A guide to casket sprays

A beautiful floral tribute is the final gift we give to a loved one before a cremation or burial and can bring an enormous sense of comfort at such a sad time. Casket sprays are considered the most important flower arrangement of a funeral service as they decorate the coffin and consequently become the focus of attention.

What is a spray?

‘Spray’ is the floristry term for a large, flat bouquet of plant materials. They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colours, and are adaptable to any occasion (a floral wedding table centrepiece is another example of a spray.)

With respect to funeral flowers, sprays are generally sent by groups of people, friends or colleagues as tribute to the deceased for their funeral. On the other hand, a casket spray is typically chosen by the family, and is the principal flower arrangement placed on top of the coffin. Often personalised, casket sprays are a heartfelt and often elaborate tribute to the loved one.

What flowers are used in a casket spray?

Traditionally funeral sprays are created from roses, lilies, and other white flowers, but any flower type can be used. People often choose to celebrate the deceased person’s life rather than have a traditional funeral, and so choose vibrant jewel tones, sunflowers or the local rugby team’s colours to honour their life and reflect the deceased’s personality, hobbies and favourite things.



How do I choose the best casket spray?

There are no rules to follow or etiquette to feel pressured by for a casket spray, our Christchurch florist team works with you to understand your vision and which are the best funeral flowers to achieve it.

If you’ve never been through the process and had to buy funeral flowers before, it’s common to feel overwhelmed by the choices available and whether the decisions you are making are the right ones. Court Florist has nearly 90 years’ experience of creating funeral flowers for Christchurch’s grieving families. Helping them to plan and select floral funeral tributes.

There are several casket spray ideas that can be tailored to suit your loved one’s personality, disposition, and preferences. For example, if they were religious, a coffin spray in the shape of the cross could be an option, or a funeral wreath, heart or other flower arrangement.

Liaising with the funeral directors for additional details is important too. For example, the length of a coffin influences the most appropriate size for the casket spray. Proportion is key: a small casket spray looks lost on the coffin of a very tall person. The casket colour helps our creative team choose individual flowers to complement the tone.  

The funeral flower arrangements are more than an adornment. Few funeral flowers provide a powerful tribute as casket sprays. Available in a range of colours and tailored to your unique requirements, our casket sprays are lovingly handcrafted by Court Florist’s funeral flowers Christchurch team of expert florists. Call into our Victoria Street florist Christchurch, click here or call 03 379 8255 for funeral flower advice and guidance.