4 Funeral Wreath Stand Types and How to Hire or Buy One
The best funeral wreath stand for most services in Nairobi is a folding wire floor easel, because churches, funeral homes and halls already use it and it is easy to hire for a day. Choose a wooden tripod for a home service or memorial table, a headstone holder for a cemetery grave, and a small tabletop easel for a compact wreath beside a photo. A good stand is stable, sized to the wreath, and in place before the service starts.
The real problem is time. You often have a day or two, the venue has its own habits, and nobody tells you whether a stand comes with the wreath. A wreath ordered without a plan for the stand ends up leaning on a wall or lying on the floor, where mourners cannot read the ribbon. This article walks through four stand types, then shows you where to hire or buy one and how to check with the family first.
Flower Delivery Nairobi delivers funeral wreaths to homes, churches and funeral homes, so the stand question comes up for every sender. The advice below works whichever florist you use.
1. Wire floor easel
A wire floor easel is the standard choice for church and funeral home services. It is the stand to pick when you are not sure what the venue expects.
How it works and who it suits
The easel is a folding steel frame with a back leg. The wreath rests against its upper ring or crossbars and stands at eye level. In a large hall, a wreath lying flat disappears, while one on an easel lets mourners read the ribbon and see the flowers.
It suits medium to large round, cross and heart wreaths. It also suits senders who want a formal look, such as a workplace, a church group or a school. It folds flat, so a venue can store it and a courier can carry it.
If you cannot decide which stand to use, the wire floor easel is the safe answer.
Buying or hiring one
For a single service, hiring beats buying. Many funeral homes and undertakers keep stands for the wreaths that arrive at their venue, so ask them first. If you do need to buy, a local metalworker can weld a basic frame. The price depends on size and workshop, so ask for a quote before you commit.
Check these before you accept a stand:
- The legs open fully and lock, so the frame cannot fold under the wreath’s weight.
- The top ring or crossbars are wide enough for your wreath’s diameter.
- No rust or sharp wire ends that can snag a ribbon or stain white flowers.
2. Wooden tripod easel
A wooden tripod easel is the right funeral wreath stand when the service is at home or in a smaller, quieter space.
How it works and who it suits
Three wooden legs join at the top, and the wreath leans against the front. The look is warmer and more personal than metal, so it fits home services, wake gatherings and memorial tables. After the service, the same easel can hold a framed portrait.
The trade-offs are bulk and ground. A tripod needs flat, firm ground, so it wobbles on soft lawn or an uneven compound. It also takes more room in a car than a folding wire frame, which matters if you are carrying it yourself.
Choose a wooden tripod for the atmosphere of a home service, not for a crowded chapel.
Buying or hiring one
Hire is less common for tripods, so expect to buy or borrow. A local carpenter can make one to the size you give, and furniture workshops sometimes stock simple easels. Ask for dimensions and a price before you order, and allow time, because made-to-order work will not be ready the same afternoon.
Check these points:
- All three legs are the same length, so the stand does not rock.
- The finish is smooth, with no splinters to catch ribbon or fabric.
- The top rest is wide enough to grip your wreath without it sliding.
3. Headstone holder or graveside stand
A graveside stand keeps a wreath upright at the grave after the burial, when the church easel is long gone.
How it works and who it suits
There are two kinds. A clamp-style headstone holder hooks over the top of an upright stone, and many list an adjustable fit range of roughly 6 to 11 inches (15 to 28 cm). A stake-style easel is pushed into the soil beside a cross or grave marker.
This option suits cemetery graves with an upright stone, and families who return on anniversaries and want the wreath to stay visible. It does not suit every grave. On a soil mound with no standing stone, laying the wreath flat or leaning it against the cross is often the better choice. Many families also prefer flat wreaths at the graveside, so ask before you set one up.
Measure the headstone before you buy any holder, because the fit range is the whole point.
Buying or hiring one
You rarely hire a graveside stand, because it stays at the grave. Ask a headstone or monument supplier and the cemetery office what is allowed and what fits local stones. Holders are easier to find online than in shops, so allow delivery time and do not leave this until the day before.
Check these points:
- Measure the thickness and top of the stone against the holder’s stated range.
- Choose coated or galvanized metal that can handle rain and sun.
- Tie the wreath to the frame at two points, because graveside wind will move it.
4. Tabletop easel
A small tabletop easel is the quiet option for a compact wreath at a vigil, a wake at home, or a memorial table.
How it works and who it suits
The easel is a small wire or wooden frame that sits on a table or sideboard. It holds a small wreath or tribute arrangement at a readable angle, usually next to a photo and a candle. It is not for full-size funeral wreaths, which are too heavy and wide for it.
Size matters here. Medium to large wreaths look best on stands, while very small wreaths look out of proportion on a tall floor easel. A tabletop frame solves that mismatch. It also works well for families who want to keep a tribute at home after the funeral.
Match the stand to the wreath’s size, and a small wreath belongs on a table, not a floor easel.
Buying or hiring one
Tabletop easels are cheap, so buying is simpler than hiring. Picture-framing and craft shops usually stock small easels, and a florist can suggest one to go with a small arrangement. Take the wreath’s diameter with you, and ask for a price before you pay.
Check these points:
- The base is wider than the bottom edge of the wreath, so it does not tip forward.
- The frame holds the weight of fresh flowers, which are heavier than they look.
- Felt or rubber feet protect the table surface.
How to hire or buy a stand in Nairobi
Start with the funeral home or undertaker, then the church office, then your florist, and only then a workshop. That order saves time because the first two often already have stands.
Where to ask, in order
Work through these in sequence and stop when someone says yes:
- Funeral home or undertaker: ask whether stands are provided at the venue and whether wreaths from other senders will use them.
- Church or chapel office: ask whether stands are kept on site and whether there is a place for them.
- Your florist: ask whether a stand can be arranged with the wreath, and tell them the venue.
- A carpenter or metalworker: ask for a basic easel, with measurements and a quote.
Timing matters. Same-day orders at Flower Delivery Nairobi need to be placed before 4:00 PM EAT, and we ask for at least 2 to 3 hours before the delivery time. Orders after 4:00 PM go out the next morning. For a morning service, order the day before and sort out the stand at the same time.
Match the stand to the wreath
Shape affects how securely a wreath sits. Round wreaths are the easiest. Cross and heart shapes need a wide top rest and a firm tie so they do not tilt.
| Wreath shape | Example wreath | Price | Stand that suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Executive Round Wreath | KSh 6,000 | Wire floor easel or wooden tripod |
| Cross | Executive Cross Wreath | KSh 6,000 | Wire floor easel, tied at both arms |
| Heart | Funeral Heart Wreath | KSh 7,200 | Wire floor easel, tied at the top |
Here is a worked example. A round wreath at KSh 6,000 delivered within greater Nairobi costs KSh 6,500 with the KSh 500 delivery fee. Delivery inside the Nairobi CBD is free, so the same wreath costs KSh 6,000. Add the hire quote for the stand on top, and you have your full budget.
Check with the family before you stand a wreath
Ask the family or funeral director before you put a wreath on a stand. The usual custom is that immediate family decides how tributes are displayed. If they are using stands, others can usually do the same. If the family has chosen a simple casket spray, a tall stand from another sender can overshadow it, and laying your wreath flat is kinder.
Check with the family or the funeral director first, and follow their lead on stand or flat.
Space and custom also decide this. Small chapels and graveside areas fill up quickly, and stands can become trip hazards. Some communities prefer tributes placed directly on the casket or grave. When in doubt, ask an elder or the funeral director.
Sorting out the stand before the service
Pick the stand that fits the place and the wreath. A wire floor easel suits churches and halls, a wooden tripod suits homes, a headstone holder suits cemetery graves, and a tabletop easel suits small tributes. Hire when it is for one service, buy when it will stay, and always ask the family or funeral director first.
If you are ordering a wreath, tell the florist the venue and the service time when you place the order, so the wreath arrives where and when it should. You can order a funeral wreath for same-day delivery in Nairobi and sort out the stand at the same time.
