Friday, 19 June 2015

Many Headstone Designs From Which To Choose

By Freida Michael


Planning a funeral, or preparing for one's eventual passing, entails attending to a lot of individual details that come together to complete the process. There's choosing where to be interred and in what manner, services, notices, caskets or urn, and many others that usually go unrealized until they become relevant. One of the most prominent decisions is which of the many headstone designs would be best.

A lot of different factors will have some influence on which type of burial marker is acceptable. Of course personal preference is a huge part of the decision, but also there are budget concerns and local availability. The field of options is going to be narrowed first by one's place of interment and any restrictions that location may have on what can be erected.

While some grave yards still allow people to be creative with their markers and to choose something that expresses the personality of the individual the stone represents, this is a passing practice. Many modern cemeteries implement restrictions on which types they will permit to be used. This is sometimes based on upkeep convenience, environmental considerations, or as a way of achieving a particular ambiance and appearance to the overall location.

The first style that generally comes to mind for a lot of people, is the traditional upright stone, placed either directly into the ground or upon a horizontal slab. These are typically made out of marble, granite, cement or fieldstone and can be done in a variety of colors, textures and silhouettes. Information such as the deceased's name and life dates, a religious symbol and perhaps a short epitaph are often engraved into the surface.

Cover stones are another traditional style that is still frequently used. They are typically cut from sandstone, marble or granite, measure three foot wide by six feet long and four inches thick and lay directly over the place where the casket is buried. These are used alone, or as the bases for the upright markers, usually bearing the same basic information.

A growing trend is the burial garden which has very strict regulations and minimalistic guidelines as their way of creating a peaceful park like setting. These places typically only permit markers that are flat on the ground so that the landscape is not disturbed and mowing can be done quickly and easily. A few of them may allow small nameplates on short posts and embellished with just the name and dates of the individual.

For those sites that allow the individual to mark a grave in any way they desire, the possibilities are virtually endless. Many people given the opportunity to use their marker as a final show of creativity have chosen options such as obelisks, giant urns, angels, crosses and stones carved as open books. Some may go as far as having elaborate statuary or busts of themselves erected above their burial plot.

When the field has been narrowed by all the budget, location and ordinance restrictions, the main decision factor should be based on the best representation of the individual. One's marker is their last statement to future generations and serves as a tribute to the life lived. Personalizing a person's final resting place is a way of showing great respect.




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