Designing your own Upright Monument.

Ah, the upright monument, standing proud, tall, and majestic for any and all visitors to see. uprights are most popular in our more rural cemeteries but can be adapted to fit in with any sort of restriction placed.

Most all of our traditional uprights are 6″ thick and stand atop a another 6″ thick base. That in itself is the only universal design element. Otherwise just about every other detail is designed and shaped to help tell your loved one’s story.

Throughout this article we will be covering the following:

  1. Sizes of Upright Monuments
  2. Design Elements of Upright Monuments
  3. The available granite colors for Upright Memorials
  4. Where to buy and design your own Upright Monument. 

Sizes Of Upright Memorials

As mentioned before, there are many different sizes of Upright Monuments. An Upright Memorial for one person, at its smallest is 24″ wide and traditionally set atop a 30″ similarly colored granite base.The tablet itself can be the traditional serpentine top, or shape carved to incorporate a different design like an angel or saint carving.

For companions, placing an upright monument to span the top of two adjoining plots is far and away one of the most honorable ways to remember the couple. Those Companion Uprights will likely be 36″ to 48″+ wide to allow maximum engrave-able space.
 
The height of your upright will likely be limited to match or be no taller than those around it in the cemetery. 24″, 30″, 36″, 48″ are all available heights, but once again, it is best to consult with your specific cemetery for their height and style rules.

At Riley Gardner we strive to get you the monument that best tells your story while still fitting within your cemeteries restrictions. When you are ready, your highly trained memorial designer will be able to guide you though what’s possible.

Available Upright Monument Designs

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Design Elements of Upright Monuments

Upright Monuments are some of the most customized memorials that we have available. Every inch of the memorial can be shaped, polished, cut, or engraved to deliver the memorialized custom story. The only true constant with any two upright monuments is that they all sit on top of similar granite bases. otherwise, it’s the person’s story that decides the details.

The example provided here for the Rodriguez estate is a perfect example of a bold and different upright monument shape. The starburst pattern around the edge presents rough but precisely cut points that allow for a beautiful duality to exist.

As with many companions, one person is likely more polished than the other but both persons are represented because in life that difference was what balanced and made them great together. The contrast of rough “rock-pitching” and polished surfaces really complement each other.

Where to buy and design your own Upright Memorial.

Riley Gardner Memorial is proud to announce that we have 141 convenient locations carrying our highest quality granite and marble. Visiting with anyone of our available memorial designers will surely get you on your way to a beautiful and long lasting memorial.

Just about all of our sales offices are set up to design live with you in the room so that you can actively see your memorial come to life in a digital rendering.

Have a look at our complete directory and once you have found the Riley Garner Partner closest to you call and schedule an appointment and we’ll get started preserving your legacy today.

What People Say About Us

Client Testimonials

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Dorothy Wooley profile picture
Dorothy Wooley
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It was so easy to pick and finalize the headstone for family member. Very quick delivery and set up.
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Laurie Stewart profile picture
Laurie Stewart
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For some reason my Mama’s headstone wasn’t ordered by the funeral home. I called and talked to Kimberly at Riley-Gardner Memorial Services and she put a rush on it and it was done before we knew it. It turned out beautifully! Love it ❤️. Thank you so much for everything! They are so professional and courteous. I am so appreciative because you did what you said you would. Thanks again!
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Dave Richardson profile picture
Dave Richardson
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It was a pleasure to work with Charles and Debbie at Brenham Monument Co. It’s always difficult when you lose a loved one but BMC made our meeting easy. They were patient, kind, had good ideas and I just felt comfortable sharing my thoughts. As I waited for the headstone, I had lots of second guesses just seeing it laid out on paper. I have to say, the headstone came out beautiful!! The suggestion of a riser made the monument look grand and I am so glad we had it polished. I think my parents would like the simplicity and the beauty of the granite. Thank you to BMC for making our experience memorable!
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Vinyard Funeral Home
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I've had the privilege of working with Riley Gardner Memorial to provide quality headstones and monuments for the families in our community, and I couldn't be more impressed with their professionalism and care. Their craftsmanship is exceptional-- each memorial is beautifully designed and built to honor loved ones with dignity and lasting quality. The team is responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure every detail is perfect. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a company that truly combines compassion, quality, and integrity in their work. -Felicia Alfaro
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Sara Sowa
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Very nice to work with during a stressful time. Everyone was helpful with letting me know what was needed and with design of the tombstones.
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Mary Heydon
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My father was a WWII vet who had never been awarded a memorial. Holliday Cemetery put me in touch with Richard Boyanton who instructed me on the forms necessary and the steps to take. I filled out the forms and sent them to Riley-Gardner who completed their portion of the forms promptly and submitted the completed forms to the VA. After processing, the VA sent the memorial stone to Riley-Gardner who installed it promptly on my father's grave. Richard Boyanton was very compassionate and helpful and made the process easy for me. I appreciate his kindness and professionalism. Riley-Gardner had installed my parents' joint headstone in 1989 when my father died, then they etched my mother's date of death on the stone in 2006. They have provided excellent service whenever we called on them.
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Charlie B profile picture
Charlie B
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A BIG shoutout to Riley Gardner Memorial for the beautiful headstone they made for us…It arrived sooner than we expected and their service was A+…I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a memorial; fast , friendly service at a very reasonable cost .. Hannah went above and beyond to help us with the finished product and to answer our many questions… We couldn’t be more happier with their service !
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Mikii Audish
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The staff was very friendly and easy to work with. The work requested was quickly completed and very good. Communication was excellent!
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