How to Make a Sympathy Wreath

A sympathy wreath is another way to express sympathy to a grieving family. Wreaths are typically displayed on a stand during the funeral service or at a gravesite. There are many ways to make a sympathy wreath personal and at home.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Wreath base
• Fresh or silk flowers
• Ribbon
• Floral wire
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Floral pins
• Letter stickers

1. Select a wreath base form and decoration materials including fresh or silk flowers, ribbon and items representative of the deceased's life. Wreath bases come in circle and heart shapes and are found in hobby stores such as Garden Ridge or Hobby Lobby.
2. Include small items such as fishing lures if the deceased was an avid fisherman. If you know the deceased's favorite flowers, use them.
3. Wrap the foam wreath base with ribbon before decorating. The ribbon makes the base form more decorative.
4. Attach larger materials first as the background. Trim flower stems close to the bud and run floral wire through the base of the bud using the wire as the new stem. Sam's Club and other grocery stores sell a wide variety of fresh flowers at a reasonable price.
5. Cover the base with decorative materials using hot glue, floral wire and floral pins. Try and cover as much of the base as possible.
6. Add a sentiment ribbon with the deceased's relationship to the sender or the sender's name. Use letter stickers to spell the sentiment on the ribbon. For example, "Beloved Mother" is a possible sentiment.

Tips & Warnings

• To allow for advance purchase of flowers, keep flowers in a refrigerator in water for several days.
• Call local florists to find out what flowers are typical sympathy flowers for the area where the funeral takes place.