Cross Headstones by Style: Flat, Pillow, Slant & Upright
The style you pick decides how a cross emblem reads on the stone and whether your cemetery's section allows it. A cross can be engraved, sand-carved, or applied as a raised emblem on nearly every style Signature Headstones sells, so the real decision is which style your cemetery permits, not whether a cross fits. Flat markers lie level with the lawn and carry a cross as a shallow engraving or subtle raised outline. Pillow markers, also called bevel markers, rest on the ground with a sloped face that gives a cross more visual depth. Slant headstones stand upright on their own base, giving a cross design real height. Upright monuments are the tallest option, best suited to a larger carved or applied cross and a longer inscription. The table below lines up height, footprint, and base width for each style so you can compare at a glance. Browse each category at Flat Headstones, Pillow Headstones, Slant Headstones, and Upright Headstones, and see how monument dealers describe these categories at Monument Builders of North America.
Single or Companion: Cross Headstones for One or Two Names
Signature Headstones offers a Stone Type option of Single or Companion, so a cross headstone can memorialize one name or two under a single design. A Single stone carries one name, one set of dates, and a cross emblem centered above or beside the inscription, suited to an individual grave or a plan to add a second name later on a matching stone. A Companion stone is sized wider to hold two names, two sets of dates, and a shared cross, epitaph, or scripture line across the same face, the more common choice for a husband and wife or two family members sharing one plot. If you already know you want two names on one stone, start with Double Headstones or Married Couple Husband and Wife Headstones, both built around the companion layout. If you'd rather reserve space for a second name to be added later, the Single Headstones for Two Names collection is built for that situation. Measure your plot width before finalizing a companion layout, since a two-name cross design needs more stone than a single one does.
Sizing a Cross Headstone to Your Cemetery's Rules
Every cemetery writes its own rules for what a headstone may look like, and those rules decide whether your cross memorial gets approved, not the retailer you buy from. Before you order, ask your cemetery or memorial park, in writing, which styles are allowed in your loved one's section (many lawn sections permit flat markers only, while garden or monument sections allow pillow, slant, or upright designs), the maximum size and thickness permitted, whether a poured foundation is required and who installs it, and whether a plot number must be engraved on the back or base. Weights in this collection run from about 35 lb for the smallest flat marker toward 500 lb for larger upright and base combinations, which matters if your cemetery specifies a maximum foundation weight. A family may buy a headstone from any monument dealer; cemeteries generally accept an outside memorial that meets their written requirements, but each cemetery sets its own rules and usually charges its own setting or foundation fee, paid to the cemetery. The FTC Funeral Rule protects consumers shopping at funeral homes; it does not govern cemeteries or monument dealers, so the cemetery's own written policy governs your cross design, a point the FTC's consumer guide explains. Veterans may qualify for a government-furnished headstone, marker, or medallion carrying a cross or other emblem of belief at no charge in any cemetery, though setting fees at a private cemetery are the family's responsibility and spouses or dependents qualify only in national or state veterans cemeteries; see VA headstones, markers and medallions or Veterans memorial items — eligibility and how to apply for details.
Granite Colors & Finishes for a Cross Memorial
A cross headstone in this collection comes in granite colors including grey, medium grey, black, bahama blue, blue pearl, pink, red, and mahogany, with a blue option on select styles, so you can match a family's existing marker or your cemetery's material list. Each color carries an engraved or sand-carved cross differently: lighter stones like grey and medium grey show more contrast around a deep-carved cross and lettering, while black, blue pearl, and bahama blue read as smoother and more uniform once polished. A polished face is the standard front finish across this collection and brings out the full color and any veining; the sides and back are typically left rock-pitch, a rougher, unpolished texture, and some serp top slant designs are specified with a polished front and back instead. If your cemetery restricts material or color for a given section, black and red are two of the most requested options and worth checking first; see them gathered in Black Headstone and Red Granite Headstones. Granite is a natural material, so expect some variation in veining and grain from one stone to the next; that's normal, not a defect.
Adding a Vase, Base or Photo Portrait to Your Cross Design
Slant and upright cross memorials in this collection can be configured with a matching base and one or two vases, so flowers sit right at the stone rather than in a separate cemetery vase. The 20" x 10" x 16" Slant Headstone with 30" Base & Vase pairs a single vase with a 30" base, while larger slant designs add a second vase, such as a 30" x 10" x 16" slant on a 42" base with two vases or a 36" x 10" x 16" slant on a 52" base with two vases, giving a companion cross design a vase on each side. A serp top slant, polished front and back on a 36" base, is also available with a single stone type and artwork option for a more sculpted profile framing the cross. Upright monuments follow the same logic: the base is sized to the tablet, from 24" up to 66" wide, and can be ordered with or without a vase depending on the design you build in the online design app. A ceramic photo portrait can be inlaid alongside a cross emblem on many of these styles, in black and white or color, so a companion cross stone can carry one name's photo next to a shared cross and epitaph. Review the Single Upright Headstones collection or a specific slant product page to see which base and vase combinations already exist before you start customizing.
Cost, Shipping & Installation for a Cross Headstone
Price within this collection depends mostly on style and size rather than the cross itself: the 16" x 8" x 3" Flat Headstone starts lowest, pillow markers such as the 20" x 10" x 6" Pillow Marker Headstone sit in the low-to-mid range, and slant headstones with a wider base and one or two vases, or a polished serp top profile, climb toward the upper end. These prices exclude cemetery installation or foundation fees, which are billed separately by the cemetery once your stone arrives, so confirm that cost with your cemetery representative while you're shopping. Signature Headstones offers free standard shipping in the continental United States to a business address, with a 30-day turnaround and a 500-year guarantee on the stone; residential delivery carries an added fee, and expedited shipping is available if your timeline is tighter. Inspect the stone for damage before you sign for delivery, since that inspection protects your ability to file a damage claim. Start with the Popular Styles collection for a faster overview of best-selling cross-ready sizes before opening the design app.
Cross Headstone Styles Compared
Style: Flat
Height: 3" – 4"
Footprint (W x D): 16" x 8" to 36" x 14"
Base Width: None (flush with lawn)
Typical Use: Lawn sections requiring a flush marker
Style: Pillow
Height: 6"
Footprint (W x D): 20" x 10" to 36" x 12"
Base Width: None (rests on ground)
Typical Use: Sections allowing a low-profile raised marker
Style: Slant
Height: 16"
Footprint (W x D): 20" x 10" to 36" x 10"
Base Width: 30" – 52"
Typical Use: Sections allowing an upright stone on its own base
Style: Upright
Height: 20" – 44"
Footprint (W x D): 24" x 6" to 48" x 6"
Base Width: 24" – 66"
Typical Use: Monument or garden sections allowing a tall memorial
Frequently asked questions
Will my cemetery allow a cross design on the headstone, and does that depend on flat vs. upright style?
Acceptance depends on your cemetery's written rules for that section, not on the cross design itself. Many lawn sections only allow flat or pillow markers, while garden and monument sections often permit slant and upright styles too. Ask your cemetery, in writing, which styles, sizes, and materials are approved for your loved one's plot before you order.
What's the difference between a flat cross marker, a pillow marker, a slant headstone, and an upright monument with a cross?
A flat cross marker lies level with the lawn and is the thinnest profile. A pillow marker sits on the ground with a sloped face for more visual depth. A slant headstone stands upright on its own base, giving the cross a true vertical presence. An upright monument is the tallest option, offering the most visible cross and inscription; see the comparison table above for exact sizes and base widths.
Can I order a cross headstone for two people (companion) instead of just one name?
Yes. Signature Headstones' Stone Type option includes both Single and Companion, and a Companion stone is sized wider to hold two names, two sets of dates, and one shared cross design. This is the standard choice for a husband and wife or two family members sharing a single plot, while a Single stone with room for a second name later is also available if you're not ready to add both names yet.
What granite colors can I choose for a cross headstone, and is there a polished or rock-pitch finish option?
This collection offers grey, medium grey, black, bahama blue, blue pearl, pink, red, mahogany, and blue. The polished front finish brings out each color's depth, while sides and backs are usually left in a rougher rock-pitch texture; some serp top designs are polished on both faces.
Can I add a vase, or two vases, to a cross slant or upright headstone?
Yes. Several slant designs include a base with one or two vases, from a single-vase 30" base up to two-vase configurations on wider bases; upright monuments can also be configured with a vase depending on the design you build in the online design app.
Can I add a ceramic photo portrait along with a cross emblem?
Yes. A ceramic photo portrait, available in black and white or color, can be inlaid on many styles alongside a cross emblem and the inscription. This lets a companion stone, for example, carry both names and a shared cross design along with one photo, all placed through the online design app before you order.
How much does a cross headstone cost, and what pushes the price toward the higher end of the range?
Price depends mainly on style and size: flat markers are the least expensive, and cost climbs with a wider base, one or two vases, a serp top profile polished on both front and back, or a full upright monument on a large base. Cemetery installation and foundation fees are separate from these prices and are paid to the cemetery.
Do veterans qualify for a free cross-emblem headstone through the VA, and can Signature Headstones still customize it?
Yes. The VA furnishes a headstone, marker, or medallion, including a cross or other emblem of belief, at no charge for an eligible veteran in any cemetery, though setting fees at a private cemetery are the family's responsibility, and spouses or dependents qualify only in national or state veterans cemeteries. If your family wants a customized private cross memorial instead of or alongside the government marker, Signature Headstones can design and produce one; the VA benefit itself is applied for separately through the VA.
Why Signature Headstones
Signature Headstones designs and prices cross headstones directly through our online design app, so you can see a style, size, granite color, and price before you order rather than waiting on a quote. Every order carries a 30-day turnaround and a 500-year guarantee on the stone, with free standard shipping in the continental United States to a business address. Prices shown exclude cemetery installation or foundation fees, which are billed separately by the cemetery. If you'd rather talk through cemetery rules, sizing, or wording before finalizing a cross design, our team is available by phone and email.
