Memorial Ideas and Guides for Loved Ones

When our loved ones passed away, sometimes we feel the need to express and “do more” to honor them. To have something that remembers their life so that they won’t be forgotten.

Creating a memorial can be the first idea that comes to mind. However, in the midst of a lot of necessary things to do when a loved one dies, one can get overwhelmed. It could be difficult for one to sit down and plan for a memorial.

Many people are also not exactly sure how and what to do to create a memorial.

Worry not, this article is here to guide and share ideas with you on how to create a meaningful memorial for your loved ones so that they can be commemorated well. 

Let’s get started.

What Is a Memorial?

A memorial is an object created to serve as an honor for the memory or the commemoration and remembrance of someone’s life. 

If we take a quick look through online dictionaries of what a memorial means, a common result would usually imply that memorials are a structure or a monument made to honor one’s life. (Source: Collins Dictionary and The Brittanica Dictionary)

Of course, this definition is not entirely correct. For everyday families, it wouldn’t be visible for everyone to create a dedicated structure or a monument to celebrate every of our loved one’s life.

There are many things that we can create that act as a remembrance for our loved ones. It doesn’t have to be a grandiose structure or monument.

The goal of creating a memorial is for the remembrance of the loved one’s life story. Any object that serves that goal well, can be a memorial.

Why Do We Create Memorials for Loved Ones?

We create a memorial for our loved ones because we feel it is important to honor and remember their life story well. Memorials serve as our tribute to honor their precious life. It could be our way to show gratitude and respect.

It could also be for the purpose of a reminder so that we don’t forget their good deeds.

A more elaborate memorial that is capable of great storytelling media can act as a designated space for our loved one’s life story, which can then be carried forward to be remembered by future generations. 

We might want to show our kids how super hardworking yet also effortlessly funny their grandfather was. To show how loving and what a great cook their mother was. 

Or perhaps, we want to honor how courageous our friend was in leading a social leadership initiative during their whole life.

We create memorials as a way of remembrance of precious lives.

What Is the Difference Between a Memorial and a Memorial Service?

A memorial service is a ceremony held to honor one’s life, while a memorial is an object. 

Like any other ceremony, a memorial service is a one-time activity. A memorial is something that you could access anytime. 

Both serve the purpose of celebrating a loved one’s life after their death.

What Makes a Good Memorial for Your Loved Ones?

Because the function of a memorial is to remember people’s life, what makes a good memorial is one that is able to portray the loved one’s life meaningfully. However, do note that everyone’s life is unique and so there is no strict attribution to what makes a good memorial. 

A meaningful remembrance through a memorial is also a subjective judgment. 

For example, one family might want to memorialize their mom with a memorial tree because she’s an environmentalist that has dedicated her life to fighting against deforestation attempts.

The tree can be a super meaningful memorial for the family because it perfectly portrays their mom’s life.

Other families might want to memorialize with Jewelry that has a special color that their mother really resonates with.

Anything that can meaningfully remember one’s life can be a good memorial.

10 List of Memorial Ideas for Loved Ones

We learned that memorials are unique, and their meaningfulness in remembering our loved one’s life can vary for different families and individuals.

Finding the perfect memorial can be difficult. However, fear not! We got you covered.

To help you find the best and most fitting choice of memorials to honor your loved ones, we have gathered a collection of memorial choices. 

Here’s a list of 10 memorials for you to choose from.

Online Memorial Websites

For those who would want to honor their loved one’s life story by encapsulating it in a beautiful webpage, creating an online memorial website can be a great choice. 

Serving its core purpose, of remembrance, memorial websites are a wonderfully rich medium to remember your loved one’s life.

You can write your loved one’s life story, and upload photos, videos, and some providers also have music features to be added to the website to make it more meaningful.

One of the most appreciated features is the ability to share tributes together with families and friends. Usually, a memorial website will have a space for memories/tributes wall where people can comment on their thoughts, prayers, or memories for the deceased. 

Given that it’s a website, It’s also very easy to share. Simply share the link, and invited people can access the memorial to honor the loved one’s life together. 

Especially today where many funerals are being held virtually, and with many travel restrictions set in place, a memorial website can be a favorable memorial choice with its ability to reach people who may not be able to visit one’s funeral.

You do not need any website development skills to create one, because most providers had already incorporated a way to create a memorial page easily through their platform, without taking too much of your time.

If you are interested in creating a memorial website, consider taking a look at our website. Murial has been praised by many as being the most feel-good, meaningful memorial site compared to others.

Thanks for lending an ear. Let’s get back to reading,

Memorial Shirts

A great choice for a memorial service event, to be shared with a community, or even just for personal use.

A memorial shirt is a special shirt created especially to honor your loved ones. Usually involves printing, you will need to design and print the desired look. 

What makes a memorial shirt unique is that you can customize it, almost in any way you would like to.

There are many ways to express your honor for your loved ones through a print on a memorial shirt, for example, you could print a quote that is so unique and super memorable from your loved ones, and then combine it with their smiling picture as background.

Or it can be with a more subtle design like printing a picture of their favorite scenery or view and writing “John, we will miss you forever”.

Do note that creating a memorial shirt, will take time because there will be a design process, and a printing time needed to be put into consideration. 

Make sure that you choose the right quality and material so that it’s comfortable to wear and will last! You could learn more from our memorial shirt guide, where we discuss further all about this to help people have a great lasting memorial shirt.

Memorial Tree

A memorial tree is a beautiful, enduring representation of life once well-lived that can be planted in a preferred place.

In memory of someone, planting a tree is an increasingly popular way to remember the loved one life that has died.

You have the option to plant a memorial tree close to home or to plant it somewhere more meaningful that resembles your loved one’s life.

Memorial trees can be visited by friends and family. It’s a touching tribute to a loved one that will last for many lifetimes and serve as a living legacy.

Some people scattered the cremated remains of their loved ones around the tree. When the tree grows, the ashes will nourish its roots. Families may find comfort in knowing that part of the growing tree is also part of your loved one’s legacy.

Things to be taken into consideration are what type of trees should you choose to best honor your loved ones, and which location should the tree be planted on? 

If you are interested in this idea, here’s our full guide on how to memorialize our loved ones with a memorial tree. 

Memorial Pictures

Photos can be a memorial too. A simple photo with a special frame can be meaningful. 

The key is to allow creativity to flow and let it build whatever you feel fit to honor your loved one’s life and pair it with meaningful pictures. Print it on a big frame, or on a canvas.

For example, print many photos and tie them down with a balloon. They will float nicely. You could pick special themed colors for the balloons so that all will look pretty and uniform.

Hang pictures of your loved ones with a clothing line in their past room, or on a specially dedicated wall. 

If you are interested to explore this idea, you can visit ideas for memorial picture post that we made.

Outdoor Memorial

The idea of an outdoor memorial is a memorial that blends with nature and in some way expresses the free personality of the deceased.

Being memorialized outdoors. Uncontained. Open. Vast. These characteristics of an outdoor memorial can feel suitable to honor a person that embodies a similar personality to it.

For example, one of the good outdoor memorial objects that we found is a wind chime. A wind chime is a type of percussion instrument constructed from suspended tubes, rods, bells, or other objects that are often made of metal or wood. It can be hung in a place at home where wind can naturally blow through. It will produce beautiful sounds. 

Stones and plaques to be put outdoors in your garden or a special space in the backyard can also be a wonderful memorial. 

Memorial plaques prices will vary depending on the material, size, engraving options, and whether or not to include a picture. From wood to plastic, to glass, or even aluminum. 

You can visit this page for a more detailed resource about outdoor memorial ideas and guides. 

Memorial Candles

Pay tribute to a loved one by lighting a beautiful personalized memorial candle. 

You can personalize the candle with your loved one’s name and dates. A memorial candle is a wonderful way to keep your loved one’s spirit burning bright.

There are options in which the memorial candles are sold as a package with their candle holder which you can customize with engraving or laser printing to include your loved one’s name or include any quotes that well represent your loved one. 

Because the design is mostly coming from the memorial holder and not the candle itself, you can continuously keep this memorial candle usable with you for a long time! 

Light up the candle, and if it runs out, you could simply purchase another candle to refill it. 

You can put the memorial candle in your room, or living room, or purchase multiple candles and spread them across your home! 

You can keep remembering your loved ones with the memorial candles alive for a long time.

Memorial Pillow

We found an impressive, meaningful memorial pillow that you could use as a memorial! 

A memorial pillow is a unique and special way to remember/honor a loved one. It’s a pillow where each of them is created using clothing items from your loved ones.

We don’t usually know what to do with our loved one’s clothes once they are no longer with us. To donate is an option, but that feels like giving away part of the memories of your loved ones. 

Instead, consider turning them into a commemorative pillow that you could use in your living room.

Memorial Keepsake and Necklace

Our dearest loved ones, important people, no matter when or how long have they been gone, will never be far from our hearts. 

We will always remember and cherish our memories with them dearly.

A piece of keepsake jewelry provides a personal and elegantly subtle way to keep them with you, close at heart!

You could personalize it and make it even more meaningful by engraving it with pictures, or fingerprints. It is certainly a precious unique piece like no other that you can keep for years.

A piece of keepsake jewelry is heart-touching and highly fitting to honor elegant individuals. Here’s our page for a guide on how to purchase memorial keepsake Jewelry.

Memorial Stones

People’s lives deserve to be remembered. Their kindness, love, and impact can last long in our life even after their death.

Stones can represent strength and longevity. Memories of our loved ones continue to live on as long as we remember them. 

Consider using stones as a memorial. It serves as a touching tribute to honor and commemorate those who have passed, that you can put in your garden. It is durable, and some can also be personalized!

There are plenty of choices to be considered when purchasing one, which we discuss further in our memorial garden stone guide. 

Diamonds from Ashes (or Hair!)

An option for you who have more resources at hand. For a guardian of your loved one’s ashes, this might be a wonderful memorial idea for you. 

Did you know that you could turn your loved one’s ashes into a diamond? 

Science has enabled it. Starting with the purification of the ashes, combining them with a diamond seed, and growing of the diamond cell in a high-pressure high-temperature machine, ashes can now be turned into a real diamond.

It takes time, could be 7-9 months, and could cost up to more than $2,000. It is a high-quality work to ensure that your loved one’s life and legacy are forever preserved.

End of Article

Thank you for reading through. If you just recently lost your loved ones, we are sorry for your loss. 

The best that we can do after our loved one’s death is to honor their life well. Creating a memorial is a wonderful tribute to honor and remember their life. 

You’re on a good track, follow your heart and start creating a memorial that is best to honor your loved one’s life!

We hope this article helped you to find your inspiration for the best fitting memorial for your loved one.

If you have any memorial ideas you would like to share, drop them in the comment below! The readers would definitely be delighted to see more.