Funeral Vase Arrangements

Funeral arrangements in a vase suit a service at a funeral home, church or memorial, and the family can carry them home afterward. Each of these 16 designs, from white lilies with roses to blue delphinium, is made by hand by a florist close to the recipient.

Needing no easel, a vase arrangement fits a side table or kitchen counter. The guide explains when to choose one, how the colors differ and which vases make keepsakes.

Choosing funeral arrangements in a vase

When a vase arrangement fits best

Sympathy vase arrangements are smaller than standing pieces, so they suit a coworker, neighbor or friend who wants flowers at the funeral service without a large display. They also work at a memorial service, where there may be no casket, only a photo or an urn on a table. Because the flowers already sit in water, they keep well after the service and can go straight home with the family. If you'd rather send to the house, our sympathy flowers for the home add plants and keepsake baskets.

White or blue and white

Eight designs keep to white, seven pair white with blue, and Cherished Memories Lavender & White adds soft purple. Roses appear in 14 of the 16, and lilies in several, including White Arrangement for Sympathy and Beautiful Day Bouquet. White is often linked with peace and reverence and fits nearly any faith, and you'll find more white sympathy flowers in that collection. Blue delphinium and blue roses bring a cooler, calmer note, and our blue and white sympathy flowers gather other pieces in that palette.

Vases families keep

Some containers outlast the flowers. Sacred Blessings Blue & White comes in a silver-cross ceramic keepsake vase, Beautiful Day Bouquet in a gold-dipped glass vase, and Peaceful Harmony Blue and White in a Blue Harmony vase. Healing Tears designs use a clear glass cube lined with a ti leaf, and Cherished Memories designs a glass cylinder. For more presence, Serenity Tribute Premium Long Stem White Roses comes in 12, 24 or 36 stems, and the largest Sincerest Sorrow Blue & White stands close to two feet tall.

Funeral vase arrangement questions

What is a funeral vase arrangement?

It's a sympathy arrangement designed in a vase, ready to set on a table at the funeral home, the church or the family's house with no easel needed. It's usually smaller than a spray or wreath and is often sent by friends, neighbors or coworkers who want to offer condolences quietly.

What flowers are appropriate for sympathy arrangements?

Lilies, roses, carnations and chrysanthemums are traditional, and orchids and hydrangea are common too. White lilies are often tied to peace and purity, white roses to reverence, and blue blooms to calm. Choosing a color the person loved is a personal touch most families welcome.

Are there flowers to avoid at a funeral?

Very little is off limits, but customs vary. Bright red is often avoided at Buddhist and Hindu services, and a traditional Jewish funeral usually has no flowers at all. In a small room, heavily scented lilies can feel strong. When in doubt, check the obituary or ask the funeral home about the family's wishes.

Should I send funeral arrangements to the service or the home?

Either is fine. Send to the funeral home, with a date before the service, if you want the flowers there for the visitation. Send to the house if the service has passed or the family asked for privacy, since a vase design sits easily on a table at home.

How long do sympathy vase arrangements last?

With fresh water, many last a week or more, and lilies often arrive partly in bud so they open over the following days. Recut the stems and top up the water every day or two, and keep the vase away from heat and direct sun. Pinch off lily pollen to protect petals and tablecloths.