Wreath ribbon messages: sample wording for every occasion

Anatomy of a ribbon message: recipient and sender

In Georgian practice the wording on a ribbon is almost always split into two parts. The first is addressed to the person who has died, written as a dedication: "To our beloved mother", "To a dear friend", "To our teacher". The second says who sent the wreath: "from the children", "from the neighbours", "from your colleagues". Sometimes a brief expression of feeling is added to the second part, such as "Forever missed" or "Never forgotten". Extra words, long poems or biographical facts will not fit on a ribbon and are not needed anyway: this is not an epitaph but a short signature beneath your sympathy.

How many letters fit on one ribbon

Depending on the font size and the width of the ribbon itself, one side of a funeral ribbon holds roughly thirty to sixty characters including spaces. Georgian letters are wide, so Georgian text needs more room than the Latin or Cyrillic alphabet. The shorter the phrase, the larger and clearer it can be printed, and the better it reads from a distance in the procession. A practical rule: if you cannot read the text aloud in a single breath, it is too long for a ribbon. When cutting it down, remove adjectives first, then extra names, but always keep the key word - the family relationship or the name.

The two-ribbon format

A wreath usually carries two ribbons hanging down on the left and the right. This format splits the text naturally: the recipient on the left ribbon, the sender on the right. Each ribbon then holds fewer characters and the letters come out larger. On a single ribbon, especially on a small wreath or a basket, both parts are written together on two lines, without a comma or dash. Always tell the florist clearly which text goes on which ribbon; otherwise "from the children" may end up on the left and the dedication on the right, which looks odd from a distance.

From a husband or wife

The spouse's wreath is usually placed closest to the coffin, and its message is the most personal. A first name or a mention of the years spent together sits well here.

• Left: "To my darling wife"; right: "Forever yours, Irakli"
• Left: "To my beloved husband"; right: "In sorrow, Nana"
• Left: "To my companion of forty years"; right: "Your wife and children"
• Single ribbon: "To my whole life, your Keti"

From the children

A wreath from the children often carries a joint signature, or lists the names if there are only a few. Where there are daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, many households make a point of including them too, so that nobody feels left out.

• Left: "To our dearest Mum"; right: "from your children"
• Left: "To our Dad"; right: "We will never forget, Nika and Sopo"
• Left: "To Mum, who taught us everything"; right: "Children, daughters-in-law, son-in-law"
• Single ribbon: "To the most beloved Dad, from his daughter"

From grandchildren and great-grandchildren

A message from grandchildren is often warmer and more homely, because it uses the familiar name from childhood: "Granny", "Grandpa", "Nana and Grandad". If there are many grandchildren, a joint signature works better than a list of names.

• Left: "To our beloved Granny"; right: "from your grandchildren"
• Left: "To our Grandpa"; right: "Missing you, Anna, Lasha and Deme"
• Left: "To Great-Grandmother"; right: "Your great-grandchildren"

From brothers and sisters

• Left: "To a dear brother"; right: "from your sisters"
• Left: "To my big sister"; right: "With endless sorrow, Tea"
• Left: "To our little brother"; right: "Your sister, brother-in-law and nephews"

A wreath from siblings often includes their families as well, so agree in advance whether each family orders its own wreath or everyone shares one. Both are completely normal; what matters is that the same signature does not appear on two wreaths.

From friends

On a wreath from friends, the key is that the family can tell which friends you are: from childhood, university, work or the neighbourhood courtyard. A plain "from friends" often sounds vague, especially at a large ceremony where several such wreaths stand side by side.

• Left: "To a loyal friend"; right: "from your childhood friends"
• Left: "To our Dato"; right: "Brothers for life, always with you"
• Left: "To dear Maka"; right: "Your university friends"

From neighbours

A wreath from the neighbours is an essential part of Georgian tradition, especially in the old quarters and in apartment blocks where people have lived side by side for decades. The signature is usually collective, without names.

• Left: "To a kind neighbour"; right: "The residents of your building"
• Left: "To Kalbatoni Lamara"; right: "from the neighbours in the courtyard"
• Single ribbon: "To Batono Shota from the whole stairwell"

Kalbatoni (for a woman) and Batono (for a man) are respectful Georgian honorifics; they sound perfectly natural on a ribbon even when the rest of the text is in English.

From colleagues

A wreath from a workplace is sent in two situations: when a colleague has died, or when someone in a colleague's family has. In the first case the dedication is to the deceased; in the second, both people are often mentioned so the connection is clear.

• Left: "To a dear colleague"; right: "The accounts team"
• Left: "To the father of our Natia"; right: "With sympathy, her colleagues"
• Left: "To our beloved manager"; right: "The team you built"

On behalf of a company or organisation

On a wreath from an organisation the wording is more formal. The dedication names the deceased by first name and surname, sometimes with a job title, and the sender is given as the exact name of the organisation. Write the name exactly as it appears officially, with its quotation marks, abbreviation and legal form, provided it fits the available space.

• Left: "To Tengiz [surname]"; right: "The staff of [company name]"
• Left: "To our founder and mentor"; right: "[organisation], with gratitude"
• Single ribbon: "To a valued member of [name of association]"

From classmates and former pupils

A wreath from school friends often brings people together after decades, and the year of graduation in the signature helps the family understand who they are.

• Left: "To our classmate"; right: "Class of 1988"
• Left: "To our beloved teacher"; right: "Your grateful pupils"
• Left: "To our Nikusha"; right: "Class 10B"

At the funeral of a child or teenager, a wreath from classmates is an especially delicate matter. In that case agree the wording with the parents or with the class teacher.

From relatives living abroad

Relatives who have emigrated often cannot travel, and a wreath becomes their only way of being present at the ceremony. Such orders are mostly placed remotely, with the text sent by phone or through a messaging app. Mentioning the country or city in the signature shows the guests that faraway members of the family have also paid their respects.

• Left: "To our dear aunt"; right: "Your family in Germany"
• Left: "To our uncle"; right: "Far away, but with you in our hearts"
• Left: "To our beloved Grandma"; right: "Your grandchildren in Greece"

Language of the ribbon: Georgian, Russian, English or a mix

Most ribbons in Georgia are written in Georgian, but in many families, especially among the older generation or in mixed families, a Russian inscription is also quite usual. Some combine two languages: one ribbon in Georgian, the other in a second language. In that case both ribbons carry the same thought, each as a full translation. An English or Armenian inscription is equally possible, as long as you send us the text with the exact spelling. If you write in English, keep to the dedication form ("To our dear Mum") rather than a bare label, and double-check that every name is spelt as the family spells it in Latin letters. If you would like a Georgian version alongside your English one, ask a Georgian-speaking relative to write it or at least check it before printing.

Common mistakes

• Too much text: the letters shrink and the ribbon becomes unreadable from a distance.
• A bare label instead of a dedication: "Beloved mother" on its own reads like a caption; "To our beloved mother" reads as a tribute.
• A vague signature: "friends" or "family" without saying which ones.
• A wrong name: a nickname instead of the official name, or the other way round, without checking with the family.
• Mixed alphabets: Georgian or Russian words typed in Latin letters look out of place at a ceremony.
• Duplication: two people from the same family independently order the identical signature.
• Abbreviations: "fr. ch." or "fam." save space but read as cold and unclear.

Sending the text to the florist

1. Send the text in writing, as a message, rather than dictating it over the phone, so that no letters get mixed up.
2. Put each ribbon's text on a separate line marked "left" and "right".
3. Check the name of the deceased with a family member, especially if it is unusual or a double name.
4. State the language and, for a bilingual inscription, which ribbon is in which language.
5. Ask for a photo of the ribbon layout before printing and check every letter carefully.
6. Confirm the delivery address and the time: the family home, the funeral hall or the church.

The ribbon is usually black with gold or white lettering, although another colour is possible if the family wishes, for example a white ribbon on a wreath for a child or a young person. You can choose the shape and size of the wreath in our wreath catalogue, then send us the ribbon text when you confirm the order.

The ribbon among the other details of the ceremony

At the place of farewell, wreaths are arranged around the coffin, often next to the memorial portrait that guests see as soon as they walk in. During the procession young men carry them ahead of the hearse, and at the cemetery they are left on the mound or around the temporary cross. When many wreaths arrive, delivering and placing them on time becomes a task in itself, and the coordinator plans for this as part of funeral arrangement. After the burial some families keep the ribbons, especially those from the children and the spouse, as a keepsake.

Frequently asked questions