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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Choosing a gravestone for a loved one is a highly personal thing to do. In many cases, you will only be purchasing a tombstone in the immediate aftermath of a death in the family. This means that you will need to make a number of buying decisions in the face of grief. Given that your decision making may understandably be clouded at such a difficult time, choosing the right headstone is not always as easy as it might seem to be under different circumstances. Of course, headstones last a very long time indeed — they are designed to be extremely durable, after all — so you don't want to make a buying decision that you may later regret.
Read on to find out some of the most useful buying advice you can get for purchasing tombstones.
Upright or Flat Headstones
Not every type of gravestone stands upright. Although this is the most common type in churchyards as well as in cemeteries across the country, you do not need to have one that is like this. In fact, a smaller, flat grave marker is increasingly popular these days. These are lawn-level markers that are generally made from a durable stone, such as granite. These are good if you want to plant a tree or a shrub instead of having a conventional gravestone but would still like a name to mark the grave permanently.
Make a Big Mark
Although flat gravestones are increasingly common in Australia, some people want a bigger marker than is standard. Depending on the rules of the cemetery, you can always go for an obelisk type of gravestone instead of the more common type. These are usually taller than head height and can be a good option for a family grave where several names will be added to the stone. Make sure that this type of gravestone is allowed in your chosen churchyard or cemetery before purchasing one.
Material Considerations
As mentioned, granite is a a very hard material that is often used for headstones. Not only does granite stand up to the rigours of the Australian weather, but any engraving you have in it will last longer than it would in other, softer stones (such as sandstone, for example). Slate and marble are also very popular choices for gravestones, although these are very different in look from one another, with marble offering the lightest colour of all stones. For a very natural-looking gravestone, fieldstone is another durable option worth considering.
Contact a headstone or tombstone seller to learn more.
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