FUNERAL FLOWERS

My local flower company is lovely and regularly sends flowers to her parents in Switzerland. Not sure how expensive it would be but maybe look for a local company you trust to send abroad. I would definitely complain and demand a refund. Just remember it's not your fault so dont beat yourself up about it .. you did the best you could and were let down.

Perhaps in Croatia, the flowers would have been considered acceptable but it might make you feel a little better.

I don't think they would; it is mainly a Catholic country and flowers might well be a part of traditional funeral services, more so than here where we tend to give donations to charity now.
Flowers may be in short supply with it being winter too.

I hope you can get a refund, paddyanne and ask your friend's son what he would like to do with the money.
It's upsetting but it wasn't your default.

Not your fault

Sorry posted too soon- paddyanne very sad situation for you but I think MawBe is right , a catalyst for your grief . Complain vehemently and perhaps send some more in a while . It was the thought that counts however .

I think this probably happens more than we know. I have twice sent flowers that were disappointing but would never had known if the person had not sent me a photo to say thank you. Both times complained and refunded but as you say the moment for replacement had passed.
Complain to the company but I wouldn't get them to resend.
Maybe as someone suggested get a relative in Croatia to place flowers on your behalf

paddyanne

Thanks ,I'm really peed off because I tried three other companoes who said they couldn't deliver on time and this one said it wasn't a problem and now to see what they sent .My heart sank and I feel like shit.I send flowers to them two or three times a year and have never had this before .I'll see what the company says and go from there .I know its not the worst problem in the world but I'm crying buckets over it ....small things sometimes hit hardest

This reaction may have more to do with the loss of your dear friend than the bad quality of the flowers
let the family how upset you are about the flowers and send a message to the flower company and dont't use them again but
then grieve about your friend gustily and openly and loudly
then buy a simple rose light a single candle and talk to her about the funny side of how awful her flowers were. Bless you.

barbiann57

When my dear friend died I could not get to her funeral. I had a tree planted in her name at a woodland that she knew. This was through 'The Woodland trust' . I sent her family the certificate and details of location etc. of the tree.

What a lovely tribute. I’ll remember that for the future.

Our freind loved his garden and was always eager to show what new flowers he had and how well they had done.I'm torn about telling the family they aren't what was sent as I dont want them to be upset about me being ripped off or their lovely husband ,dad and grandfather not getting the flowers we wanted him to.Stupid .I know.I rarely send flowers to funerals anyway always donate but its difficult this year,we've lost a lot of folk to covid and had to stand outside the crematorium because of limited numbers more times than I like to remember.I just needed them to know that although we couldn't be there they are in my heart
Thank you all for your kind words ,I'm still crying buckets but hopefully it will help .My OH says put it behind me and send some nice Scottish stuff to them a tartan blanket some nice smellies and sweets for the GC ....maybe he's right .

Same happened to me here in the UK ...I paid for a full length cross of purple and white for my dad;s funeral, to go on top of the coffin .what arrived was a very small arrangement of purple and white flowers ........I was offered a refund, but that wasn't the problem !! felt awful that those who came thought I was mean ......there again, I ordered a floral arrangement in the shape of a steam engine for my late brother's funeral, it was enormous and covered the coffin, but as a lifelong steam enthusiast I think he would have approved ! His enthusiast friends were amazed and even named the type of steam engine it was .......so funny ...they said AH that is what used to run at Ipswich docks (where we originally came from ) and its a type d....something or other ! I was delighted with that ....that funeral was arranged by a small independant funeral operator in the North East ...whereas my dad's was a large well known company !

A couple of years ago, my boyfriend sent me a dozen red roses for Valentine's Day. The following weekend he came to stay, was admiring the bouquet only to notice there were 11 and not 12! I thought this was funny and out of mischief said that sending me 11 roses sent an entirely different message than the traditional one. He was annoyed that he'd been overcharged twice - an inflated price because it was 14 February and the missing rose. How could the florist be so careless when checking the number? Interflora made excuses about being busy blah, blah, blah and offered him a voucher for the normal price of a rose not the 14 February price. After a lot of negotiation, he accepted a refund on his credit card for the inflated price of the missing rose instead of a voucher. So always check you've actually got the dozen roses charged for!

A few times my daughters have sent me flowers and a couple of times they have been awful. They were so bad last time (broken off flower heads etc.) that I told my daughters and they got a replacement bunch sent. They have stopped buying me flowers thank heaven.

Yes do complain, these companies assume customers wont say anything for fear of upsetting people!
Some many years ago I sent my mothers an interflora bouquet for Mothering Sunday which was of such poor quality (and much less than I had paid for!) my mother rang to tell me as she knew it was not what I would have sent! I complained and got a full refund.

My cousins son died in November. The family live in America and I looked up a local florist and sent emails explaining the situation and when I wanted the display delivered. I paid by PayPal and it couldn’t have been easier. A China bowl with six lovely plants, ribbon decoration and a proper card with my chosen message inside. The family were delighted, as was I and was sent a picture at the time and one recently. The cost to me was £40 which was really excellent value.

Personally I would send the photo to the company and say this was not what you ordered or paid for. Insist on a refund at least. I know it might be difficult for you to communicate with a florist in Croatia but if it's at all possible you could then ask for a house plant to be sent.

I had a similar experience with Moonpig, but fortunately for me, with a happier ending.

A work colleague moved into her new home and I sent a card and flowers to them. The flowers I chose were rainbow daisies and a few days after she had taken delivery she showed me a photograph of how the flowers had opened out.

There wasn't a rainbow flower in sight! But whether by luck or oversight, my friend received a much more expensive bunch of flowers than I had ordered.

I can understand your frustration and upset, Paddyanne, especially when the flowers you chose were for a sensitive occasion. It's not the money, per se, but what you see as a disservice to your friend.

I hope that Moonpig can offer you an acceptable form of compensation.

I was disappointed on numerous times so I decided best to find a local florist near to the recipient and ask them to arrange and deliver - hasn’t failed yet - the bonus is that because it’s local they have the incentive to get local business as they then have a relationship with the recipient to either use themselves or recommend to friends and neighbours. You normally get better flowers and more bang for your buck !

I had the same thing at my mums funeral - her sister went through inter flora and sent and paid for a lovely display that cost a fortune. As her sister wasn’t at the funeral I sent her a picture and she was mortified as it Wasn’t the one she had chosen and paid for - it was with half of what she paid. It upset her and me. I got in touch with inter flora who blames it on the florists - I phoned them both up - the one who took the order from my auntie swore that she had sent on the right order and the florist swore blind she delivered the correct one

Will never use them again

So sorry this has happened to you. Losing your friend is hard enough without this happening. I’ve had the same problem too. After the last disaster, I decided to ring a florist in the area where the recipient lives. It’s never happened again! I understand this is probably much more difficult when sending abroad though. Sending you a virtual hug. ?

Explain to tfe son the flowers were disappointing, not what you had expected. Also tell him you have contacted the company and, if you are lucky and receive a refund, you will make a charitable donation in his mother's name. Sad enough living a friend without the flowers disappointment.

Hmm, I have often used interflora for funeral flowers, I usually choose one of their standard arrangements online and they are usually marked as such if they can't be done, out of stock or something. Maybe more reliable than ordering on the phone and just suggesting a tone. I know they get there on time, but of course I can't check the quality. On the other hand from what I have seen mostly people are more interested in reading the little cards on them than judging the flowers. Anyway might be worth choosing a standard arrangement from their online selection and filling in the form with the details of the occasion, if you want to be safer

You are lucky that they sent something. I had to send flowers for a funeral from my work place and they were never sent.

I wanted to send my daughter some flowers for her birthday in November - she lives in Zagreb. I was appalled at the idea of paying £75 for a bunch of flowers, so contacted a florist in Zagreb. Price £28 for lovely flowers, delivered the same day. I can send the name - I emailed them to make contact

My grandmother always said that she wanted her flowers when she was alive, thank you. Seems reasonable.

clarafats 2 thank you that would be lovely.They live about 15 miles from Zagreb .I appreciate your offer .

Grandma70s

My grandmother always said that she wanted her flowers when she was alive, thank you. Seems reasonable.

And those are my sentiments exactly .....??