11 Heartfelt Memorial Ideas for your Loved One

The death of a loved one can be a difficult time for those who are left behind. For many, it's a time to celebrate the life of the deceased, but it can be an overwhelming experience to plan an appropriate memorial service.

But after the service is over, you can still find ways to honor your loved one's memory.

1. Granite Plaques

Granite is one of the strongest materials on earth, and you can choose to honor your loved one with a plaque made of this material. In the center of the plaque, you can have an engraving of your loved one's name along with a photograph or an image to represent their personality.

If you wish, you can even add a verse or a short message to the plaque.

You can have the plaque placed on your loved one's grave, or if you don't want to place it directly on the grave, you can have it placed on a nearby headstone or bench.

Another option is to use a plaque, like the Horizontal, Custom Engraved Granite Plaque that we offer (see it here), to remember your loved one. Add in a picture engraving to honor and remember the person.

You can place the plaque anywhere you want - not just in the graveyard. Place the plaque near the person's home or the garden that they started so that you always remember them when going outside.

Want to place the plaque inside of the home?

Vertical plaques are a great option (click here to see ours). Elegant and classy, you can place these plaques on your mantle, desk or somewhere else in the home.

2. Memorial Benches

Memorial benches are seen in parks, cemeteries and other public places. They are a great way to remember a loved one because they allow you to visit a place in nature and remember your loved one.

A memorial bench can be placed in a favorite location, or you can request that it be placed in the cemetery where your loved one is buried.

Benches can be personalized with an inscription of your loved one's name, date of birth and death, as well as a few lines about who they were.

If you want to place the bench in a public area, such as a park, you will need to have permission to place the bench in this location. Most public parks will welcome the addition of a new, functional bench.

You can also place the bench in your own yard in an area that the person enjoyed.

3. Engravable Frames

Photo frames are a popular gift for grieving families. They're an excellent way to commemorate the life of a loved one who has passed away.

But how do you choose the right one? 

Wooden frames are a good option because you can add custom engravings into the frame. These timeless frames can be purchased in our store (here) and offer a minimal, modern approach to memorializing your loved one.

Don't like wood or feel that the material doesn’t showcase the deceased's personality or style properly?

Our black leatherette frames are a great alternative to wood. The modern black leather never goes out of style, it looks classy, and it will fit into any home decor. Add in your own engravings and photos to always remember your loved one.

4. Memorial Birthday Parties

Do you think of the person on their birthday? A lot of people forget that they can throw a person a party in remembrance of their birthday. It doesn't have to be a big party, but rather an intimate get-together of friends and family in their honor.

Parties are a great way to celebrate their life while giving the guests a chance to share their fondest memories.

 Do you have:

• A favorite memory of your loved one? Write it down, so you can read it out loud at the party.
• Pictures of your loved one? Make a collage out of them and put it on display.
• A special song that you shared with your loved one? Make it the theme song of the party.
• A funny story about your loved one? Open up the floor for people to share their stories.

You can hold these parties on the person’s birthday, or you can hold one on the day that they died to remember them.

5. Cremation Jewelry

Want to carry the deceased with you wherever you go? Cremation Jewelry is a great way to keep a loved one close to your heart. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or buying a gift for someone else, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Our TadBlu Men's cordless bracelets are a big hit with customers.

This model features a rugged rope design with:

• 316 stainless steel hook closures
• Stainless steel holding cylinder

The cylinder will hold a small portion of the person’s ashes so that you can keep them close for the rest of your life. Multiple size options are available and will be a great way to honor a loved one or can be given as a gift to a friend or family member who lost someone close to them.

Of course, there are also other jewelry options available:

• Earrings
• Bracelets
• Pendants

Click here to see all of the cremation jewelry we offer.

6. Donate to Charity

Parties, jewelry, benches and other items are a great way to honor a person, but you can also choose a silent option: donations.

Donating to charity or memorials can be a great way for you to honor your loved one. This is especially true if the charity or cause is something that the person cared about, or if you can donate in their name to a cause that they have supported.

For example, if your loved one was an animal lover, you could donate to the Humane Society in their name. If they were a supporter of the library, you could donate to the library in their name.

7. Cremation Urns

Urns for ashes don’thave to be dark and cold. Your loved one's urn is the final resting place of their remains. Whether you plan to bury or scatter their ashes, you may want to make a memorial of their urn. A personal and heartfelt tribute of your loved one can be a beautiful and touching tribute to them.

Custom, cherry cremation urns are popular with our customers (click here to see them) and offer:

• Beautiful cherry wood
• Large box that is stunning and beautiful
• 213 cubic inches of space
• Brass plate for engravings

You can engrave your loved one's name and their birth and death dates on the plate, or you can choose to have a quotable saying, poem or verse inscribed instead.

This is a great way to leave a person's memory with you all the time in an elegant, beautiful memorial box.

8. Tattoos

Are you a fan of tattoos? A lot of people love showcasing their favorite tats, and this can be an opportunity to remember someone that was close and important to you. You can get a tattoo of a special picture, date or saying that reminds you of your loved one.

After your loved one has passed, you can get a tattoo of their handwriting. This is a meaningful way to remember the person you are honoring, and you can keep them with you forever.

9. Create a Scholarship

Scholarships are a very popular option for a memorial, especially if the person who passed was younger. By setting up a scholarship, you can ensure that your loved one's legacy will continue to help those in need.

You can offer scholarships to:

• Students from the person's high school
• Students at their former college or university
• People who played similar sports
  
  

10. Cook Their Favorite Meals

Smell and tastes are two very strong senses. They can trigger memories and emotions that bring us back to a particular place and time. That's why making a person's favorite dish is always a nice way to remember them.

You can also do this without announcing it to the whole world.

If you find yourself missing or thinking of the special someone that you lost, cooking their favorite meals is a great way to remember them.

11. Movie Night

Movies are another way to keep the memory of your loved one alive. If your loved one was a movie buff, then you could consider arranging a movie night in his or her honor - invite friends and family over and watch some of your loved one's favorite movies.

You can also recreate one of your movie nights together with the same food and movie.

Sometimes, reliving the personal moments that you shared together is the best way to keep your loved one's memory alive.

If you have videos of the person, you can also watch them. But be sure to bring tissues with you because you may experience a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

Life is short, and when a person is gone, the loved ones left behind can honor their memory. These memorial ideas are a great way to remember your loved one and bring a sense of peace to your life.