Tue 23 Feb 2016

How to make your own sympathy wreath

At some point in our lives, we are all faced with loss and grief. It’s no secret that the immediate family suffers the most when losing a loved one and they can use all the support they can get. Unfortunately, as much as they need your help, there is also nothing you can really do to make it all better. You cannot take their pain away but you can comfort them to a certain extent. Just knowing that you are thinking of them can make all the difference. Of all the funeral flowers and sympathy flowers on the market, sympathy wreaths have enjoyed amazing popularity. They can be displayed in so many ways which makes their design quite versatile. They are also quite easy to make if you have a few moments to spare.

 

You will need:

  • A floral foam ring (hollow centre)
  • Five carnations
  • One bunch of spray carnations
  • Foliage (leather leaf, gypsophilia, and soft ruscus)

 

Instructions:

  • Place all of your materials on your work surface and prepare your flowers and foliage. You will need to trip the stems and clean off any extra leaves.
  • Round the edge of the floral foam. Trip it down using a sharp knife.
  • Soak the floral foam thoroughly but make sure that it’s not so full that it will drip.
  • Insert the leather leaf in the floral foam and do so at a downward angle.
  • Add your carnations and make sure that they are evenly spaced apart.
  • Add your spray carnations in between the regular sized ones.
  • Fill the spaces between the flowers with ruscus and gypsophilia. Take the time to examine your wreath from all angles to make sure that there are no gaps anywhere. This makes it possible to display at any angle.

 

When planning your wreath, you will need to choose the best possible colours. White flowers are a popular choice and they look particularly lovely with all that foliage. White flowers are also really easy to find so, if you need to use flowers other than carnations, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. If the wreath is for a woman, you could use pink or pink and white flowers. Alternatively, blue or dark purple and yellow are particularly suitable for men due to the striking contrast.

 

You can place the sympathy wreath on the casket, at the gravesite, on a wall, or even on a table. If you set the wreath on a table, you can place a thick candle in the centre. If you display the wreath in a more upright position, you could place a picture of your loved one behind it so that the wreath acts as a floral photo frame.