When two lives have been intertwined for years—or decades—it can feel natural to want their memorial to reflect that same closeness. For some couples, that means planning a shared resting place. For others, it means creating a home memorial that feels steady and familiar, like an anchor in the middle of change. In either case, companion urns (also called a companion urn for couples, double cremation urn, or duo urn for ashes) can be a gentle way to honor a shared life with a single, thoughtful decision.
It also helps to know you’re not alone in navigating these choices. Cremation is now the majority choice in the U.S., and that has changed how many families approach memorialization and long-term planning. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected at 63.4% for 2025 and is expected to rise to 82.3% by 2045. The Cremation Association of North America reports the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8% in 2024, with projections continuing upward. Those numbers matter for a simple reason: more families are asking the same questions you’re asking—how to choose the right urn, how to make space for grief, and how to create a plan that still feels like love.
This guide walks through what companion urns are, how sizing usually works, the difference between a single chamber and two separate compartments, and how materials and personalization choices affect daily life—especially if you’ll be keeping ashes at home. Along the way, you’ll also see how companion urn planning connects naturally to broader funeral planning: budgeting, family keepsakes, and deciding what to do with ashes in a way that respects both the people you’re honoring and the people who are still living.
What Companion Urns Are, and Why Couples Choose Them
A companion urn is designed to hold the cremated remains of two people. Sometimes it’s a single vessel that holds both sets of remains together in one shared interior space. Sometimes it’s a design with two separate internal compartments. And sometimes “companion” means coordinated, matching urns meant to be displayed side by side—two pieces that visually belong together, even if they aren’t physically combined.
If you want to browse the range of styles in one place—classic, modern, artistic, or symbolic—start with Funeral.com’s Companion Cremation Urns for Ashes collection. You’ll see both true double-capacity urns and coordinated sets, which can be helpful if you’re not yet sure what feels right.
It’s also worth naming something families don’t always say out loud: choosing a companion urn is rarely “just practical.” It’s emotional. It’s an attempt to honor a partnership and protect it from being reduced to logistics. Some couples want a memorial that clearly says, “We were a unit.” Others want a memorial that says, “We were two people who chose each other every day.” Both approaches are valid, and the urn style you choose can reflect either one.
Size Guidelines for Companion Urns
Urn sizing is one of the first places families can feel nervous, because it’s the part that looks the most like math. The reassuring truth is that you don’t need to be perfect—you simply need to choose a capacity that gives you breathing room.
The most common rule of thumb is the “one cubic inch per pound” guideline. Funeral.com’s sizing article, What Size Cremation Urn Do I Need?, explains how families typically match capacity to body weight, and why rounding up is often the kindest option. For a companion urn, you’re essentially combining two estimates into one plan.
That’s where you’ll often see the phrase 400 cubic inch urn. It’s a common “double adult” capacity because many single adult urns are sized around the low-200s for an average adult, so doubling that lands you in the 400 range. But the number is not magic. It’s a practical benchmark, and it’s still wise to size up when either person is larger-bodied, when you want to include small personal items, or when you simply want a little extra capacity for peace of mind.
If you’re supporting a larger family plan—such as children who may want keepsakes later—it can help to think in terms of a “primary memorial plus smaller connections.” Families often select a main companion urn, then add keepsake urns or cremation jewelry later, when the early intensity of grief has softened enough to make decisions feel less pressured. Funeral.com’s guide How to Choose a Cremation Urn That Fits Your Plans walks through this “main urn plus keepsakes” approach in a grounded, realistic way.
If sharing is part of the plan, you can explore keepsake urns for symbolic portions, or small cremation urns when you want a bit more capacity without moving into full-size territory. These are often the pieces families choose for adult children, siblings, or a close friend who wants a private, personal way to remember.
Single Large Chamber vs Two Separate Compartments
The difference between a shared chamber and separate compartments is less about “right vs wrong” and more about what story you want the memorial to tell—and what you expect your family to need over time.
Single Chamber: One Vessel, One Shared Space
A single-chamber companion urn holds both sets of remains together in the same interior space. Many couples choose this because it feels symbolically aligned with their life: shared home, shared routines, shared memories. When the urn is designed beautifully, the symbolism can feel quiet and strong rather than dramatic—just a simple continuation of togetherness.
Single-chamber designs can also be simpler to fill and seal, which matters if a family is feeling emotionally fragile and wants fewer steps. If you’re leaning this direction, it can help to choose an urn style that feels timeless rather than trendy, because this piece may live with you for years if you’ll be keeping ashes at home.
Two Compartments: Together, But Clearly Two People
A two chamber companion urn includes separate interior compartments—sometimes side-by-side, sometimes divided within the base. Families often choose this option when they want to honor the couple’s unity while still preserving each person’s individuality. It can also matter for families who anticipate different timing (one urn purchased now, second placement later), or who feel strongly about keeping remains distinct.
Two-compartment designs can also be helpful if there is any chance the long-term plan could change. For example, a couple may want to rest together eventually, but in the interim, one set of remains may be placed in a columbarium niche while the other remains at home. When life is unpredictable, flexible design can be a quiet form of care.
If you’re weighing these options and want a broader planning perspective—especially if cemetery memorials, niches, or shared headstones are part of your conversation—Funeral.com’s Companion Urns and Double Headstones guide offers context that many families find clarifying.
Materials That Fit Real Life: Indoor Display, Outdoor Placement, and Long-Term Durability
When families shop for cremation urns, it’s easy to focus on appearance first—and appearance matters. But materials matter because they affect daily life: cleaning, display safety, humidity, sunlight, and how confident you feel that the urn is protected.
If you want to see the full range of styles beyond companion options, Funeral.com’s main collection of cremation urns for ashes is a helpful reference point. Even if you’re committed to a companion urn, browsing the broader category can clarify what materials and shapes you naturally gravitate toward.
Stone: Marble and Granite for Weight, Presence, and Permanence
A marble companion urn tends to feel substantial and calm—often chosen for indoor placement where the weight provides stability and a sense of permanence. It can work beautifully on a mantel, bookshelf, or memorial table because it feels like it belongs in a home, not like a temporary container.
A granite companion urn is similarly durable and is sometimes chosen when families want a very sturdy option that feels “architectural.” Granite can also coordinate naturally with cemetery stonework if a family anticipates eventual placement in a niche or memorial setting. If you’re planning for a columbarium, it’s still important to confirm niche dimensions and any rules about opening types and sealing—but stone is often a practical choice for long-term stability.
Metal: Secure, Clean Lines, and Often Easiest to Maintain
Metal companion urns are often chosen for their durability and the way they hold up over time with minimal maintenance. They can feel classic or modern depending on finish. If children or pets are in the home, a stable, well-sealed metal urn can offer peace of mind.
Wood: Warmth and “Home Feel,” With a Few Practical Notes
Wood companion urns often feel the most “like home,” especially for families who want the memorial to blend into a living space rather than stand apart from it. Wood can be a beautiful choice for indoor placement, particularly when the urn will live in a quiet, protected location away from direct sunlight or heavy humidity.
Ceramic and Glass: Artful, Personal, and Best for Protected Spaces
Ceramic and glass can be stunning, especially when families want the urn to feel like art. The practical tradeoff is that these materials are best suited to stable, protected spaces. If your home is busy, or if you anticipate moving the urn occasionally (for gatherings, ceremonies, or seasonal changes), you may prefer a material that feels more resilient.
Personalization Ideas That Feel Like the Couple, Not a Template
Personalization is where companion urns become deeply specific. It’s also where families sometimes get stuck, because they feel pressure to choose the “perfect” phrase or design. A helpful reframing is to ask, “What would make this feel like them?” That answer is often simpler than it sounds.
For some couples, personalization is as straightforward as paired names and dates. For others, it’s a shared symbol: a wedding location, a meaningful flower, a faith motif, a favorite place, or a line from a song that always made sense to them. A heart companion urn is a classic choice for couples who want the symbolism to be immediately recognizable—quietly romantic without needing extra explanation.
Photo elements can also be a powerful form of personalization, especially for families who want the memorial to feel relational rather than formal. If you’re considering an engraved option, Funeral.com’s Engravable Cremation Urns for Ashes collection can help you see the range of engraving styles and layouts that work well on different shapes and materials.
And if your family wants each person to have a personal connection while still keeping a primary memorial intact, this is where cremation jewelry can be unexpectedly comforting. Some families choose a companion urn as the central memorial and then select one or two pieces of cremation jewelry so a spouse, child, or close relative can carry a small symbolic portion in daily life. If necklaces are the most natural fit, Funeral.com’s cremation necklaces collection is a straightforward starting point, and the article Cremation Jewelry 101 explains what pieces typically hold and how they’re designed to seal.
Companion Urns as Part of Funeral Planning: Home, Ceremony, and Budget
It can be tempting to treat the urn as a standalone purchase, but for many couples and families it’s part of a larger sequence of decisions. That’s where funeral planning becomes less about paperwork and more about reducing future stress. When couples plan together, they often build in flexibility: “If one of us goes first, here’s what we want to happen next.” That clarity can be a gift to the surviving spouse and to adult children.
Budget conversations are part of that clarity, too. When families ask how much does cremation cost, they’re often thinking about the provider’s basic fee—but the total plan can include a memorial service, travel, a cemetery niche, an urn, and keepsakes. Funeral.com’s guide How Much Does Cremation Cost? breaks down common cost components in plain language. For national context, the NFDA also publishes median cost data (including 2023 medians for burial and cremation services), which can help families understand typical ranges while they make decisions.
Planning also includes deciding what kind of ritual you want, if any. Some families hold a memorial at home. Others prefer a cemetery service, a columbarium niche, or a scattering ceremony. If you’re considering water burial as part of a meaningful goodbye—especially for someone who loved the ocean, a lake, or boating—Funeral.com’s guide Understanding What Happens During a Water Burial Ceremony can help you understand what’s involved and what families typically plan for.
And sometimes the most honest answer to what to do with ashes is, “Not yet.” Many families keep the remains safely at home for a season while decisions settle. If that’s your reality—or if you want to plan for it—Funeral.com’s keeping ashes at home guide is a practical next step. For a broader overview of options and what ashes actually are (which can be surprisingly clarifying), you can also read what to do with ashes after cremation, including home memorials, sharing, and ceremony ideas.
Finally, many couples and families are also holding pet grief alongside human grief. If your household has lost both a loved one and a beloved animal companion in the same season—or if you’re simply building a home memorial that includes everyone you’ve loved—Funeral.com offers dedicated collections for pet urns for ashes and pet figurine cremation urns. For families who want smaller, shared pieces, pet cremation urns in keepsake sizes can offer a gentle way to keep a connection close without needing a large display.
A Short Shopping Checklist for Companion Urns
When emotions are heavy, a short checklist can be grounding—not because it makes the decision cold, but because it reduces the chance of a “we didn’t think of that” moment later. Here are the questions that most often help couples and families choose confidently.
- Confirm the total capacity you need (many couples start around a 400 cubic inch urn benchmark and size up if needed).
- Decide whether you want a single shared interior or a two chamber companion urn with separate compartments.
- Match material to placement: indoor display vs niche/cemetery plans (for example, a marble companion urn or granite companion urn for a substantial, stable presence).
- Choose the “meaning style” first (classic, modern, faith-based, nature-inspired, or a heart companion urn), then select color and finish.
- If family members may want keepsakes later, plan now for small cremation urns, keepsake urns, or cremation necklaces as secondary memorials.
- Write the plan down as part of funeral planning, including who will hold the urn, where it will be kept, and what should happen long-term.
In the end, companion urns aren’t about getting everything “perfect.” They’re about choosing something stable enough to carry meaning—something that feels like them, together, in a way your family can live with gently. If you’d like to start browsing with a clear, couple-focused lens, Funeral.com’s companion urns for ashes collection is a helpful next step, and the broader cremation urns for ashes collection can help you compare styles across materials. When you’re ready, you can layer in personalization, keepsakes, and ceremony planning—not all at once, but at a pace that respects grief and still protects the love you’re honoring.
