The days following the death of a loved one can be an emotional, challenging, and busy time for friends and family members, which is why it isn’t always easy to choose a grave marker. Fortunately, being familiar with your options can make matters easier when you plan their interment. Here is a little more information about the distinctions between monuments and memorials, and how to choose the right option for your loved one.

Understanding Grave Markers

What Is the Difference Between Monuments & Memorials?

While memorials are typically structures or markers designed to remind people of a loved one, monuments are statues, buildings, or other structures dedicated to that person. For example, memorials, such as traditional granite grave markers, make it easy for family members to find your loved one’s grave and take a minute to remember them, while monuments are frequently designed to beautify or add functionality to a space. Common memorials include bronze statues, large crosses, benches, and even small buildings.

Monuments can also be used to recognize an important event the person was involved in. For instance, the memorial pools present next to the 9/11 Memorial Museum are placed where the original towers stood and inscribed with the names of those who were lost. However, many of the families who lost relatives that day held separate memorial services and installed private grave markers, giving their families a private place to reflect.

Which Grave Marker Is Right For Your Loved One?

Before you choose between a traditional memorial grave marker and a monument, think about your loved one’s life. What were they involved in? How large was their family? What would be most appropriate? Talk with their family members and friends to determine what they would have liked, and think about the logistics of your choice. Small memorials may not be appropriate for an individual who died saving someone else’s life, but large structures might not be right for someone who preferred minimalism.

If you are planning a funeral service and you need a personalized gravestone, speak with the professionals at Custom Monument in Rockingham, NC. In addition to providing customers with excellent service since 1991, this business offers a wide variety of gravestones, including companion markers, individual monuments, and full ledgers. For more information about grave markers, send them a message online or call (910) 997-4969.