Hello, my name is Damian. Until last year, I had never planned a funeral. However, when both of my parents passed away within weeks of each other, I suddenly had to plan two. I was experiencing such grief that I didn't know where to start. Thankfully, my friend put me in touch with a fantastic funeral home who guided me through the entire process. They looked after the bodies, recommended a church and helped to arrange transport for guest. I decided to start this blog to help others who need to plan a funeral. I hope you find the information useful.
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When you sit down and begin the funeral pre-planning process, you may think of certain aspects first. For example, you may think about the actual burial costs along with the casket fees. You may also think about the service type you want, music, and if you want online options for your funeral. What you may not think about during your first pre-planning stages are your cemetery monument options. Here are some tips for choosing the right cemetery monument during your funeral pre-planning and incorporating it into your financial planning.
Single or Double
The first choice you have to make when it comes to a cemetery monument is if you want a single or double monument. This generally refers to if you are part of a married couple and want one full headstone or grave marker instead of two separate ones. If you choose to have a double cemetery monument, it will be placed at the time of your death or your spouse's death and the remaining information, such as the death date for the remaining spouse, will be engraved at a later time. The reason many people may choose to go with a single option while married is due to possible divorce or separation. By choosing a single cemetery monument you can avoid a potential situation that may require the monument to be taken up, moved, or replaced leading to a costly fee.
Engraving Options
When you choose the cemetery monument you want, you will be given several engraving options. These options go beyond the basic information of your name, birthdate, and death date. The engraving options available may actually surprise you. For example, you can choose to have an image engraved on the monument. The engraver may also offer to include a photo image in a weather protected case as part of the engraving option. Keep in mind, each design and each letter will have a fee. Though some bundles may be offered depending on the monument of choice, most engravers do charge a per letter or per symbol fee.
If you are having a monument provided by an organization you are a member of, you will need to let the engraver know this. Many organizations may offer the monument and that monument may require special engraving tools in order to keep the integrity of the material used.
Pre-Placement Options
An option that may catch you off-guard is having the cemetery monument placed prior to the funeral service. Many cemetery monument companies offer this as part of the funeral pre-planning option. When your plot and pre-planning is payment is completed, you can opt to have the monument placed and the engraving done on site following the burial service. This can save you some extra fees or placement fees that may increase as time goes on.
By keeping these tips in mind, you can ensure you are getting the right monument, or monuments, for your burial site. You can also source out the best prices based on consultations with your funeral planning adviser, funeral home, or end of life financial planner.
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