Different Types of Memorial Products

Choosing funeral and memorial products is one of the most important steps to honor and celebrate the passing of a loved one. Arranging funeral and burial services can turn into quite the megillah, as it can be tough to make numerous decisions as you simultaneously grieve. Balancing your emotions with organizational needs is a challenge that close family and friends are faced with following a bereavement.

One of our main missions at HonorYou, in addition to providing quality, honorable memorial products, is to make the funeral arrangement process easier. That’s why we’ve assembled a list of the different types of memorial products to choose from and incorporate in the final celebration of the deceased’s cherished life. Explore various products to determine which will commemorate your loved one’s life best.

Memorial Products for the Funeral Service

Most families and friends will include a range of products at their service to commemorate the deceased as well as offer a keepsake to funeral guests. You’re likely to see the following items at a funeral service, which may prompt you to design your own for your loved one’s ceremony.

Prayer Cards or Bookmarks

HonorYou’s memorial prayer cards and bookmarks are custom-made to make each order as unique as the late person they’re made for. They typically include a headshot of the deceased, surrounded by elegant designs and graphics that reflect their nature. Prayer cards feature a meaningful scripture or prayer but can include a custom poem or saying if you’d prefer.

Bookmarks are essentially a longer replica of prayer cards. They include nearly the same features, but bookmarks allow you to include more information because they offer more space. Both cards and bookmarks are handed out to funeral guests as a mini keepsake in honor of the deceased. People who purchase these memorial products often get them laminated to provide a glossy, refined appearance and ensure their longevity.

Funeral Programs

Funeral programs serve as a guide to funeral guests. They include pertinent information about the ceremony, such as who is included in the proceedings, the estimated time of procession and readings, and when and where the burial will take place.

Funeral Register Book

A funeral register book helps families keep track of who attended the funeral service. It can be challenging to keep up with the names and faces of your loved one’s family and friends, making a register book particularly helpful when you begin to write thank you notes. A register book keeps track of everyone who came to share their condolences, so you don’t have to worry about remembering names amid a day of grieving.

Funeral Acknowledgment Cards

Give thanks to those who shared their condolences with funeral acknowledgment cards. Utilizing the funeral register book, you can gather a comprehensive list of individuals to send a thank you to. You can order acknowledgment cards that match the theme and design of the funeral program and register book.

Thank you notes give families the opportunity to recognize the folks that were also impacted by their loved one. It can be especially meaningful to funeral attendees to be made aware of how appreciated their presence was at the service.

DVD Montage

Some folks utilize collage boards for funeral services, while others compile a DVD montage. DVD montages are convenient because you can easily make copies to gift to friends and family.

Organize your favorite digital photos of the deceased with their loved ones and set them to various songs that remind you of them. You can keep this montage running on a loop during the service, so each guest has the chance to view the special pictures.

Memorial Table

Gather your loved one’s memorabilia and neatly organize it on a cloth table. Place materials that represent the deceased’s hobbies, character, and achievements. You can also designate the funeral register book to this table, so folks viewing the beloved materials can sign their names and give their condolences.

Memorial Products for the Burial or Cremation Services

No matter the type of service, different types of burial or cremation memorial products are a necessity. Review which items may work best for the posthumous process.

The Casket

For burials, caskets are a crucial aspect. Not only are caskets used to display the deceased during funeral services that precede a burial, but they also provide a dignified mode of transportation for them. Caskets come in different materials and finishes, so you are sure to find one that is tasteful and still in your price range.

Cremation Urns

Urns serve as durable and elegant capsules for the deceased’s cremated remains. You can find an urn in glass, metal, wood, marble, and nearly any other high-quality materials.

Urn Vault

Families may purchase an urn vault if they would like to bury their loved one’s ashes. They work similarly to a burial vault, except the urn is the memorial product that gets buried.

Burial Vaults

A burial vault is almost always required to bury a body in a cemetery. Burial vaults are a safety necessity, as they help maintain the integrity of the burial. The typically concrete vaults prevent the ground from caving in on the casket.

Grave Markers

Grave markers are stone tributes that are flush with the ground. They’re commonly made of granite, marble, or metal to ensure they withstand external elements, such as precipitation and UV rays. Grave markers are one of the most popular burial monuments, including the following information:

• Name of the deceased
• Words of cherished identification (i.e., father, mother, friend, daughter, etc.)
• Date of birth and death
• Brief, honorary religious or philosophical sayings

Headstone

Often used synonymously with the terms gravestone and tombstone, headstones are upright burial monuments. They are also some of the most common types of tributes used in cemeteries. Headstones usually include the same information as grave markers but can get more complex if the family desires or if the deceased has indicated that they would like a bit more flourish.

Memorial Products as Home Keepsakes

There are some memorial products that you can keep around the home to remind you of your loved one daily. See which home keepsakes make honorable memorial products below.

Memorial Prints & Artwork

Transform your loved one’s favorite saying into a beautiful piece of art to frame and hang around the home. You can preserve memorabilia and photos in a shadow box to neatly display on a hallway table or a wall.

Memorial Garden Stones

You can mimic your loved one’s grave marker or headstone and create a memorial garden stone to add to your landscaping. Every time you enjoy some gardening or lawn maintenance, you’ll have the memory of your loved one right there with you.

Memorial Candles

Capture the deceased’s favorite color and scent in a candle. Scents have the power to initiate bouts of nostalgia—a beautiful nod to your late loved one.