Beautiful Funeral Flower Ideas & Meanings (UK Guide)

Sunnybank Guides • Funeral Flowers

Funeral Flowers Guide UK – Meanings, Tribute Types & Ideas

Choosing funeral flowers can feel overwhelming, especially at a difficult time. This guide explains the main tribute types to help you choose something meaningful, personal, and appropriate.

As a family-run florist in Bury, we’ve been creating thoughtful, high-quality funeral flowers for over twenty years. We understand that finding the right tribute is a deeply personal and often difficult task.

Our goal is to help you honour your loved one with beautiful flowers that reflect their life and personality. Below, we explain the most popular funeral tributes we create, along with guidance on who typically sends each style.

Our Promise:

We work directly with local funeral directors in Bury, Whitefield, and surrounding areas to ensure your chosen flowers are delivered discreetly and on time, allowing you one less worry during a sensitive period.

Gentle, personal flowers – created with care and delivered to your chosen funeral director.

Large pastel coffin spray funeral tribute
The main family tribute

Coffin Sprays – The Central, Most Significant Tribute

The coffin spray is traditionally and usually chosen by the immediate family and serves as the largest, most visible tribute, sitting centrally on the coffin throughout the service.

We offer three main size and shape options to suit your needs:

  • Double-ended: Tapered elegantly at both ends, covering the central portion of the coffin.
  • Single-ended: A teardrop shape, dense with flowers at the head and tapering towards the foot.
  • Full-length: A lavish design that covers most of the coffin, creating a spectacular floral presence.

Choosing colours based on a favourite hobby, sports team, or simply soft whites and pastels can make this tribute truly personal.

We liaise directly with your chosen funeral director to ensure seamless delivery and placement.

View Coffin Sprays
Personalisation Ideas

Favourite colours, traditional lilies or roses, native UK wildflowers, soft whites and foliage, or bespoke themed elements.

Double-ended coffin spray in ivory and blush tones
“The coffin spray sets the tone for all other tributes, often guiding the colour scheme.”

If you choose a bespoke colour scheme or flower type, we can create matching hearts, letters, and wreaths for other family members.

Pastel coffin spray White lily coffin spray Bright colourful coffin spray
A popular choice for friends and family

Funeral Wreaths & Posies – Symbol of Eternity and Unending Love

The circular shape of the funeral wreath symbolises eternity, the never-ending cycle of life, and everlasting love—a truly meaningful choice.

  • **Classic Circular Wreath:** Traditional shape, dense with flowers or foliage.
  • **Posy (Small Round Tribute):** A compact, understated circular tribute often sent by children or close friends.
  • **Loose Modern Wreath:** Features a more natural, garden-style arrangement with visible framework and varied textures.

Wreaths and posies are versatile and can be created in soft whites and greens for a traditional feel, or in vibrant colours to celebrate a life.

These are typically laid next to the coffin or displayed on stands at the service.

Browse All Tributes
Popular styles

Soft white & green, mixed seasonal pastels, bright yellows & blues (often referencing sports teams).

White and green funeral wreath Pastel funeral wreath Bright mixed flower funeral wreath
Expressing deep personal grief or love

Funeral Heart Tributes – Open, Closed, and Cushion Designs

Heart tributes are some of the most deeply personal designs we create, representing love and loss. They are often chosen by immediate family members like partners, children, or grandchildren.

  • Open heart: The centre is left empty; this shape is often symbolic of a broken heart and intense sadness.
  • Closed heart: Fully filled with flowers, often used to symbolise wholeness and complete love.
  • Cushions: Soft, rounded tributes, sometimes signifying rest or comfort.

We work with you to choose the perfect size, flower mix, and colour palette.

These tributes are typically created in soft pastels, white, or red—the universal colour of love.

View Heart Tributes
Who chooses hearts?

Partners, children, grandchildren, and those who shared a uniquely close, loving bond with the deceased.

Pink and white open heart tribute
“Open hearts often feel right when words are hard to find, visually communicating a depth of feeling.”

We help guide you through the choice of colours and sizes to ensure the tribute conveys your exact sentiment.

Closed white heart Open pastel heart Cushion funeral tribute
Spelling out love and respect

Letter Tributes – “MUM”, “DAD”, Names & Initials

Letter tributes offer a highly personal way to spell out meaningful names, initials, or affectionate words that were used every day. These are often purchased by children or close groups of family members.

  • **Classic White Letters:** Traditionally backed with white chrysanthemums with small, colourful sprays.
  • **Fully Coloured Letters:** Letters entirely covered in flowers matching a specific colour scheme (e.g., team colours, favourite shade).
  • **Nicknames:** We can spell out meaningful nicknames, initials, or short words like 'NAN', 'BRO', or 'SIS'.

Each letter is individually made and carefully transported to the funeral director.

Examples of Wording

MUM, DAD, GRANDAD, BRO, SIS, WIFE, club names, or short abbreviations (e.g., G.G. for Great Grandma).

Grandad funeral letters
Natural & elegant alternative

Tied Sheaves & Funeral Bouquets – Simple, Natural Tributes

A tied sheaf is a natural, elegant, and often understated choice. Unlike formal tributes constructed on frames, sheaves are hand-tied bundles of flowers, making them ideal when you prefer something simple and close to nature.

  • **Hand-tied sheaves:** A presentation-style bouquet, easy to lay at the graveside or crematorium.
  • **Garden-style bouquets:** Designed to look freshly picked, featuring natural stems and foliage.
  • **Suitable options for children:** Smaller, manageable sheaves or bouquets are often chosen by younger mourners.
Styles

Classic white & green, seasonal pastels, vibrant garden flowers, natural stems wrapped in hessian or paper.

Country-style pastel tied funeral sheaf
“Sheaves feel gentle – like a bouquet laid by hand, carrying an intimate, caring sentiment.”

We can wrap the stems bare (for a truly natural look) or fully covered for presentation purposes.

Celebrating a unique life

Custom & Themed Funeral Tributes

Bespoke and custom designs are a wonderful way to honour a person’s unique hobbies, passions, or personality. We transform meaningful objects and symbols into floral arrangements.

  • **Football Club Badges:** Perfectly replicated crests using team colours.
  • **Hobby-Themed Tributes:** Designs related to fishing, gardening, music, or other interests.
  • **Logos, Shapes & Symbols:** Any unique shape or symbol that held importance to the deceased.
What helps us create your tribute

Providing photos, clear guidance on colours/team names, and an indication of your budget ensures we can meet your expectations.

Manchester United football shirt tribute Manchester United badge tribute Manchester City badge tribute

Need Personal Guidance Choosing Funeral Flowers?

Our team is here to guide you through colours, styles, and card messages with sensitivity and professionalism.

Serving Bury, Whitefield, Prestwich, Radcliffe & nearby areas.

Quick Guide: Funeral Flowers FAQs

Who orders the coffin spray?

Typically the immediate family or next of kin, as it is the main tribute.

Wreath vs Coffin Spray?

The spray sits centrally on the coffin; the wreath is a circular tribute laid beside the coffin or displayed on a stand.

How early should I order?

We recommend ordering 3–5 days in advance for constructed tributes (letters, hearts, sprays) to allow for flower sourcing and design time.

Do you deliver directly to funeral directors?

Yes — we offer reliable, discreet delivery to all local funeral directors in Bury, Whitefield, and surrounding areas.

What should I write on the card message?

Simple and heartfelt words are always appropriate, such as 'Rest in Peace,' or 'With all our love, from...'