Optional Accessories Add an Extra Personal Touch to Cemetery Monuments

Choosing the right design for a cemetery monument is one of the most difficult decisions you'll have to make when someone passes away. While deciding on aspects of the funeral service and making other practical arrangements are important, they won't result in a physical object intended to stand forever.

When you do start thinking about monument design, most of your efforts will probably be focused on aspects like the material and the inscription, as those are the most obvious parts of it. However, there are a few extras you might consider, to get the most out of it and create a more fitting tribute. Here are some of the things that can be added to a cemetery monument.

A vase or planter

Flowers are a classic way of remembering someone at their grave site, and they make the spot look even more beautiful.

There's nothing wrong with just lying some flowers down, but having a vase in place gives you a convenient place to leave them with some water so they'll live longer, and they'll look good displayed upright.

If you're not able to visit and tend to the grave very often, you might consider a planter instead of a vase. This will enable you to grow living plants that won't die and need to be cleared away.

An extra slab

As well as the main monument, some people opt to have an additional slab in place. This is a space where you can have a verse or other extra words engraved, helping to provide more information or a more personalised tribute.

A photograph

Photos can be printed onto porcelain or other materials and placed on or near to the monument. This weather-resistant way to show the face of the deceased is a beautiful way to remember them.

A lamp or candle holder

Light is often used as a metaphor for memory, and having an actual physical light with a monument is an unusual way to add a little something extra.

You can find battery-powered lamps or lanterns that take candles, depending on your needs. Whichever you choose, it will create a distinctive warmth at the site of the memorial.

A lockable box

Boxes and other small containers are available in the same materials headstones are made from, so they match well. You can usually get these with a lock, which makes them a great place to store special items that were important to the deceased person, or which have a special significance. The lock lets you know they'll be kept safe once you've placed them there.

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