase arrangements.
  • Learn To Display Non-Floral Gifts. While the funeral throws are popular in many parts of the country, learn how to display them well, on an easel — without taking up a huge space. (space in some funeral homes are somewhat limited.)
  • Focus on Funeral Home’s CUSTOMERS NEEDS. Funeral directors have a deep commitment to the families they service. As a result, they expect florists to have the same commitment to these families. This means answering the phone after 1 pm on Saturday, attempting to get the pink roses that Grandma always loved, or delivering early to meet a family request for a private visitation.
  • Educate Yourself As To What Is Appropriate. Sell appropriate pieces. Many funeral directors mentioned receiving “flowers in a box” or a “blanket in a box”. They were generally at loss as to what to do with them or how to display them.

The success of your sympathy flower business often lies in the hands of your local funeral directors. The stronger relationship you have with local funeral homes the greater opportunity there will be for funeral flowers.

Filed Under: Florists Only Tagged With: ,

Florists Share The Importance Of Funeral Flowers

November 17, 2009 by 1 Comment

Sometimes to make a point you have to put your money where your mouth is and that is what a handful of florists did last week. Cheryl Bakin of Parkway Florist, Clay Atchison of McAdams Florist and Lisa Greene of Nunan’s Florist have been long-standing proponents of funeral flowers.

However, simply stating a fact — flowers are comforting or flowers make a funeral service special — doesn’t always effectively make the point. So these creative florists, along with Melissa Mega of The Ivy Green and Kathy Dudley of The Bloomery, decided a picture was worth a thousand words.

Contemporary Funeral Spray

Contemporary Funeral Spray

Last month they attended the National Funeral Directors Association convention in Boston, painting a very important picture — flowers and funerals go together like peanut butter and jelly. Each taste good on its own, but together the taste is awesome.

With the kind and generous support of Smithers Oasis, Delaware Valley Floral Group and Pioneer Wholesale, the florists created several sympathy flower arrangements which gave the attendees a better picture of why funeral flowers are important.

Although I didn’t attend the convention, I know the attendees experienced a WOW moment at the florists booth. If the flower arrangements were half as amazing as the descriptions Cheryl gave me, anyone walking up to the booth would be blown away.

Cheryl was kind enough to give me a run-down on the events at the convention. I thought I would share an excerpt of the design process. Maybe this will give you ideas on how to effectively communicate the importance of funeral flowers.

Contemporary Casket Spray

Contemporary Casket Spray

In less that 5 short hours, including the time to decide what containers we were using, what vignettes we were making, and which [Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Industry News Tagged With: , , ,

Sending Funeral Flowers? Your Florist Needs This Info

November 16, 2009 by 1 Comment

When the sad occasion comes and it is time to send flowers to a funeral home, no one wants to be bothered with more details. The passing of a friend or loved one is a burden which is hard to bear, so juggling phone calls from businesses providing a service to the grieving can be equally exhausting. Don’t put yourself through that when sending funeral flowers.

There are a few bits of information that your florist needs to ensure that your sympathy and funeral flower arrangements are delivered promptly with little or no hassle to anyone else. To make sure that all goes smoothly on the day of the service, include these details when talking with your local florist. You’ll find the process easier and your load remarkably lighter.

Send funeral flowers from a real local florist with Flower Shop NetworkWhen sending funeral flowers, include this information:

  • The deceased’s name — The funeral home keeps up with services based on the name of the deceased. This way, there is no confusion when deciphering which arrangement goes where. For example, perhaps you were friends with the deceased’s daughter who has since married and changed her name. Instead of piling through paperwork to figure out whose daughter she is, the funeral director can quickly place your arrangement with the right service based on deceased’s name.
  • The funeral home where the service will be held — This is particularly important when sending flowers for a funeral service instead of sympathy arrangements to the home. Florists who do not have this information must call each funeral home and inquire about the services. Though this is only a minor inconvenience, it is a time-consuming one for all involved. Knowing the name of the funeral home will help prevent any late or missed deliveries.
  • The address of the funeral home — If you know this, you’re golden. Though most florists are familiar with the funeral homes in their area, including an address will help the delivery person in the event that their is a different error in the information. For example, if the name of the funeral home is incorrect, having the address will prove beneficial to the driver who can then verify the service times upon arrival.
  • Funeral service time — If possible, always include the service times. This will help prevent any missed or late deliveries.

Once your florist has this information, your hands are free and clear to tend to the grieving. If you are among them, you will not have to worry with what seems rather trivial at the time. Our deepest condolences to anyone having lost a friend or family member. My the following days find you with smiles instead of sadness.

Filed Under: Funeral Flowers, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: , ,

Is It Appropriate To Send Flowers To Your Ex If Their Parent Dies?

September 16, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Ask The Expert: My ex and I are still friends. We dated for a long time but now we are both with other people. His mother just passed away. Is it appropriate to send him flowers since we aren’t together anymore? Thanks. ~ Keely

Flower Etiquette Expert: I’m sorry to hear about your ex-boyfriend’s mother, Keely. In response to your question, it is appropriate in a few situations. There are a few very important questions to answer though. I have included the appropriate flower etiquette for each situation. I hope it helps you both deal with this hard time in a positive way.

“Do I get along with his new girlfriend?” — This one is hugely important because it will dictate when/where/if you are able to send sympathy flowers. If you do get along with his new partner, feel free to send sympathy flowers to his home but make a point to mention her as well on the enclosure card. This is polite even if you aren’t close to her. It can be something as simple as “please let me know if you and *partner’s name* need anything during this difficult time.” It’s simple and lets both of them know that you aren’t trying to horn in on her territory during a weak moment when emotions run high.

“Was I close to his mother?” — If you were close to your ex-boyfriend’s mother and remained that way after the split, it is appropriate to send funeral flowers to the funeral home. Sympathy flower etiquette also allows flowers to be sent to her  home but usually addressed to the family instead of just one person. If you were never close to her, sending flowers to your ex depends mostly on whether or not his new partner would be accepting.

“Would my new partner be offended?” — The chances are slim that your new partner will react in a negative way provided you discuss sending sympathy flowers before the gesture is made. Otherwise, it may seem shady whether it was meant that way or not. If your new partner is offended anyway and refuses to budge on the issue, the decision to send flowers or not is completely up to you. At that point it’s juggling your partner’s feelings and consideration for those feelings should be put first.

Filed Under: Flower Etiquette Tagged With: , , ,

Did You Remember The Return Address With Sympathy Flowers?

April 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

You’d be surprised how many people do not include a return address when sending sympathy flowers. This could be for many reasons and no one is at fault. However, including an address with sympathy flowers has many benefits. The next time you send flowers to express condolences, ask your local florist to include an address where you can be reached in the future. Here’s why:

  • “That will make it seem like I want to be thanked.” Not really. It’s a very courteous gesture that will not be perceived as polite and prudent In fact, it’s somewhat expected.
  • Once the family has had a few days to grieve, most tend to send “thank you” cards to those who have expressed their sympathies. Whether or not this seems necessary to the sender, it is polite to include an address just in case.
  • In lieu of “thank  you” cards, many people try to contact the sender by phone or in person. Though they probably have this information, including an address and perhaps phone number will make it easier for the recipient to contact you after the services have ended. If your address is included with the sympathy flowers, the recipient will not have to go far to find your information whether he or she has it or not.

This kind of simple convenience goes a long way to someone who has just lost someone that they love. It’s a hassle to do even the slightest chores. Even though things have usually settled by the time this type of contact is made, it is still easier to have things laid out nice and neat in front of them.

If you are a florist, remember to ask for an address where the sender can be reached. This is not a must-have as far as sending sympathy flowers goes, of course. However, there will be far fewer troublesome phone calls after the service. Many who do not receive word that the flowers were received like to call the florist to verify delivery. Some call the recipient. Making sure to include an address with the enclosure card is one way to avoid this hassle for everyone.

Filed Under: Funeral Flowers Tagged With: , , , ,

Tragedy Compel’s Viviano Flower Shop’s Act Of Compassion

March 24, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Local florists are more than businessmen, they are part of their local community. I’ve made this statement a thousand times. Usually in reference to a florist who has participated in some kind of community project or act of generosity to their community. But I have never been brought to tears by the actions of a florist until now. All because of a very gracious act of a Saint Clair Shores MI florist.

Last week 4 teenagers from the Macomb County Michigan area were killed in a car accident. A tragedy that deeply affected residents and the surrounding communities. Viviano Flower Shop was so deeply touched that they graciously offered to provide casket sprays to all four families. This family-owned flower shop didn’t see their bottom line. They didn’t worry about the expense. Instead they saw four grieving families (members of their community) who need comfort and support. Viviano’s wanted to comfort the families, the only way they knew how, with a floral tribute. Because what was important was reaching out and being there for family.

No, the teenagers weren’t related to the Viviano family. However, they were part of the community in which Viviano’s has been a part of since 1937. So, in a sense these four were a part of the community family. Nothing is more important to the owners and staff of Viviano’s than family. I could tell that when I spoke to Tracy about the shop response to this tragedy.

I learned that two of the families graciously accepted the offer. My heart breaks for the families involved. Although I can not even begin to understand their pain, I can tell you from past experience that the flowers on their child or friend’s casket will be a comfort many years from now.

To the staff of Viviano’s a deep, I thank you for the compassion and generosity you have shown to these families. My tears have been ones of sheer thankfulness that there are good people in this world. Thankfully many of them are florists.

Filed Under: Florist Spotlights Tagged With: , , , ,
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