Sympathy wreath design plan

There is no way of getting through life without facing loss at some point. The most important thing anyone can offer a grieving loved one is support during such a difficult time. It’s not always easy to express your support in words but flowers certainly can. Here’s how to make your very own sympathy wreath to let your friend or loved one know that you care.

You will need:

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

Instructions:

• First, trim your floral foam ring so that it is properly rounded. Many rings do not come rounded and so you need to slice off that square-looking edge.
• You will then need to soak your floral foam so that it can offer your flowers all the water they need to stay fresh.
• Next, prepare your flowers and foliage. Since you are making a sympathy wreath, you may want to stick to white blooms instead of bright colours. Of course, if you know that the person you are honouring loved a particular colour, you can add accents here and there.
• Trim the stems of your flowers and cut off any leaves that are lower on the stems. Do the same with your foliage.
• Now begin inserting the plant material in your sympathy wreath. Use the larger leaves to create a base all the way around.
• Now add the carnations and make sure that they are evenly spaced.
• Next, it’s time to add your spray carnations in between the larger ones.
• Take a look at your design and fill in any gaps with smaller foliage and baby’s breath.
• Make sure that you inspect your wreath from all angles to make sure there are not gaps.

Extra tips

When making a sympathy wreath, you should always source the best quality blooms. This is because you want them to last as long as possible. The carnations should be partially open and not quite fully opened yet. This will ensure that the wreath will look lovely for several days at least. You can also add flower food to the water in which you soak the foam ring. This will provide the blooms with added nutrients and increase their life.

A sympathy wreath can be presented as a gift at the funeral. It can be placed on the casket, beside it or even at the grave site. Wreaths can also be displayed on tables and walls. So, if you want the grieving family to keep the wreath in their home as a token of your support and condolences, this is another option to consider. You can even insert a picture of their loved one in the middle to create the perfect tribute.