It's one of the hardest things to have to bury your child. It feels like it goes against the natural order of things. It can be hard to find items that suit a young life being cut short and help you to truly remember the spirit of the child you are burying. This site has a collection of ideas and thoughts that can be used when coming up with memorial services that celebrate the short life and personality of your child. It can be a useful resource for family, communities or schools plan sympathetic funeral services for children and their loved one.
If you are buying a headstone for a friend or a family member who has passed on, you should be prepared to go through a significant process, especially if you are doing it for the first time. You might not make the right decisions when you are full of grief. Therefore, it is recommended to consult funeral home services. You benefit from a wealth of experience that professionals, such as funeral directors, bring when selecting the right headstone. Here is a beginner's guide to choosing the right monument for a loved one.
Headstone Material
Before deciding on headstone style and design, you need to choose a headstone material. Usually, headstones are made from concrete, sandstone, marble, slate, limestone, bronze or granite. Subject to cemetery requirements and budget, granite is the most recommended headstone material because of its durability, minimal maintenance and tolerance to environmental conditions. Although slate and marble are aesthetically pleasing materials, they are not very durable and require high maintenance.
Headstone Designs
There are several headstone options to choose from based on personal preference and budget. With multiple tombstone shapes and sizes available, beginners can find the selection process a bit overwhelming. Before buying a headstone, you should visit local cemeteries and vendors to see the various designs available. Flat markers are simple headstones laid flat on the ground and available in square and rectangular shapes. Upright headstones are conventional designs with upright tablet structures held by a wide base. Another headstone design is a slant marker meant to stand upright but with a sloping face. The marker is common on concrete and granite slabs. Alternatively, a pillow or bevel marker is akin to a flat headstone, but the back end slants higher than the front.
Rules and Regulations of Your Preferred Cemetery
Many cemeteries have rules and regulations regarding the headstones allowed on their grounds. The rules and regulations dictate the size, material, colour and type of headstone permitted. Take your time to familiarise yourself with the cemetery requirements in your local area regarding grave markers before buying a headstone for your loved ones. You don't want a cemetery to refuse a headstone just because you did not read the rules and regulations. Work with an experienced funeral director to understand the type of headstone allowed in your preferred cemetery. Some cemeteries only allow flat headstones for purposes of uniformity. Remember that many cemeteries only permit high-quality bronze and granite headstones for ease of maintenance. Before approval, some cemeteries require a client to submit sketches showing the dimensions, lettering and material content of a monument.
For more information about headstones, contact a funeral home.
Share25 May 2021
