Planning a funeral is difficult, and there are a lot of things that need to be done. Picking a cemetery headstone to mark the final resting spot of a loved one or friend can be one of those things that takes some thought, and there are many options to choose from.

Grave Markers

Choosing a cemetery headstone for a gravesite can be highly personal. Often you want to remind people visiting the grave who the person was in life, and selecting a marker that does that can be important to some people. 

Modern technology allows headstones and markers to be laser engraved to transfer pictures to the stone and add many different decorations to the marker. Some cemeteries may have limitations on the headstone size, so it is essential to check before ordering a headstone for the gravesite.

The style of the stone, the material they will make from it, and even the color of the headstone are all customizable when ordering one. The headstone supplier can go over the options with you, then give you an idea of what it will cost and how long it will take to make.

Headstone Placement

Often stone cutters will deliver the stone after the funeral unless you order the stones in advance and leave the dates open on them. This is common with family plots and may also include a large family monument to mark the area. When the headstone is ready, the company that made it will bring it to the cemetery headstone on a truck with a crane, then set it in place. 

It is essential to let the cemetery director know it is coming so that they can have someone available to work with the stone company to ensure the placement is correct. Many of these companies work with the local cemeteries regularly and know what needs to be done and who to contact when they arrive to deliver the stone. If you want to be there when the stone is placed, ask them to notify you when they are ready to deliver it so you can meet them at the grave to observe the placement of the marker. 

Small Grave Markers 

Some smaller cemeteries require small stone markers that lay flat to mark the location of the gravesite. If there is not an abundance of room, cemetery headstones may become very crowded, so to avoid that, the graves may only have a small marker placed at them. 

For some people, this is enough, and they can still have the smaller stone custom engraved to make it look once. The material the stone is made from is often not restricted, only the size of the marker, so check with the cemetery director to get all the details you need before you order anything.

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