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.

Ceramic vs Metal vs Wood Pet Urns: Pros, Cons, Durability & Best Use Cases

Ceramic vs Metal vs Wood Pet Urns: Pros, Cons, Durability & Best Use Cases

When you’re choosing an urn for a pet you love, the decision rarely feels like “just shopping.” It’s more like you’re trying to find something that can hold the weight...

Traveling to a Funeral: Etiquette, Planning, and Making the Most of Time with Family

Traveling to a Funeral: Etiquette, Planning, and Making the Most of Time with Family

Traveling for a funeral is one of those trips you never wanted to make and yet feel deeply compelled to take. You may be staring at flight prices, juggling childcare...

Headstone Regulations and Cemetery Rules: Size Limits, Materials, and What’s Allowed

Headstone Regulations and Cemetery Rules: Size Limits, Materials, and What’s Allowed

Choosing a headstone can feel overwhelming, especially during a time of grief, because it involves more than simply selecting a beautiful stone. Families quickly discover that cemetery rules set boundaries...

Cemetery Fees Explained: Opening and Closing, Perpetual Care, and Other Common Charges

Cemetery Fees Explained: Opening and Closing, Perpetual Care, and Other Common Charges

When families first see a cemetery price list, it is common to feel a wave of confusion and even frustration. You may have already paid for a burial plot or...

Pet Cremation for Birds & Small Pets: Options When Ashes Are Minimal (and How to Memorialize)

Pet Cremation for Birds & Small Pets: Options When Ashes Are Minimal (and How to Memorialize)

If you’ve ever loved a bird, a hamster, a guinea pig, a gecko, or any of those small companions who somehow take up an enormous amount of space in your...

Witnessing a Pet Cremation: What to Expect, How Long It Takes, and How to Decide

Witnessing a Pet Cremation: What to Expect, How Long It Takes, and How to Decide

If you’re considering watching a pet cremation, you’re probably not doing it out of curiosity. You’re doing it because love is colliding with uncertainty, and the idea of handing your...

Urn Necklaces and Ashes Pendants: Styles, Filling Tips, and Personalization Ideas

Urn Necklaces and Ashes Pendants: Styles, Filling Tips, and Personalization Ideas

In the last decade, more families have quietly shifted from traditional burial to cremation, and with that shift has come a desire for more personal, portable ways to keep someone...

What Is the Point of a Memory Box?

What Is the Point of a Memory Box?

Grief can feel overwhelming, and finding a way to hold onto memories without being consumed by them is often challenging. A memory box provides a personal and intentional space to...

Is It Good To Keep Dog Ashes at Home?

Is It Good To Keep Dog Ashes at Home?

For many families, keeping ashes at home is not only “good,” it’s deeply comforting. When a dog has been part of your daily rhythm, morning routines, quiet evenings, the small...

Why Do People Wear Urn Necklaces?

Why Do People Wear Urn Necklaces?

There’s a moment that sneaks up on a lot of families after cremation. The service is over. The calls slow down. The house gets quiet again. And the reality hits...

What Is the Best Type of Urn for Ashes?

What Is the Best Type of Urn for Ashes?

If you’re asking this question in the middle of loss, you’re not alone. As cremation becomes the most common choice in the U.S., families are often faced with decisions they...

Dog Urns by Breed: Choosing a Memorial That Feels Like Them

Dog Urns by Breed: Choosing a Memorial That Feels Like Them

If you’re searching for dog urns by breed, you’re not just looking for a container. You want something that quietly says, “That’s my dog.” The tilt of the head, the...

Should You Keep Cremated Ashes at Home?

Should You Keep Cremated Ashes at Home?

When people ask whether they should keep cremated ashes at home, they are often balancing two questions. One is practical, whether it is safe, legal, or wise in the long...

Is Cremation Jewelry a Good Idea?

Is Cremation Jewelry a Good Idea?

If you’re asking whether cremation jewelry is a good idea, you’re usually not asking about the jewelry at all. You’re asking whether it feels respectful, whether it will provide comfort,...

What Is A Mini Urn Called?

What Is A Mini Urn Called?

If you’ve been searching for a mini urn, you’re not alone. Many families use that term because it’s intuitive, something smaller than a standard urn that’s easier to hold, display,...

Direct Cremation: What It Is, Who It’s For, and How It Works

Direct Cremation: What It Is, Who It’s For, and How It Works

Direct cremation has become one of the most common and practical choices for families who want a simple, affordable, and flexible way to honor a loved one. While the term...