Three Things To Remember When Designing A Cemetery Monument
Posted on: 29 October 2014
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When a loved one passes away, it's natural to think about ways you can create a lasting memory of that person. And if you've decided to have a cemetery burial, creating and installing a unique headstone or monument is the most permanent way to honor the deceased.
Requirements for cemetery monuments may vary between cemeteries. Your funeral home director can often answer questions and help you understand what to consider when creating a headstone or monument for your loved one. Here are some other considerations for creating a monument:
Make sure you know the burial plot size and cemetery regulations.
Before you get too involved in the monument planning, find out exactly how much room you have to work with. Your funeral director can help with dimensions; often, he or she works with the local cemetery many times each year with similar monument planning. If your funeral home does not have the information you need, or you'll be interring your loved one at a cemetery some distance away, you may need to call and get guidelines.
You'll be able to choose from a large variety of upright and flat monuments, so make sure what you're considering will be acceptable to the cemetery or memorial area where your loved one is buried.
Understand what will help the monument to endure.
If you're spending the time and money to commemorate your loved one with a cemetery monument, you want it to last for a century at least. Remember that preparing the ground and installing a concrete foundation are important parts of creating the headstone. Whether the monument maker, funeral home or cemetery takes care of these details, you'll need to pay for this service. Some cemeteries require certain types of foundations to ensure that memorials will last over time.
You'll also want the monument to be built from a sturdy and long-lasting material such as granite. Granite can be engraved but will also not erode over time, making it both popular and the best choice for a headstone. Also, granite will not fade or discolor over time. You'll have a lot of choices for color and type of granite used, which will impact the final price.
It doesn't need to be immediate.
While it can be an important part of the grieving process to design the headstone or marker right away, keep in mind that you do not need to install the ideal monument right away. You can wait until the immediate feelings of grief have passed, or until you have a larger budget to fit your dreams.
Some cemeteries only permit installation of headstones and monuments at certain times of the year. This ensures that the foundation is properly poured and cured for support of the monument.
Plan on your creation, etching and installation to take up to a year for larger monuments.
With some pre-planning, you can make sure that the cemetery monument you choose for your loved one is special, well-suited to the cemetery and able to last for years to come.