What flowers suit a secular, humanist, or non-religious memorial?
The Short Answer
Without religious conventions to follow, secular memorials give you complete freedom to choose flowers that reflect the person. Focus on their favorite blooms, colors, and personality, and skip religious symbols like crosses in favor of designs that simply celebrate who they were.
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Freedom to make it personal
A secular or humanist memorial centers on the individual's life rather than a faith tradition, which means the flowers are freed from religious convention entirely. There is no expected color, no required symbol, no template to follow. That openness is a gift: it lets you build a tribute that is unmistakably about this particular person. Their favorite flower, the colors they loved, the palette of their garden or their home, any of these can lead the design. The result feels authentic because it grows from who they actually were.
Skipping symbols, embracing story
At a non-religious service, religious motifs like crosses or explicitly faith-based designs are usually not appropriate, since they can feel at odds with the family's values. Instead, tell the person's story through the flowers. A woodworker might be honored with earthy, natural arrangements; a lifelong Tigers fan with a nod to their colors; a beach lover with soft blues and grasses. These personal touches resonate far more than a generic funeral piece. The freedom of a secular service is really an invitation to be thoughtful and specific.
Setting the tone
Secular memorials range from somber to genuinely celebratory, so match the flowers to the family's intent. A reflective service might call for elegant, understated arrangements, while a joyful celebration of life welcomes bold color and abundance. Ask the family or organizer what feeling they hope to create. Because there are no fixed rules, communication matters most. Share a few details about the person with our designers, their loves, their quirks, their colors, and we will craft flowers that feel like a true portrait rather than a default arrangement.
Planning Tips From Our Designers
- Let the person's favorite flowers and colors lead the design.
- Skip religious symbols like crosses at a secular service.
- Tell the person's story through personal, specific touches.
- Match the tone to the family's intent, somber or celebratory.
- Share details about the person so the flowers feel like a portrait.
We're here to help you honor their memory
Our designers will guide you gently through every option, from casket sprays to sympathy arrangements for the home.
Plan A Meaningful TributePrefer to order flowers now? Shop the Bentley Florist collection — same-day delivery across Burton and Flint.
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