Grave markers honor the deceased while providing a place for loved ones to pay their respects. For these same reasons, the text inscribed on the stone requires careful thought. This includes many different factors, including the words on the grave marker as well as the style of the lettering. Consider each of the suggestions below to create a monument deserving of your loved one.

Guide to Creating Grave Markers

What to Write

Your budget and the size of your stone will help you determine how much text you can reasonably include on the grave marker. For smaller plaques, simply the name with a date of birth and date of death is appropriate. You can fit more on larger headstones. Consider adding something meaningful, such as a favorite religious verse of the deceased, an appropriate saying, or a short epitaph that describes the mark they left on the world.

Which Font to Use

Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, are popular in cemetery lettering. These fonts contain “serifs,” or small strokes at the end of each line in a character. Serif fonts are easily legible and have a timeless feeling. Capitalized sans serif fonts (without serifs) offer another easily legible, yet more modern, look. Script fonts are more difficult to read, but are very elegant and add a decorative aspect to the stone. You could combine these fonts to achieve the mood and effect you desire. For example, add the name and date of birth in a classic serif font, with the epitaph underneath in a delicate script.

How to Engrave It

The monument engraving style describes how the lettering will be etched into the stone. The standard engraving method is the most common. This technique simply etches the words into the stone and may require painting the letters for legibility. Light letters should be used on dark stone for legibility, and vice versa. You can ask for an extra deep engraving, to increase legibility and combat weathering. Raised polish is another lettering option; it removes the polish around the words while leaving the lettering polished; this makes the letters pop out more. If readability is your priority, you can choose a deep cut in a sanded panel. This is the easiest option to read, and it’s recommended for light stones. With this style, the lettering is etched deep into an area where the polish has been removed.

Your monument design team can guide you through deciding what to include on your stone and how to best present it. The team at Gibney Monument Works understands the importance of designing perfect grave markers, which is why they’ll go above and beyond to help you find your solution. They offer custom monuments with stunning craftsmanship at cost-effective prices for families throughout Wyoming County, NY. Visit them online or call (585) 237-2750 to ask about their services.