Funeral flowers are a popular tradition in many countries.
In the UK, it is customary to send flowers when a loved one dies.
However, there are a few unwritten conventions about who sends what type of flowers.
Traditionally, the coffin spray and name tributes will be selected by the immediate family.
The name tribute consists of floral letters that spell out the name of the person that died or the relation they were, such as 'mum' or 'husband'.
The coffin spray is the main floral tribute and it will be laid on the top of the coffin for the journey to and the duration of the service of remembrance.
Personal tributes can be created that reflect something important in the life of the deceased, and these are often created as floral pillows.
It is not unusual to see football, butterfly, cricket bat or teddy shaped floral tributes.
Again, these are often sent by those very close to the deceased.
Posies, funeral wreaths, flower sprays and sheafs are seen as a sign of respect and remembrance, and suitable as a floral tribute from friends, colleagues or family.
They can be sent to the funeral directors, crematorium, church or to the home of the deceased.
Heart wreaths are popular and are an expression of love.
The family may choose a colour scheme and ideally you should stick with this.
The colour will probably have a particular link with the deceased, such as their favourite colour or their favourite football team colours.
By using a local florist you can be sure that they have worked with the local funeral directors before.
They should be empathetic to your feelings and be able to help you choose a fitting tribute using seasonal flowers and herbs.
They should also be able to get your choice of flowers to their destination looking as fresh as when they left the shop.
Whilst there are conventions as to what flowers should be sent to a funeral, the main thing is that the flowers show your love and appreciation of the person that died, and so it is more important that you send flowers in the first place, rather than to worry about if they were the right ones.
If the flowers are sent with genuine love, then they are the right flowers.
The attached card is also an important part of the floral tribute and it is likely to be kept by the family.
The words that you write on the card will be held dear by the family for years to come.
Funeral flowers are an important part of funerals and they are part of remembering the life of the deceased and the affection that people felt towards them.
Beautiful sympathy flowers can mean so much and are a fitting tribute to send when a loved one dies.