A monument stone stands as an enduring reminder of your life. The time will come when your family will be faced with saying goodbye, and you can ease that difficult time by making plans in advance for your memorial and other final arrangements. Pre-purchasing or financing your monument stone and other components of burial or cremation serves to ease both the emotional and financial burdens that families face upon the death of their loved one. Unfortunately, this is a difficult process for most people to undertake. Following are some practical ideas to help you get started.
Make Your Wishes Clear
Written requests are important because they provide a clear indication of your wishes. Experts also suggest that you discuss your plans with those closest to you, so they are aware of your decisions in advance. This is also a great time to discuss their preferences. Many couples plan their services together to alleviate the stress for each other. Pre-planning can also help alleviate financial strain as well as ease the stress of planning a service when someone is already grieving. If you haven’t already done so, this may be something you want to discuss with your own parents or other relatives who you may depend on you to carry out their wishes.
Making Important Final Selections
In addition to choosing a casket, memorial site and type of services you prefer, consider the type of monument you might like to have. A monument, also known as grave marker or headstone, provides an important physical presence and point of comfort for loved ones. Monuments vary widely in style and price, and selecting the right one for you is not an easy process. By pre-selecting your own monument, you can add a personal touch that allows your unique personality to shine through, giving your family a way to celebrate your life and time together.
Consider whether you prefer simple or ornate. You can choose from plain, flat markers all the way up to elaborate statues in a variety of natural stone materials. You can add a favorite quote or create your own comforting words for those who will visit your final resting place. You can choose pictures or adorn the marker with symbols to represent those aspects of your life you most want to commemorate.
The beauty of pre-planning is you can also discuss with your family what they most cherish about you and incorporate this information when planning your monument. Think of this as a treasured gift that you can leave for your family, and a way to take comfort that you will be remembered for what you hold dear.
Remember to Verify Important Details
When planning your monument, keep in mind the rules of the cemetery where the monument will be placed. Many sites have strict regulations regarding size, placement, type, installation and construction. These rules may also vary depending on the type of plot you purchase. Burial sites for caskets and cremation urns can have different foundations, which may affect your monument’s specifications. Ask these specific questions when selecting your location, and verify them again before you plan and purchase a monument.
When you do purchase the monument, it is also important to ask about price guarantees and payment arrangements. Ensure that you obtain all of this information in writing and that someone close to you, a trusted family member or lawyer, is fully aware of these details and the location of the documents.
Although it’s not always easy to contemplate your final resting place or arrangements, doing so can be a tremendous relief to your family, both financially and emotionally. It can be liberating to choose your own memorial and to relieve your family of this burden, allowing you to enjoy the time you have now. To get started on this process, contact a monument company in your area. Most are happy to provide information free of charge to help you pre-plan your monument stone.