Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy. It can be an added stress if you’ve been asked to send flowers for sympathy and you do not know what to write on them.
It’s the final act of kindness you can show, and it’s an important statement about how much they meant to you. What to write on funeral flowers is something many people struggle with. You want the message to be personal but not overly sentimental or sappy.
General Guidelines for Sympathy Notes
Sympathy notes are a great way to express your condolences. They can be sent in addition to sympathy flowers delivered same day or other gifts, or even instead of gifts. Here are some general guidelines for writing a sympathy note:
- Use a black pen: Blue or black ink is the traditional color for writing condolences.
- Your note should be brief: A sympathy note should be short and to the point. Not only is it more polite, but it allows the grieving family to focus on their loved one and not on the fact that they received a card.
- Make sure you get the name right: It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to make this mistake. Make sure you know the right spelling of the person’s name before you write the card.
Sympathy Message Wording Ideas for Loss of a Parent
Death is never easy, but it’s particularly difficult when it comes to a parent. Here are some ideas for what to write when you send flowers for sympathy for the loss of a parent:
- Acknowledge something specific about the parent that you appreciated about them. For example, you can write about how the parent encouraged you to be the best version of yourself or how the parent always provided a safe and loving home.
- You don’t have to write a long message, but it can be helpful to the family to have a short way to process the death and your condolences. Keep in mind that some people might not be ready to read a long message.
Sympathy Message Wording Ideas for Loss of a Partner
Whether the loss is a recent or an unfortunate milestone, a partner’s death is always a devastating event. Here are some ideas for what to write in a sympathy message for the loss of a partner:
- Loss is a natural part of life and doesn’t have to be a negative thing. You can write about how the deceased partner’s life greatly impacted yours.
- You can write about how you will always remember the partner as someone who loved you and cared for you.
- You can write about how you miss them and wish they were still with you.
Sympathy Message Wording Ideas for Loss of a Grandparent
There are few things as sad as losing a grandparent. Here are some ideas for what to write if you want to send flowers for sympathy for the loss of a grandparent:
- You can write about how much the deceased grandparent meant to you. If you were close to them, you could write about specific memories of them. If you weren’t, you can write about what they meant to your parents or other family members.
- You can write about how you wished you had the chance to know the deceased better.
- You can acknowledge how difficult the loss must be for the surviving grandparent.
Sympathy message wording ideas for loss of a friend
Death is always painful, but it hurts even more, when it’s someone you’re close to. Here are some ideas for what to write in a sympathy message for the loss of a friend:
- You can write about how the deceased person was a good friend to you. You can write about what you appreciated about them, or you can write about specific memories you have with that person.
- You can write about how you will never forget the good times you had with the deceased person. If you had a falling out, you could still acknowledge your friendship.
- You can write about how you wish you could tell the deceased person one last time how much they meant to you.
Sympathy Message Wording Ideas for Loss of a Colleague
A coworker’s death is a terrible thing. You can show your condolences by writing about how you miss your colleague and wish things had turned out differently. Here are some ideas for what to write in a sympathy message for the loss of a colleague:
- You can acknowledge how brutal the death must be for the colleague’s family and friends.
- You can write about how much you miss the deceased colleague. You can write about specific memories and experiences you have with the person, or you can write about how the colleague impacted your life.
Closing Thoughts
The death of a loved one is never easy, and it’s even harder when you are expected to show up at the funeral and be respectful. Choosing to send flowers for sympathy is a great way to show your condolences, but deciding what to write on funeral flowers is a tough task. Keep these general guidelines in mind when trying to figure out what to write on funeral flowers.
