Funeral Flowers for a Man: Sprays, Wreaths and Tributes

Choosing funeral flowers for a man

There is no rule that male funeral flowers have to look a certain way. The best place to start is to think about the person: the clothes he wore, the garden he kept, the team he followed, the things he did with his hands. Many families choose clean, structured shapes and fewer soft pastels, but if he loved pink roses in his garden, those beautiful flowers are the right choice. A beautiful funeral tribute does not need to be large; it needs to feel like him.

A few questions can help with choosing the right tribute:

• Was there a colour he always came back to, such as navy, racing green or claret?
• Did he have a hobby or a favourite flower you could echo?
• Are you sending as close family, as a grandchild, or as a friend or colleague?

A personal touch does not need a special shape. His favourite bloom, the shade of his old work uniform or the flower he grew every summer says as much, and the card is the place for a nickname or a line only the family would understand.

Colours that suit funeral flowers for men

Blue and white is the most popular choice of colours for a man's funeral flower tribute. The Blue and White Coffin Spray pairs blue delphinium and hydrangea with white roses, and it reads calm and dignified in a church or crematorium. Red and white is warmer and more traditional. Deep reds have long stood for love and passion, and burgundies, as in the Red Rose Funeral Sheaf, give a rich, bold look.

For a football funeral, a red and white or blue and white tribute can echo his club's football colours without words. You can see more in our blue and white funeral flowers and red and white funeral flowers.

Types of funeral flowers and who sends them

Coffin spray. A double ended design that rests on the top of the coffin or casket and travels with it in the hearse. Ours are about 3ft long in the Standard size. This is usually chosen by the immediate family or the person arranging the funeral, often a wife, son or daughter.

Wreath. A ring of flowers, a symbol of eternal life and remembrance, that suits grandchildren and brothers or sisters; our Grandad Funeral Wreath mixes white roses with blue chrysanthemums.

Funeral sprays and sheaves. A single-ended spray is a teardrop of flowers on a hidden base, laid on or beside the casket; a sheaf is a flat-backed bunch with the stems showing, tied with a ribbon like a large bouquet. Both are a good choice from friends, colleagues and the wider family. The Funeral Spray for a Man uses white roses, white germini and blue statice.

Posies. A small, round tribute is a gentle way for one person or a child to say goodbye.

We don't make letters, pillow tributes, hearts or crosses, so every design here is a spray, wreath, sheaf or posy made from fresh blooms.

Sending floral tributes to the funeral

When a loved one has died, there is a lot to sort out in a short time, so it helps to know the basics of sending flowers to a funeral. Floral tributes go to the funeral home, not to the church. Give its name and address and the day of the funeral when you order funeral flowers, so the flowers arrive before the service. We deliver Monday to Saturday from tomorrow onwards, not on Sundays or bank holidays. Delivery is £12.49 per order, added at checkout.

If you are not sure which local funeral home is handling the funeral arrangements, ask the family or whoever is organising the funeral. If the service is at a crematorium, our guide to cremation flowers has more help.

Sympathy flowers for his family at home

Funeral flowers are for the service, but after the loss of a loved one the house can feel very quiet once the day is over. A red and white arrangement sent to his wife, mum or children is a kind condolence that lasts beyond the funeral, and a lily or a carnation in a vase keeps for a good while with fresh water. If you would like something more lasting, a sympathy plant can become a lasting memorial for the bereaved family, and some people press a flower from the tribute as a keepsake.

Sizes and substitutions

Most of our funeral flowers come in Standard, Preferred and Elegant. The larger sizes keep the same design and add more stems of the same flowers, so the tribute looks fuller. Every funeral flower order includes a card for your message. If a flower isn't available on the day, the florist may use one of the same colour and style, of equal or greater value.

Questions about men's funeral flowers

What flowers are best for a man's funeral?

Roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, delphinium and lilies are all used often. Choose the shades first, then the shape, and think about the loved one's own tastes. Most tributes are a mix of flowers, so there are no set flowers to give.

Are funeral flowers for a man and a woman the same?

The types are the same: sprays, wreaths, sheaves and small round tributes. The difference is usually the palette and style, with men's tributes often in blues, whites and deep reds.

Can I buy funeral flowers online and have them sent to the funeral director?

Yes. Order online, add the funeral director's address and the date of the service, and a florist from a local flower shop makes and delivers it.

What should I write on the card?

Keep it short and personal, and sign with your name. Our guide to what to write on funeral flowers has messages for a dad, husband, brother and friend.