A Short Guide on Choosing a Cremation Urn
Finding the proper urn to collect your loved one’s ashes after a cremation service in Marlton, NJ, may be overwhelming. First, there’s the emotional distress of the loss. Then there’s the challenge of finding the right functional fit.
Figuring out the latter requires paying attention to a few rules. This guide will teach you what you should know.
1. Start with the purpose of the urn
Getting an urn goes beyond having a container to pick up the ashes from the crematorium. There’s also what you intend to do with the urn after.
For most people, there are about five ways to use the urn, which are as follows:
In-ground burial
The burial could be on private property or in a local cemetery. For the latter, the cemetery will have its requirements. Start from there. Contact the cemetery to confirm their preferences.
They may also request you buy an urn vault. It’s a container that protects the urn and the ground around it.
Generally, the urn requirements are material-related, and durable materials like metal, ceramic, or wood are suitable options.
Scattering the ashes
It’s common for families to scatter their loved one’s ashes. In this regard, the most important consideration is when and how you want to spread the ashes.
Some people wait for years, which means you will need a lasting urn material. The same goes if you intend to keep the urn after the scattering. You need something that can withstand the elements.
Regarding the how, most urns are suitable for all types of scattering. However, for water scattering, you need a biodegradable urn. Something non-toxic that will dissolve easily in water.
It could be paper pulp, wood fiber, or other biodegradable materials. The right one depends on affordability and preference.
Columbarium niche inurnment
A niche is a small whole within a columbarium, a structure similar to a mausoleum for storing cremation urns. If you intend to keep the urn here, contact the columbarium for the right urn size for their niches.
You may also have to ask about the material, although most of them are okay with any material.
Keeping it at home
Home storage is a popular option, especially among families who haven’t decided how best to use the urn. The urn material should be solid and able to withstand accidental falls. Wood, metal, stone, and marble are appropriate options for this.
Sharing the ashes between family
When sharing the ashes between family, you need smaller than standard size urns. These are referred to as keepsake urns and come in different forms. You could also store the ashes in cremation jewelry.
2. Consider the size
The standard adult urn size is 200 cubic inches, and it will work for adults who weigh up to 200 pounds. The rule is that the correct urn size, measured in cubic inches, should be equivalent to the person’s body weight in pounds.
But you’re not stuck with standard adult urns. There are smaller urns if you want a keepsake urn and larger companion urns if you want one container to hold the ashes of two adults.
The essential thing to remember is that internal measurement matters most when it comes to size. As for the external measurement, it depends on how you intend to use the urn.
3. Choose the appropriate design
The design of the urn is a chance to personalize and tailor your urn choice to the deceased person’s personality and character.
There are millions of options, and picking the right one starts with thinking about your loved one. What did they enjoy? What were their favorite hobbies? Reach into your memory to identify the design that memorializes them.
By following this guide, you can narrow your choices among the millions of options out there.
You can also contact us if you need additional help. Our Marlton, NJ, cremation service is at your disposal. Give us a call anytime to speak with our experienced staff.
