How to Choose the Right Cremation Urn

Choosing an urn for cremated remains can be an emotional and oftentimes confusing experience. It can be challenging to know what size to opt for, what material would be most suitable, and whether or not it should be personalized in any way.

Whether you’re purchasing an urn for a loved one that’s passed on or you are pre-planning for the future, here are some considerations to keep in mind as you make a selection.

Determine Your Budget

Urns are available in a wide range of budgets, starting below $100. Some urns, however, cost thousands of dollars.

Decide on the price you’d like to pay before you begin researching what you’d like; this will help you narrow down your selections considerably.

Decide on the Material

Cremation urns are available in a range of materials, including porcelain, marble, bronze, glass, wood, ceramic, copper, and granite.

Consider what your plans are for the urn following the funeral or memorial service. If you plan to keep the urn within your home, you may opt for something more decorative that can be displayed on a shelf. Alternatively, If you’d like to bury the remains, you may wish to choose a biodegradable material.

If you wish to place the urn in water, something made of a biodegradable material might be more suitable.

Selecting a Design

Depending on the material you choose for the urn, you may wish for it to be personalized.

Consider whether the deceased was a lover of literature, for example. Perhaps you could include a quote from a favourite novel. A sports fan might appreciate the logo of his favourite hockey team, while a gardener might be more suited to a leaf motif.

It’s really up to you to personalize the urn as you see fit; a unique, individualized touch of any sort is a loving tribute to those who are no longer with us.

Determining the Size

It’s not something you may consider during the selection process, but the size of the urn matters. If you wish for the urn to be placed in a niche, for example, you’re going to be limited by the measurements.

You also need to consider the body or bodies of those who will be placed into the urn. Anyone 200 pounds or less will fit into a standard-size urn, but something larger will be needed for those who weighed more.

Meanwhile, if you are selecting an urn for more than one person, you’ll need a companion urn. If the urn will hold the remains of an infant or child, urns in a much smaller size are available.

If the remains will be divided between family members, there are smaller, keepsake urns available.

In Closing

Choosing an urn is an emotional experience. Let your funeral director guide you throughout the decision-making process to ensure you select something that will bring you some peace and comfort as you navigate the grieving process.