When you have lost someone you love, it can be difficult to concentrate on much except your loss. However, it is also at this time that you must make several important decisions.

First, you must plan the details of the funeral service if you want to hold one. The service will provide an opportunity for you, other family members, and friends of the deceased to come together and remember them.

Another more permanent reminder that you must think about is the headstone. You might be under the impression that most headstones are similar. However, if you take a walk around any cemetery, you will soon realize that headstone design can vary considerably. A funeral home can explain what options are available to you, but there are still several decisions that you must make.

General headstone appearance

Upright headstones are a common headstone design, but other options are available. An upright headstone will stand at the head of a grave with an inscription that displays whatever message you want to convey. If you want to avoid an upright headstone, a flat headstone could be the best solution. Flat headstones are laid flat to the ground and cover the grave. Another option would be a kerbed headstone. Kerbed headstones are similar to flat headstones but are stepped off the ground. If you prefer, you can opt to combine an upright headstone design with a kerbed headstone.

What do you want to say?

For most people, the inscription is the most important part of the headstone design. Writing the inscription is your opportunity to say how you feel about the deceased. You will want to find a message that conveys to readers something important about the deceased's life while still being brief enough to fit easily on the stone. The inscription could be religious or poetic or whatever feels right to you. If you are stuck for ideas, the monumental mason or the people at the funeral home may be able to offer suggestions. Once you have reached a settled conclusion, the mason will be able to show you how the inscription will appear so that you know what to expect before you see the finished product.

Headstone design is something that you have to think about at a difficult time in your life, but it doesn't have to be as hard as you think. With the support of the funeral home and monumental mason, you can create a fitting memorial to your departed loved one.