Eastern Memorials | 703.393.0999 http://www.easternmemorials.com Sun, 20 May 2012 16:54:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 A Meaningful Ceremony http://www.easternmemorials.com/blog/a-meaningful-ceremony?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-meaningful-ceremony http://www.easternmemorials.com/blog/a-meaningful-ceremony#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:19:30 +0000 sacha http://www.easternmemorials.com/?p=900 The loss of a loved one is the beginning of the grieving process in a person’s life.  In order to move on with our lives, we need to complete the steps of the grieving process, which starts with the planning of the memorial service. This service is a celebration of your loved one’s life and a way to begin the healing process.

While the many cultures and religions of the world all have their own traditional elements to a service, there are some basic ones that are universal.

Music is food for the soul. The right song can unlock feelings that are hidden deep inside, allowing us to begin to process them. When planning a service, think about including a few of your loved one’s favorite songs. Many a service has been made special by the laughter of friends and family upon hearing a funny song that embodies the life and spirit of the loved one, and many have begun to heal when they started crying at the song whos lyrics are s appropriate.

The loved one has surely touched many lives in the course of theirs, and one way to learn more about them is to let family and friends tell their favorite memories. You can learn some amazing things when listening to all these great stories, and it may put your loved one in a completely different light!

By having a visitation before the ceremony, you are giving everyone a chance to say goodbye in their own way. Seeing the loved one’s body is a way to confront the reality of it and opens the way to beginning the grieving process. Sometimes people want to stand at the loved one’s side in silence, while some prefer to talk to the family and friends to relive their memories. Whatever they feel they need to do, a visitation allows everyone to start the grieving process in their own way.

Sometimes words are not enough to express the myriad of deep feelings that we experience. As with music, symbols may be a way to express the inexpressible and give more meaning to the ceremony.  Flowers for instance have specific meanings and thus can express feelings that cannot be put into words.  For instance, a white carnation signifies remembrance, while  a white rose can signify purity.  You can also ask attendees to bring flowers for the birth month of the loved one, for instance  a carnation for January and a rose for someone born in July.

All of these elements can be interpreted any way that works for you. They help make the service a truly personal and special celebration of your loved one’s life and a great start to beginning the healing process.

]]> http://www.easternmemorials.com/blog/a-meaningful-ceremony/feed 0 Choosing a monument http://www.easternmemorials.com/blog/choosing-a-monument?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=choosing-a-monument http://www.easternmemorials.com/blog/choosing-a-monument#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:23:21 +0000 sacha http://www.easternmemorials.com/?p=882 The time right after the loss of a loved one is a very emotional and hectic one, and it may be hard to think about all the arrangements that need to be made. There is so much to think about, like what cemetery to use, which funeral home, and perhaps most importantly, what kind of lasting monument to choose to immortalize your loved one. These are all very important decisions, and there are some things you should keep in mind when making them.

One of the important decisions that need to be made is the choice of cemetery where your loved one will be laid to rest. There are so many to choose from, it is a daunting task. Some things to keep in mind when looking at a cemetery are the rules for the types of monuments that may be placed there. Some cemeteries will only allow stones that are even with the ground, while others may allow a bit more diversity. If you want an elaborate memorial, you will need to find a cemetery that will allow you the freedom to design just what your loved one would want. You also need to know that some cemeteries have restrictions on the size of the monument that they will allow, so make sure you talk with a reputable monument company to help you design a monument that fits the cemetery’s guidelines.


While cemeteries and funeral homes are allowed to sell monuments and even to bundle them with other services, there’s a few things to keep in mind. While bundling may seem like a good idea, buying a memorial separately will give you a better quality product and frequently at a better price. Funeral homes and cemeteries are not specialized in designing and making quality memorials, so you should consider talking to someone who is. At Eastern Memorials, we will take the time to talk to you about your ideas and we will help you come up with a design that will properly represent your loved one’s personality. A monument is forever; it should be exactly what you want, for a price you can afford, with quality workmanship and lifetime guarantees.


Please feel free to contact us through e-mail, phone, or stop in and we would be happy to show you some examples and help you come up with a design that is uniquely yours.
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