When to Send Sympathy Flowers

Posted on 22/05/2018

Traditions and Tips for Sending Sympathy Flower Arrangement

Choosing when to send sympathy flowers can be a difficult decision to make, so having some guidance on the right (and wrong) times to send flowers to a bereaved family can be hugely important. We understand the challenges of knowing when, what and how to send sympathy flowers, so below we break down our top tips on when to send them.

Immediately After Hearing the News

The most common time at which most people will have flowers delivered after a loss is almost immediately after hearing the news. However this does not mean the flowers will arrive straight after the loss, as there could be some delay between when the loss occurred, and when you actually hear about it. This is likely to be the case if you live some distance, or perhaps are not particularly close with the deceased or their family. Regardless, it is good practice to try and send flowers as soon as you are able to after hearing the news.

On The Day of the Funeral

If you have not been able to organise a flower delivery for someone affected by loss straight after the event, or even if you have, you may wish to send a bouquet on the actual day of the funeral. This may be instead of, or in compliment to a funeral tribute, but it is nice to send flowers directly to the grieving family on the day of the funeral, especially if you are unable to be there. However do bear in mind that families attending a funeral may not be at home on the day you have flowers delivered, so you may wish to send them the day before or the day after to ensure they are delivered to the person without delay.

After the Funeral

In the event that there is a significant delay between a death and your hearing about it, you may not have been given the opportunity to send the flowers either at the point of loss or on the day of the funeral. In this instance there is absolutely no harm in sending a sympathy bouquet after the event, to show your respect for the deceased, and send your care and thoughts for the bereaved family. This will be most appropriate if you used to be close to the deceased, but have perhaps lost touch, or moved to a distant location. For those who are still in contact with the individual who has passed away, or their family, sending flowers at this stage may be considered insensitive, unless you have already send a bouquet prior to this, so do be wary of sending a bouquet at this time.

As seen above, there are three typical points at which sympathy flowers are traditionally sent; obviously this can and does vary depending on the situation. Sometimes it can be hard or virtually impossible to send a bouquet at the most appropriate time, so don't worry too much if you have to change your plans, the important thing it to make the right decision for your situation. But if you are wondering: is it too late for me to send a sympathy flower delivery, then refer to the timescales above and see which category you call into, but also use your common sense. If you know the family well and know that they wouldn't take offence at a delayed bouquet then go ahead and send it, because ultimately everyone likes to know that they are being thought of, and that is what sending sympathy flowers is all about.