Sydney Funeral Flower Etiquette: What to Send, When and Where

The short version: family members usually send the casket spray, cross or heart; friends, neighbours and workplaces send a wreath, standing spray or sympathy arrangement; and anyone who wants to comfort the family privately sends flowers to the home after the service. Below is how we guide Sydney customers through those choices, what to write on the card, and what details to give us so the flowers arrive at the right chapel on time.

Types of funeral tributes and who sends them

Funeral flowers in Sydney follow a fairly consistent pattern, whether the service is at a church, a funeral home chapel or a graveside at Rookwood. Browse the full range in our funeral flowers collection, or go straight to the style that suits your relationship to the person who has died.

Casket spray (immediate family)

The casket spray sits on top of the coffin during the service. It is almost always chosen by the spouse, children or parents, and the funeral director will usually ask the family about it when they book the service. See our casket flowers for styles.

Wreath (friends, extended family, workplaces)

A circular wreath is the traditional tribute from people outside the immediate family. It stands on an easel beside the casket or is placed on the grave after burial. Our funeral wreaths range from classic white to bright mixed colours for someone who loved a garden.

Cross and heart tributes (close family, godparents, siblings)

A floral cross is common at Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican services and is generally sent by close relatives. Heart-shaped tributes, solid or open, are often chosen by children or grandchildren, and by partners when the family has already arranged the casket spray.

Standing spray (workplaces, clubs, community groups)

A standing spray is a tall, one-sided arrangement on an easel. It reads well from the back of a chapel and is the usual choice for a company, club or school; one generous standing spray looks better than several small bunches.

Sympathy arrangement to the home (anyone)

If you are not attending the service, live interstate or simply want to comfort the family privately, send a vase arrangement or box to the home. Our sympathy flowers are designed for this.

Choosing colours

White and cream remain the default for funeral flowers in Sydney because they suit every faith and every venue. Soft pastels are common for a mother or grandmother. Bright colours are fine, and increasingly requested, when the family has said the service is a celebration of life, or when the person was known for their garden, their football team or a favourite colour. If the death notice says "family flowers only", respect it and send a card or a donation instead, or send flowers to the home a week or two later when the house has gone quiet.

What to write on the card

Keep the message short. The card is read by the family, often days later, and a few honest words land better than a paragraph. Examples our customers use:

• "With deepest sympathy. Thinking of you all." – The Nguyen family
• "In loving memory of a wonderful mother and nanna. Rest peacefully."
• "Our thoughts are with you at this sad time. With love, everyone at Smith & Co."
• "He was a true gentleman and a great mate. We will miss him." – Tony and Maria
• "Forever in our hearts."

Always include your full name or family name. The family will want to thank the right people.

Timing: service, home or afterwards

• To the service: tributes should arrive at the venue one to two hours before the service starts. We deliver to the funeral director or venue directly, so you do not need to be there.
• To the home before the service: appropriate for close friends and family in the days after the death, particularly where the family is receiving visitors.
• After the funeral: often the most appreciated. Two to four weeks later, when the house is quiet and the visitors have stopped, a simple arrangement says you are still thinking of them.

We deliver 7 days a week including public holidays, and same-day across Sydney Metro when you order by 3pm. See our same-day delivery page for the cut-off details.

Delivering to funeral homes, churches and cemeteries

Our own drivers deliver to funeral directors, churches, mosques, chapels and cemeteries across Sydney in flower-fitted vans. Rookwood Cemetery is about ten minutes from our shop, and we deliver to its chapels, crematorium and graveside services daily; read our Rookwood Cemetery flower delivery guide for how it works. For a service at a funeral home such as a chapel in Bankstown, Lidcombe or Liverpool, we coordinate delivery with the director's staff so the tribute is placed before guests arrive.

Delivery is $19.95 within 25 km of Greenacre and $45 for 25 to 40 km. Beyond 40 km, please call us and we will arrange it.

What details to give your florist

These six pieces of information prevent almost every funeral delivery problem:

1. Full name of the deceased as it appears in the death notice, so the venue can match the tribute to the right service.
2. Date and start time of the service.
3. Venue name and address, including the chapel name if the venue has several (Rookwood, for example, has multiple chapels).
4. Funeral director handling the arrangements, and their phone number if you have it.
5. Type of tribute and any colour or flower preferences.
6. Your card message and name.

If you only know the funeral director, that is enough for us to start. Call (02) 9759 7324 or order online from the funeral collection.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send funeral flowers if I did not know the person well?

Yes. A wreath or a sympathy arrangement to the family home is appropriate from colleagues, neighbours and acquaintances.

What if the service is tomorrow morning?

Order by 3pm today for same-day, or call us as soon as the shop opens at 8am for a morning service. We make everything fresh to order and will tell you straight away whether we can have a tribute at the venue before the service starts.

Is it acceptable to send flowers to a cremation?

Absolutely. A casket spray, wreath or standing spray is displayed in the chapel exactly as at a burial. The family usually takes the tributes home afterwards or asks the crematorium to donate them.