Double headstones for couples: Designs, sizes & granite options

What is a double headstone, and how does it differ from a single?

A double headstone — sometimes called a companion monument or double upright — is a memorial designed to commemorate two people, typically a married couple, on a single unified structure. Rather than placing two separate headstones side by side, a double monument presents both individuals as part of one cohesive design.

The most common configuration is a single wide granite slab, broader than a standard single headstone, with each person's name, birth date, and date of passing engraved on their respective side — left and right — and a shared design element, emblem, or inscription running across the center or top of the stone.

Alternatively, some families choose a two-piece companion design: two individual upright stones of matched granite, identical in color and finish, placed side by side on a shared base. This approach allows each person to have their own complete memorial while still reading as a unified pair.

Both configurations are widely permitted across New Jersey and Pennsylvania cemeteries, though the available footprint of the plot will often determine which is more practical. We always verify cemetery requirements before finalizing a design.

Explore our double upright headstone options at Abby Rose to see examples of both approaches.

Design options: what can a double headstone look like?

Double headstones offer more surface area than single monuments — and that space opens up meaningful design possibilities that simply aren't available on a smaller stone.

• Shared central design. The most classic approach places a central element — a religious symbol, a family emblem, a decorative motif, or a short shared inscription — between the two names. This creates visual balance and signals that the memorial belongs to both people equally. Popular choices include a cross, a heart, intertwined rings, a scene from nature, or a line that speaks to the relationship: Together in life. Together always.

• Personalized sides. While the center unifies, each side of the stone can be individually personalized. One person may have a military emblem; the other, a favorite symbol of faith or a hobby they loved. One side might carry a longer epitaph; the other, just the dates. The stone becomes a portrait of two distinct people who shared a life.

• Portrait etching. For families who want a visual tribute, etched portraits of both individuals can be incorporated into the design — either facing each other across the stone's face, or placed symmetrically on each side. Portrait etching on double monuments is among the most emotionally resonant memorial work we do at Abby Rose. See our etching service page for examples.

• Full scene designs. Some families commission a custom scene or landscape — a place that meant something to both of them, rendered across the full width of the stone — with names and dates integrated below. These take more time and craft, but the result is a genuinely one-of-a-kind memorial.

Whatever direction you're drawn toward, we design it with you in person, showing you the layout before anything is engraved. Nothing moves forward until the design feels exactly right.

Sizing and granite options for double headstones in NJ & PA

Double headstones are larger than single monuments by definition, and the sizing decisions involved deserve careful thought.

Typical dimensions. A standard single upright headstone might measure 24 to 30 inches wide. A double upright typically runs 36 to 48 inches wide, sometimes wider depending on the design. Height and thickness vary by style and cemetery requirements. The base or foundation adds additional dimensions that must comply with the specific cemetery's plot size and setback rules.

Before settling on dimensions, always confirm the available plot space and your cemetery's regulations — particularly if the plot was purchased years ago, when standard dimensions may have been different.

Granite color choices. Double headstones are available in the same range of granite colors as single monuments — jet black, dark gray, classic gray, mahogany, green, blue-gray, and more. For companion stones, color consistency matters especially: both sides of a double monument, or both pieces of a two-stone companion set, should come from the same granite batch to ensure an identical color match.

This is one of the reasons sourcing granite directly — as Abby Rose does — matters in practice. When you source through an intermediary, color consistency across a larger piece or matched pair is harder to guarantee. We select stone with the finished memorial in mind, not just the order form.

For a full overview of available colors and finishes, visit our colors and materials page.

Cost. Double headstones cost more than single monuments — more stone, more engraving surface, more labor. In the NJ and PA market, a quality double upright headstone typically ranges from $2,500 to $6,500 depending on size, granite type, and design complexity. We provide a full itemized cost breakdown at the consultation stage, before any commitment is made.

Should you order a double headstone before both spouses have passed?

Yes — and for many families, this is the better approach.

Ordering a double headstone as a pre-need decision, while both spouses are still living, offers several meaningful advantages.

• More time, less pressure. The design process is unhurried. Both individuals can be involved in the decisions — the granite color, the central design, the inscriptions, the emblems. There's no grieving family trying to make irreversible choices under time pressure.

• Design consistency. When both names are engraved at the same time, the lettering, spacing, and finish are perfectly matched from the start. When a second name is added years later — as a re-engraving on a stone that's already in place — achieving a seamless match requires more care and craft. It's absolutely doable, but it adds complexity that pre-need planning avoids entirely.

• One name and date engraved, one left blank. The standard approach for pre-need double headstones is to engrave one person's name and birth date immediately, leaving a space for the date of passing and the second person's details to be completed when needed. The cemetery installs the stone with the partial inscription, and Abby Rose adds the remaining details when the time comes — either on-site or in our Yardville workshop, depending on the scope.

• Peace of mind. Many families find that making these decisions together, in advance, is genuinely comforting. The memorial is chosen and in place. When the time comes, the family knows it's handled.

We work with families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania on pre-need memorial planning — in Trenton, Hamilton, Princeton, Burlington County, Mercer County, Yardville, and throughout both states. It's one of the most thoughtful gifts a couple can give their family.

Design the memorial your relationship deserves

A double headstone is not just a practical solution to memorializing two people. Done well, it's a testament to a shared life — a piece of lasting craftsmanship that says something true about who these two people were, and what they meant to each other.

At Abby Rose Inc., we bring over 25 years of experience and 40+ years of stonecutting craft to every memorial we design. We'll sit with you, work through every detail, and build something that feels entirely right.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation at our Yardville, NJ location, or explore our double upright headstone options to begin thinking through what's possible.

Abby Rose Inc. — Custom headstones and monuments serving families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania for over 25 years. Located at 602 U.S. Highway RT. 130, Yardville, NJ 08691. Call us at (609) 585-2242.