The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? The Science Behind Cremated Remains - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? The Science Behind Cremated Remains

The moment the cremated remains come home can feel strangely quiet. The hard part is “over” in the way paperwork is over—forms signed, calls returned, a receipt tucked into a...

Deep Space Burial: Sending Ashes or DNA Beyond the Moon Into ‘Infinite’ Space - Funeral.com, Inc.

Deep Space Burial: Sending Ashes or DNA Beyond the Moon Into ‘Infinite’ Space

For many families, cremation is chosen for reasons that are practical—simplicity, flexibility, cost, or a loved one’s clear wishes. But what happens next is rarely “just practical.” The moment the...

Gold Teeth and Fillings During Cremation: Do They Melt, and Can They Be Recovered? - Funeral.com, Inc.

Gold Teeth and Fillings During Cremation: Do They Melt, and Can They Be Recovered?

When a family chooses cremation, the questions that surface are often surprisingly specific. You may be making decisions about paperwork and timing, and then someone quietly asks, “What happens to...

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? ‘Ash’ vs ‘Ashes’ and Why Cremains Aren’t Like Fireplace Ash - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? ‘Ash’ vs ‘Ashes’ and Why Cremains Aren’t Like Fireplace Ash

Most people picture cremation “ashes” as soot—something dark, powdery, and similar to what’s left after a campfire. Then they receive cremated remains and realize the texture looks more like pale...

Cremation Ashes Composition: Chemistry, Metals, and Why Results Vary - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cremation Ashes Composition: Chemistry, Metals, and Why Results Vary

If you’ve ever looked at cremated remains and wondered what they actually are—chemically—you’re asking a normal question. The word “ashes” makes people picture fireplace soot. But cremated remains are not...

What Happens to Titanium Implants After Cremation? How Orthopedic Metal Recycling Works - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Happens to Titanium Implants After Cremation? How Orthopedic Metal Recycling Works

Families rarely walk into a cremation arrangement expecting to think about metallurgy. They’re focused on the person they love: the stories, the medical journey, the last stretch of life, and...

Can You Scatter Ashes Anywhere? U.S. Laws, Permission Rules, and Best Practices - Funeral.com, Inc.

Can You Scatter Ashes Anywhere? U.S. Laws, Permission Rules, and Best Practices

In many places, yes—you can scatter ashes. But “anywhere” is the part that gets families into trouble. In the U.S., whether scattering is allowed (and what steps you need to...

Cremation Bracelets for Ashes: Styles, Pros & Cons, and Buying Tips - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cremation Bracelets for Ashes: Styles, Pros & Cons, and Buying Tips

Cremation bracelets are one of the most discreet ways to keep someone close. For many people, a bracelet feels more natural than a necklace—it sits at the edge of your...

What Are Human Ashes After Cremation? Weight, Texture, Safety, and Memorial Options - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Human Ashes After Cremation? Weight, Texture, Safety, and Memorial Options

The call to come pick up a loved one’s cremated remains often lands in a strange place in the heart. The hardest logistics may be finished—forms signed, decisions made, the...

How to Transfer Ashes Into an Urn: Step-by-Step Instructions and Sealing Tips - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Transfer Ashes Into an Urn: Step-by-Step Instructions and Sealing Tips

When a family chooses cremation, there is often a quiet moment later that no one warns you about: the moment the temporary container is on the table, the urn is...

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? Composition, Texture, and What to Do Next - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? Composition, Texture, and What to Do Next

If you’ve ever wondered what are cremation ashes made of, you’re usually asking for reassurance as much as information. The word “ashes” makes many people picture fireplace ash: soft, black...

Do You Need an Urn Vault to Bury Ashes? Cemetery Requirements and Cost Breakdown - Funeral.com, Inc.

Do You Need an Urn Vault to Bury Ashes? Cemetery Requirements and Cost Breakdown

If you’re planning to bury cremated remains in a cemetery, it’s common to feel blindsided by one unexpected question: do you need a vault for a cremation urn? Families often...

How to Personalize a Cremation Urn: Engraving, Photos, Colors & Custom Designs - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Personalize a Cremation Urn: Engraving, Photos, Colors & Custom Designs

Personalizing an urn can be one of the gentlest parts of memorial planning. Even when everything feels unfamiliar—paperwork, decisions, timelines—adding a name, a photo, a color that feels right, or...

Do You Get All the Ashes After Cremation? What Families Receive and Common Myths - Funeral.com, Inc.

Do You Get All the Ashes After Cremation? What Families Receive and Common Myths

It’s one of the most common worries families carry quietly: do you get all the ashes after cremation, or is something missing? The question makes sense. Cremation happens out of...

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? Composition, Texture, and What Families Receive - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Are Cremation Ashes Made Of? Composition, Texture, and What Families Receive

The word “ashes” is familiar, so people expect something like fireplace ash—black, soft, and powdery. Then cremation becomes personal, and the reality looks different: pale gray or off-white material, often...

Who Owns Cremation Ashes? Custody Rights, Scattering Rules, and Common Legal Pitfalls - Funeral.com, Inc.

Who Owns Cremation Ashes? Custody Rights, Scattering Rules, and Common Legal Pitfalls

When families choose cremation, there’s often an assumption that the hard decisions are behind them. The arrangements are made, the paperwork is signed, and the cremated remains are returned. And...