Floral Tributes

When a bride and groom face a wedding day without a loved one, such as a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend who has passed away, it’s a lovely tradition to create a floral tribute arrangement in their memory. In the past, brides and grooms have handled the tribute by printing in their programs that all of the floral arrangements are in memory of (departed loved ones), but now they’re taking the time to arrange for a separate, unmistakable floral tribute arrangement.

Most often, it’s a big arrangement of beautiful white flowers on a white pedestal or other platform, but now we’re seeing more couples choose a color that meant a lot to the departed. At one wedding, the couple chose to include orange flowers as a tribute to the departed father’s love of his alma mater. At another, the couple chose gardenias, the departed grandmother’s favorite flowers, plus maroon for the departed grandfather’s favorite football team. Using color favorites provides a bit of personalization that guests will recognize immediately.

Floral experts say to make this a beautiful arrangement, not any variation of the funeral arrangement with a banner on it. Heart-shaped floral bunches are popular, as are free-flowing arrangements, and monogram arrangements of all-white flowers with an initial of colored flowers in the middle.

For presentation, it’s become a beautiful trend to scatter rose petals on the pedestal and on the ground around the tribute pedestal, and a larger pedestal or tribute table may offer the perfect opportunity for flickering candles and a cherished, framed photo of the departed loved one, either alone or with the bridal couple, with the family, or with a spouse and kids. A beautifully printed, framed message from you might read, “This floral arrangement in memory of (name), who is always in our hearts and joins us today in spirit.”

Some couples worry that a tribute arrangement might make guests sad, and some tears may flow from the emotion of the day. But when you design a pretty arrangement of meaningful flowers and word your framed note with lovely elegance, it’s a touching tribute that honors the memory of your departed loved ones by making them a center-stage part of the day.