Designing a Monument

A monument is an important memorial and final testament to your loved one. Creating a custom, beautiful headstone that memorializes the deceased is a big part of the funeral process. When designing your loved one’s monument, there are a few choices to make to customize it for them. The headstone will be in the cemetery for a long time, and it will be a standing tribute to the deceased.

Cemetery Restrictions

Some cemeteries have restrictions on the colors, shapes and sizes that you are allowed to choose from. This will depend on the cemetery itself, as well as certain sections or plots of the land. Speak with someone from the cemetery that will be housing your loved one, as well as your monument designer for more specifics.

Colors

Granite comes in a large number of colors. The monument you create for your loved one can exemplify their color preferences; or you can choose one that is more traditional. Traditional colors include white, grey, and black. Today, there are a number of different shades and colors that can be used. Green, blue, pink, and red are the most commonly chosen of the non-traditional colors. 

Shapes & Sizes

Shapes and sizes for monuments range from small markers to large, ornate blocks. Some specialty shapes can also be created, such as crosses, hearts, or round plates. There are a number of different shapes available for your loved one’s monument. Speak with your monument designer for a full range of their available options.

Engravings

Monuments can be engraved with more than just letters and numbers. There are a number of designs, images, art, and trims that can be etched into the memorial. Commonly, the name, date of birth, and date of death are on monuments. Phrases are often put on a monument as well. 

Placards

Some families choose to place a bronze placard onto the monument, rather than engravings. Placards can be placed onto the stone or even replaced if needed. 

Shared Memorials

Some families prefer to share stones among spouses or even groups of family members among the same plot of land. Depending on the size and design of the monument, 2 or more names can be placed onto the stone; whether engraved or placed on with placards. 

Our Services

Matthew Funeral Home has a full service monument design service. We offer a variety of services to satisfy all your monument needs. We sell and engrave monuments in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, with 16 different color choices. We also offer cleaning and refurbishing services for existing monuments as well as carving additional inscriptions without removing the headstone from the plot. Speak with our staff about monument creation for you or your loved ones. 

For almost 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.