Your questions answered
About Afterstone
What makes Afterstone different?
Afterstone is a British-designed, Devon-made memorial brand offering a complete and coordinated range of ash memorial pieces, farewell sets, funeral stationery, scatter tubes and personalised memorial stones — all in one place. Our signature ash memorial pieces are handmade individually, one at a time, with a rigorous ID tracking process from receipt to return. We are a SAIF Associate Member and a Made in Britain member. No two pieces are ever the same — because no two people ever are.
Is Afterstone a UK company?
Yes. Afterstone Ltd is a UK registered company (16783301) based in Exeter, Devon.
Where are your products made?
Our signature Afterstone ash memorial pieces are handmade in Devon, England. Our wider range — including scatter tubes, memorial stones and stationery — is sourced from carefully selected British manufacturers.
Are your products suitable for pets?
Yes. Every product in the Afterstone range can be created from or used alongside pet ashes. Our ash memorial pieces, farewell sets, scatter tubes and memorial stones are all suitable for pets. We believe every loss deserves the same care and quality – whatever the size of the loved one.
Do you offer pet-specific products?
We don't offer a separate pet range. Every Afterstone product is made with the same care, quality and consideration regardless of who it is for.
Do you have retail store locations?
We don't have a retail store currently. We are an online service business based in Devon. Hand collection and delivery is available at our studio near Exeter by appointment — please get in touch to arrange.
Our ash memorial pieces
Can I have more than 50 grams of my loved one's ashes created into Afterstone products?
Our collection kit holds up to 50 grams of ash — in line with Royal Mail guidelines for sending cremated remains by post. If you would like to create multiple pieces, you are welcome to place separate orders. Hand delivery and collection is also available at our studio near Exeter if you would prefer to bring more ash in person. Please contact us to discuss.
Can I send all the ashes to Afterstone?
Due to shipping regulations, we can only accept up to 50 grams of ash — a small amount relative to the total. We would always recommend keeping the remainder for scattering, sharing or other uses. Any unused ash from your 50 grams is always returned to you in your sealed collection jar.
Can Afterstone signature pieces be engraved?
Yes, our signature ash memorial pieces can all be engraved. The pebbles and heart can be engraved on the front/uppermost surface. The rest of the collection is engraved on the base of the item.
Can we add ashes to urns?
We don't currently offer this service. Some funeral directors may offer ash transfer services — please speak to your funeral director if this is something you are looking for.
Our memorial stones
Are there ashes in the memorial stones?
No. Our personalised engraved memorial stones are natural stones engraved with your chosen words or design. They do not contain ashes. They are a completely separate product to our signature Afterstone ash memorial collection.
Can I personalise a product with a custom message?
Yes. Both our Afterstone collection and our memorial stones can be engraved with a name, dates, a short message or an icon of your choice. Please see the options available on each product listing.
Can I have a different font to the one offered on the memorial stone?
We offer one carefully chosen font for our memorial stones — selected to ensure every piece looks beautiful and is clearly legible. We believe in keeping things simple and doing them well.
If you require a bespoke service, please email us to discuss further.
Can I have more words per line than recommended on my memorial stone?
We provide guidelines on the number of words per line to ensure your engraving is clearly legible and beautifully presented. Exceeding the recommended number may affect the quality and readability of the engraving, and the font size may be reduced to accommodate the words in the available space. Please contact us before ordering if you have specific requirements, and we will do our best to help.
Can I add an icon to my memorial stone?
Yes, we have a library of over 60 icons you can select from that can be added to personalise memorial stones and Afterstone pieces.
Are the personalised memorial stones suitable for pets?
Yes. Our personalised memorial stones can be engraved with a pet's name, dates or a personal message. They make a beautiful and lasting garden or home tribute.
Funeral stationery questions and answers
Orders of service
What is a funeral order of service?
A funeral order of service is a printed or digital booklet that guides people through a funeral or celebration of life. It carries the person's name and dates on the front, the running order inside, any readings, poems or hymns, and usually a photograph. Guests keep it afterwards. Afterstone's orders of service are designed to be personalised and printed, so you shape them around the service you are holding.
What do you put in a funeral order of service?
Most follow a simple running order: a front cover with the person's name, dates and photograph, a welcome, the tributes and eulogy, any readings or poems, the music or hymns, a moment of reflection or the committal, and a closing with details of the wake or a thank you. You do not have to include all of it. For a celebration of life after a direct cremation, you can drop the formal parts and keep only what fits.
What size is a funeral order of service?
The most common size is A5, an A4 sheet folded in half. Afterstone offers two formats: a four-page A5, which is A4 folded to A5, and a six-page A4 trifold for a longer service with more readings or photographs. Both come as digital templates you personalise and print.
How many orders of service do I need?
Order roughly one between two guests, plus extra for the family and for people who could not attend but would like one. Because Afterstone's orders of service are digital templates you print yourself or through a printer, there is no minimum order and no reprint cost if your numbers change. Print ten or a hundred.
Do you need an order of service for a direct cremation?
Not for the cremation itself, because a direct cremation has no service and no mourners present. If you hold a farewell or celebration of life afterwards, an order of service helps guests follow the running order and gives them something to keep. Many families arranging their own farewell use a simple one, or a memorial bookmark, in place of a formal booklet.
Printing and personalising
How is the stationery delivered, and can I print it myself?
It depends on the item. The memory book, signage and notelets are printed in Britain and posted to you. The orders of service, announcement cards, posters, bookmarks, memory cards and thank you cards come as digital templates, emailed to you to personalise and then print at home or through a printer. You print exactly what you need, when you need it.
How do I personalise the digital templates?
The digital templates are edited in Canva, which is free to use. You receive a PDF with a link to each design. Click a link, select "use template", and the design copies into your own Canva account. Double-click any text box to type your own words, adjust the size and spacing, and upload a photograph straight into the frame. When you are ready, download it as a PDF for printing. Work on a copy so you always keep the original.
What paper should I print funeral stationery on?
For an order of service, a weight of around 120gsm to 160gsm feels substantial without being stiff to fold. A home printer handles this, and a local print shop will offer heavier stocks and a choice of matt or silk finish. If you print professionally, ask your printer about bleed and crop marks before you export.
Can I include photographs?
Yes. Every template has space for at least one photograph, and the orders of service and posters take several. Upload your image, drag it into the frame, and move or zoom to position it. A clear, high-resolution photograph prints best.
What if I don't want to design it myself?
Our in-house designer can personalise the templates for you, or check your design before you print. Design support starts from £50. Email louise@tinydesignsdevon.uk with what you need.
The other stationery items
What is a memory book?
A memory book, sometimes called a condolence book or guest book, is where people write their name and a few words at a funeral or celebration of life. It gives the family a record of who came and what the person meant to them, to keep and read later. Afterstone's memory book comes with printed signage so guests know where to sign.
What is a memorial bookmark?
A memorial bookmark is a small keepsake, 50mm by 150mm, carrying the person's name, dates, a photograph and a few words or a short verse. Guests take one away and keep it. It works on its own for a smaller gathering, or alongside an order of service.
What do you write in a funeral thank you card, and when do you send them?
A funeral thank you card thanks people for their support, their attendance, and any flowers or donations. A line or two is enough. Most families send them within a few weeks, though there is no rule and later is entirely fine. Afterstone's range includes both a printed thank you card and a digital version you can send by email or message.
How do you announce a death?
You can announce a death however suits the family: a printed card, a notice or a message sent by email, WhatsApp or social media. An announcement gives the person's name, that they have died, and the date, time and place of the funeral or farewell, if there is one. Afterstone's announcement templates come as an A6 printed card and a digital version for email, WhatsApp and messaging on social media.
About Afterstone stationery
Is the Afterstone stationery religious or non-religious?
The designs carry no religious imagery, so they suit a religious service, a humanist or non-religious farewell, or a celebration of life equally. You add any readings, hymns or wording you want, so the tone is yours to set.
Does the Afterstone stationery match?
Yes. Every piece coordinates across the range, and it is designed to sit alongside Afterstone's ash scatter tubes, so the stationery and the tube share the same look. The range comes in four designs: ivory, beige, navy and turquoise, and chocolate and copper.
How quickly will I get my Afterstone stationery?
The Afterstone digital templates are emailed to you, straight after you place an order, so you can start personalising straight away. Printed items are dispatched as quickly as we can, usually within five to ten days. If you have a date you need them by, tell us by phone or email, and we will do our best to meet it.
I'm not a designer. Is it easy to personalise the stationery myself?
Yes. All of our digital stationery bundles are Canva templates, accessible via a free Canva account, which is intuitive to use. The templates have been designed to help you easily make the edits you need. Simply add your own photographs, names, dates and chosen wording directly into the template. No design experience is needed. If you'd prefer someone else to personalise the files for you, our in-house designer can help you. Alternatively, ask digitally native friends and family if they have used Canva before or ask a local printer – they will often provide ad hoc support if you get stuck with something.
Does your stationery coordinate with your scatter tubes and other products?
Yes — and this is one of the things that makes Afterstone different. Every piece of stationery and every scatter tube carries the same subtle design, available in four colourways: ivory, beige, navy/turquoise and chocolate/copper. This means the welcome poster, order of service, memory book, scatter tube and thank you cards can all tell the same visual story — a farewell that feels considered and consistent from beginning to end.
Can I use a memory book for a pet?
Yes. Our memory books are designed to celebrate any life — human or animal. They are a beautiful way to gather photographs, memories and tributes together in one place.
Can the scatter tubes hold pet ashes?
Yes. Our scatter tubes are suitable for both human and pet ashes. Please note that our standard scatter tubes are designed for a full set of adult ashes and may be larger than required for very small pets. Please contact us if you are interested in ordering a smaller-sized scatter tube, as this is an area we are looking to expand based on customer need.
Are your scatter tubes biodegradable?
Yes. Our scatter tubes are made from biodegradable and compostable materials and are designed to be kind to the environment.
Ordering & returns
Can I return a personalised or bespoke item?
Due to the bespoke and personal nature of our ash memorial pieces and personalised products, we are unable to accept returns unless the item is faulty or damaged. Please contact us immediately upon receipt if you have any concerns, and we will do everything we can to help.
What is the return policy?
For non-personalised items in their original unused condition, you have 30 days from receipt to request a return. Please contact us at vmarsh@afterstone.co.uk before sending anything back. Items returned without prior contact cannot be accepted. Full details are available in our refund policy.
How long do refunds take?
Once we have received and inspected your return, we will notify you whether your refund has been approved. If approved, your refund will be processed to your original payment method within 10 business days. Please allow additional time for your bank or credit card company to process the payment. If more than 15 business days have passed since approval, please contact us at vmarsh@afterstone.co.uk.
Do you offer bulk or wholesale orders?
Yes. We work with funeral directors, pet crematoriums, bereavement charities, care homes and veterinary practices through our trade partner programme. Please contact us directly at vmarsh@afterstone.co.uk to discuss options.
Do you have active discount codes or promotions?
We occasionally offer promotions. The best way to stay informed is to sign up to our mailing list or follow us on social media. We do not publish discount codes publicly.
Delivery & shipping
How long does delivery take?
Non-personalised items are typically delivered within 5-10 working days. Personalised memorial stones may take a little longer due to the engraving process. For our bespoke ash memorial pieces: pebbles, hearts, bowls, vases and pots; please allow up to 6 weeks. If you need your piece for a specific date, please let us know when ordering, and we will do everything we can to accommodate you.
Do you offer free shipping?
We price our shipping honestly, based on the weight of your order. Some of our products — particularly our natural memorial stones and afterstones — are beautifully substantial pieces, and shipping is priced to reflect this. You will always see the exact shipping cost at checkout before confirming your order.
Do you ship internationally?
We currently ship within the UK only. If you are based outside the UK and would like to discuss your options, please contact us at vmarsh@afterstone.co.uk.
Do you offer express shipping?
We don't currently offer express shipping. If you need your order by a specific date, please contact us before ordering, and we will do everything we can to help.
Do you accept drop-off and collection of ashes?
Yes. Hand delivery and collection is available at our studio near Exeter, Devon, by appointment. Please contact us to arrange.
Getting in touch
How can I contact customer service? We are a personal business, and we pride ourselves on being genuinely helpful. You can reach us by email at vmarsh@afterstone.co.uk or by phone on 01392 925061. We aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.
