A headstone is an everlasting tribute to your loved one, symbolising who they were and what they meant to the people around them. 

Quinn Memorials know that it isn’t easy to narrow down the life of someone you love to fit on a headstone, but there are plenty of ways that you can express their personality through the memorial choices you make. 

Choose the Colour 

When choosing a headstone for your loved one, you can express their personality through the colour. Traditionally, headstones are black or grey to symbolise mourning, but many memorial companies are offering granite in colours like red, blue, green, mahogany and rose. 

Choosing a speckled, coloured granite can be a truly lovely way of commemorating your loved one as the various textures and patterns show a deeper level of character. 

You will also have the opportunity to choose the colour of paint that is used for the lettering. You could choose black, white or gold depending on your preference. 

Size and Shape 

The size and shape of a headstone is an excellent way of displaying your loved one’s personality. If they were larger than life, you could choose a large, bold design to commemorate their character. Alternatively, you could choose a design that is small or humble if you feel this would represent them best. 

If your loved one was religious, they may have wished for a symbol of their faith to be reflected on their headstone such as a crucifix or an angel. These can be carved into the granite to accommodate their preference. 

Epitaphs and Inscriptions 

The most common method of personalising a headstone is to include an epitaph or inscription that was meaningful to your loved one. 

This could be: 

• A quote that they lived by
• A snippet from a poem, song, novel or religious text 
• A unique phrase they commonly used 

Etched design 

You don’t have to say everything in the text of a headstone. If you feel your loved one would be better represented in an etched image, let whoever is in charge of your headstone know during your consultation. 

An etched design can be especially poignant if you have suffered the loss of a child, as it can be incredibly difficult to put how you felt about them into a short snippet of words. You could choose to remember them through an etching of their favourite toy, animal or characters from a show that made them smile. That way, a piece of their life will be remembered forever. 

Quinn Memorials understand that the loss of a loved one is incredibly tough, and deciding how to keep their memory alive through a memorial headstone can be overwhelming. That is why we are here to guide you through the full process with care and attention, in your own time.