How to Send Funeral Flowers to Russia from Abroad

To send flowers to Russia for a funeral, choose a calm bouquet or basket in white, deep red or muted tones with an even number of stems, order it online with the exact address and the time of the farewell, and add a short card with your condolences. The bouquet can go to the family's home, to the farewell hall or to the cemetery, and it is usually best timed for the morning of the funeral or the day before.

When you live in another country, sending flowers is often the only way to be present. Russian funeral customs differ from Western ones in a few important details, and getting them right shows the family that you understand and respect their tradition. Below is what a florist would tell you: which flowers to choose, how many, where and when to deliver them, and what to write.

The rule of even numbers

The single most important custom is the number of stems. In Russia an even number of flowers, two, four, six, twelve, is given only to the dead and at memorials. Odd numbers are for the living and for happy occasions. A Russian family will notice this immediately, so for a funeral always count stems carefully: two red carnations, ten white roses, sixteen chrysanthemum stems.

For large compositions the rule matters less. Once a bouquet or basket goes above roughly fifteen to twenty stems, nobody counts, and many florists stop worrying about parity. For a small, modest bouquet, which is what most people send, keep the number even. When you order with us, tell the manager on WhatsApp that the flowers are for a funeral, so the bouquet is assembled with an even number of stems and in quiet colours.

Which flowers and colours are appropriate

Carnations are the most traditional Russian funeral flower, especially red and white. They are often what people bring to the grave of a relative or to a memorial on Victory Day, and they carry no wrong associations. White and cream roses, white chrysanthemums, calla lilies and white lilies are also widely used and read as dignified and quiet.

Deep red roses are acceptable and common at funerals in Russia; they express love and loss. Avoid bright, cheerful mixes with orange, yellow and hot pink, glitter, balloons and playful wrapping. Dark green foliage, simple paper or no wrapping at all look more fitting than shiny film. Flowers in a low basket are practical, because the family can place them at the coffin or the grave without looking for a vase.

If you knew the person well, it is fine to choose a flower they loved, as long as the overall look stays restrained. A small bunch of white chrysanthemums for a grandmother who grew them in her garden says more than an expensive arrangement.

Wreaths are a separate tradition. In Russia large wreaths with a ribbon are usually ordered by the family, by colleagues from work or by organisations, and they stay at the grave after the burial. As a friend or relative abroad, a bouquet or basket is the more personal and more common choice, and it never looks out of place next to the wreaths.

Bouquets we can deliver

Bouquet of 1 yellow sunflowers

$13

Bouquet of 3 white roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Bouquet of 3 red roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Bouquet of 3 pink roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Where and when to deliver

Russian funerals usually take place on the third day after death, which leaves very little time if you live abroad. A farewell often happens in a hall at a morgue or funeral home, or in a church, followed by burial or cremation and then a memorial meal at home or in a cafe. Ask the family, or whoever is organising, which address is right and at what hour the farewell starts.

Delivering to the family's home the day before or early on the morning of the funeral is the safest option: the relatives can take the flowers with them. Delivering directly to the farewell hall is possible, but there you need the exact address, the hall name and the time, and a contact person who will receive the flowers. Sending to a cemetery is the most complicated and is better left for later visits.

In large cities we can deliver within one to two hours after the order is confirmed, so even a last-minute order has a chance to arrive in time. You can also choose a time window, 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or an exact time with about thirty minutes of margin, which is what you want for a farewell that starts at a fixed hour.

If the farewell takes place in an Orthodox church, flowers are placed at the coffin, not handed to the priest. Relatives often take the flowers on to the cemetery and lay them on the fresh grave, so a bouquet that holds together without water for several hours is better than delicate stems that wilt quickly. Carnations and chrysanthemums are ideal for this; they stay fresh in cold weather and survive being carried.

Memorial days: the 9th, the 40th and the first year

Russian Orthodox tradition marks the ninth and fortieth days after death and the first anniversary. On these days the family visits the grave and gathers for a memorial meal. If you could not send flowers in time for the funeral itself, the ninth or fortieth day is a natural and respected moment to do it, and the family will understand the gesture.

For these dates you can pre-order delivery one to thirty days ahead, so there is no rush. The same customs apply: even number of stems, calm colours, a short card. Many people later send flowers on the anniversary and on the deceased's birthday as well; it is a quiet way to show the family that you remember.

Between memorial days, families often keep flowers at home next to a photograph of the person, sometimes with a candle. A modest bouquet delivered to the home on the fortieth day often ends up exactly there.

What to write on the card

The card should be short and sincere. Russians rarely write long letters on funeral cards; a few words carry more weight. If the family speaks Russian, a card in Russian is especially touching. Simple, widely used phrases are "Svetlaya pamyat" (bright memory), "Skorbim vmeste s vami" (we grieve with you) and "Vechnaya pamyat" (eternal memory). Write the name of the person and your own name so the family knows who sent the flowers.

The card with your text is free. Keep in mind that delivery is anonymous by default and the courier does not name the sender, so for a funeral the card is the only place where your name appears. Do not leave it blank.

Ordering step by step

Choose a bouquet or basket in our bouquets catalogue, keeping to white, cream or deep red. Enter the address, the recipient's name and phone number and the delivery time, and pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Delivery and payment details are on this page.

The courier calls the recipient about fifteen minutes before arrival. In a house of mourning people may not answer or may be at the funeral home, so give a second phone number if you can. If nobody is there, we agree a second delivery the same day, or hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge with your consent.