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.

How Much Do Cremation Ashes Weigh? Urn Size Rules, Volume Estimates, and Simple Calculators

How Much Do Cremation Ashes Weigh? Urn Size Rules, Volume Estimates, and Simple Calculators

When someone you love is cremated, the questions that follow can feel surprisingly practical. You may be grieving, you may be planning, and you may still find yourself staring at...

Adult Cremation Urns: How to Choose the Right Full-Size Urn (Capacity, Materials, and Shopping Tips)

Adult Cremation Urns: How to Choose the Right Full-Size Urn (Capacity, Materials, and Shopping Tips)

When you start shopping for an adult urn, it can feel like you’ve walked into a store where everyone already knows the language—except you. Listings mention “full size,” “adult,” “200...

Biodegradable Urns & Living Urns: How They Work, Costs, and What to Expect

Biodegradable Urns & Living Urns: How They Work, Costs, and What to Expect

There’s a particular moment many families describe after cremation: the calls have slowed down, the paperwork is finally in a folder, and the urgency of the first days eases just...

A Brief History of Ceramics: From Ancient Pottery to Modern Ceramic Memorial Urns

A Brief History of Ceramics: From Ancient Pottery to Modern Ceramic Memorial Urns

A ceramic vessel is one of the oldest human ideas take earth, add water, shape it with your hands, and use heat to turn something fragile into something that can...

How to Transfer or Divide Cremation Ashes and Fill an Urn Safely

How to Transfer or Divide Cremation Ashes and Fill an Urn Safely

For many families, the moment the ashes come home is quieter than expected. There may be no ceremony, no gathering—just a temporary container on a table and the sudden realization...

Cremation Urns 101: Types, Materials, and How to Choose the Right Urn

Cremation Urns 101: Types, Materials, and How to Choose the Right Urn

Choosing an urn can feel like an oddly technical task at a time when your heart is still trying to catch up. Families often describe the same moment: the cremation...

Best Companion Urns for Two: Styles, Materials, and Buying Tips

Best Companion Urns for Two: Styles, Materials, and Buying Tips

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles in when two people have spent a lifetime together and the family begins making end-of-life decisions that assume “one” instead of “us.”...

What Is a Companion Urn? A Guide to Double Urns for Couples and Loved Ones

What Is a Companion Urn? A Guide to Double Urns for Couples and Loved Ones

When families ask about a companion urn, they’re usually asking two questions at once: “How does this work?” and “Will this feel right?” A double urn can be practical—two sets...

Wooden Cremation Urns Pros and Cons: Durability, Care Tips, and Best Wood Types

Wooden Cremation Urns Pros and Cons: Durability, Care Tips, and Best Wood Types

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles in after cremation. Sometimes it’s immediate—right after you pick up the remains, when the box feels heavier than you expected. Sometimes it...

How to Display a Cremation Urn at Home: Memorial Shelf and Table Ideas That Feel Peaceful

How to Display a Cremation Urn at Home: Memorial Shelf and Table Ideas That Feel Peaceful

After a cremation, families often expect the hardest part to be over. The calls are made, the paperwork is signed, the immediate decisions are handled—and then you come home to...

After Cremation: Safe, Respectful Ways to Keep, Scatter, or Bury Ashes

After Cremation: Safe, Respectful Ways to Keep, Scatter, or Bury Ashes

There’s a moment many families don’t expect after a cremation. The paperwork is complete, the calls slow down, and suddenly you’re holding a temporary container that feels both ordinary and...

Cat Urn Size Guide: How to Choose the Right Cremation Urn for Your Cat

Cat Urn Size Guide: How to Choose the Right Cremation Urn for Your Cat

After a cat dies, the first thing you notice is the quiet. The water bowl stays full. The favorite window spot holds a rectangle of sunlight and nothing else. And...

What Size Cremation Urn Do I Need? Easy Capacity Chart + Calculator (Adults, Kids & Pets)

What Size Cremation Urn Do I Need? Easy Capacity Chart + Calculator (Adults, Kids & Pets)

There are moments in funeral planning that feel unexpectedly hard because they’re so practical. Choosing an urn is one of them. You’re not only buying an item—you’re deciding where someone’s...

Choosing the Right Cremation Urn: Size, Materials, and What to Consider

Choosing the Right Cremation Urn: Size, Materials, and What to Consider

Buying an urn is one of those tasks that sounds practical on paper and feels tender in real life. Most families start with a simple question—“What’s the best urn for...

Biodegradable Urns: How They Work, Types for Water or Ground Burial, and Where to Buy Eco-Friendly Options

Biodegradable Urns: How They Work, Types for Water or Ground Burial, and Where to Buy Eco-Friendly Options

When a family chooses cremation, the next questions tend to be quieter and more personal: what to do with ashes, whether keeping ashes at home feels comforting or heavy, and...

How a Body Is Prepared for Cremation: What Happens Before, During, and After (Plus Container & Casket Choices)

How a Body Is Prepared for Cremation: What Happens Before, During, and After (Plus Container & Casket Choices)

When a family chooses cremation, the decision often brings a mix of relief and new questions. Relief, because cremation can be simpler and more flexible. Questions, because the steps before...