Wreath Or Flower Stand: What To Send To A Wake

When someone passes and you are not family, the question arrives quickly: what do you send to the wake? In Singapore it is usually one of three things, and choosing between them is simpler than it feels in the moment.

The short answer

• A funeral wreath is the tribute from one person or one family.
• A condolence flower stand is the tribute from a company, an association or a group of colleagues.
• A sympathy bouquet or vase goes to the family’s home rather than the wake, and suits the quieter days after the funeral.

What each one says

Wreaths and stands both stand at the wake itself, where every visitor sees them, and in Singapore the two words often get used for the same thing. The real difference is who it comes from. A wreath reads as a personal tribute. A stand is larger and carries an organisation’s name where it can be read across the hall, which is why companies choose it. Neither outranks the other, and both are correct at most wakes.

How much should you spend?

Go by your relationship, not by guilt. Wreaths from friends and colleagues usually sit in the S$93 to S$160 band, with closer friends and relatives choosing fuller designs up to about S$230. Stands mostly run S$150 to S$280, and company tributes usually land between S$180 and S$300. Sympathy bouquets start from S$66. Sharing one stand between two or three colleagues is common. One person orders, and the card carries everyone.

Does religion change the choice?

It changes the flowers more than the format. For Chinese Buddhist and Taoist wakes, keep to white, cream and yellow, and leave red out. Cross designs suit Christian and Catholic wakes. Hindu families usually arrange the flowers themselves, and Muslim families often prefer none at all, so ask the family first in both cases. When in doubt, a white or neutral arrangement is respectful everywhere, or tell us the parlour and the faith and we will suggest what we normally send there.

What do you write on it?

Every wreath and stand comes with a free message card, with To, From and your note, and we will help you word it in English or Chinese. Short lines work best: “With Deepest Condolences”, “In Loving Memory”, 节哀顺变, 一路走好. Always include who it is from, so the family knows. For a full set of wording examples by relationship and language, see our guide to condolence messages for every situation.

How fast can it get there?

Send it for the first evening of the wake if you can, since that is when most visitors come. If you have missed it, you are not too late. Most wakes run three to five days, and flowers arriving on the second or third evening are still welcome. Order by 5pm for same day delivery anywhere in Singapore, put the parlour name and hall or lot number in the address, and we handle the rest.

Ready to send something? Browse our condolence flowers, from wreaths and stands to sympathy bouquets, all delivered same day.