When visiting a loved one in a cemetery, you may want to bring a token of your love. But what’s acceptable to bring to a loved one’s gravesite? For the protection of the cemetery, the loved ones buried there, and the grieving families who visit the cemetery, it’s important to follow a few guidelines to ensure what you’re bringing is as practical as it is meaningful.

Things to Bring to a Loved One’s Grave

Flowers

In many cases, bringing flowers to your loved one is allowed and encouraged in a cemetery. However, some cemeteries only allow fresh, real flowers, while others also let visitors bring artificial flowers. Be sure you familiarize yourself with cemetery rules before bringing in flowers. Check to see what type of flowers are allowed, as well as how long flowers are allowed to remain after being placed on a gravesite. Keep in mind that real flowers will wilt in time. If you do not remove the flowers after they wilt, the cemetery caretakers will remove them for you to ensure that the grounds are kept beautiful and pristine.

2 Things Not to Bring to a Loved One’s Gravesite

Anything breakable

If you bring flowers, avoid bringing glass vases, as they can break and create a potential hazard for the caretakers and visitors. Be sure to read the cemetery’s policies on bringing flowers into the cemetery to determine if vases are allowed and, if so, what type. Anything you bring should be durable and not made of breakable material, like glass.

Anything that can blow away

Large flags are a no-go at most cemeteries because they can blow away, and if they do, they can potentially harm another person or a cemetery marker. There are some things that can be brought to a cemetery that can blow away, such as a photograph or a handwritten note, but you need to ensure that they can be secured to the gravesite’s monument so they don’t get carried away by the wind.

1 Thing to Maybe Bring to a Loved One’s Gravesite

Anything that can be worn down by the weather

You can bring other decorations beyond those listed above, including small flags, stuffed animals, and handwritten notes, depending on the rules of the cemetery. Just keep in mind that these decorations will wear down over time, particularly due to the weather. In many cases, a cemetery will ask that you remove these decorations soon after they are placed so that they don’t deteriorate. If you do not remove them, the cemetery staff will likely remove them for you.

What to Know Before Bringing Something to a Loved One’s Grave

Ultimately, what you can and can’t bring to your loved one’s gravesite depends on the rules of that particular cemetery. Before visiting a loved one’s gravesite, be sure you familiarize yourself with these guidelines to know that what you’re bringing is allowed. If you’re unsure, you can contact the cemetery staff, and they can walk you through approved items.