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.

Which Urn Material Lasts the Longest? Durability of Metal, Wood, Ceramic, Stone & Biodegradable Options

Which Urn Material Lasts the Longest? Durability of Metal, Wood, Ceramic, Stone & Biodegradable Options

If you’re asking which urn material lasts the longest, you’re probably not asking like a materials engineer. You’re asking like a son or daughter who wants to make one decision...

Cremation Urn 101: Types of Urns, Keepsakes, and Where the Ashes Can Be Placed

Cremation Urn 101: Types of Urns, Keepsakes, and Where the Ashes Can Be Placed

If you’re new to cremation planning, it can feel strange how quickly you’re asked to make decisions that don’t feel “ready” yet. One day you’re choosing cremation because it feels...

How Long Does a Cremation Urn Last? Material Lifespan, Care Tips, and When to Replace

How Long Does a Cremation Urn Last? Material Lifespan, Care Tips, and When to Replace

Most families don’t ask about “lifespan” because they’re shopping for a container the way you shop for cookware or furniture. They ask because they want reassurance. If you choose an...

Engraved Urn Nameplates and Plaques: Wording Ideas, Materials, and How to Order the Right Fit

Engraved Urn Nameplates and Plaques: Wording Ideas, Materials, and How to Order the Right Fit

There is a particular moment many families recognize: the urn has arrived, the house is quiet, and suddenly the questions become very practical. Where will it go? What should it...

Angel Urns for Ashes: Popular Designs, Materials, Prices, and How to Choose an Angel-Themed Memorial

Angel Urns for Ashes: Popular Designs, Materials, Prices, and How to Choose an Angel-Themed Memorial

When a family starts looking for cremation urns for ashes, the first instinct is often practical: find something the right size, in a material that will last, that feels appropriate...

Red Cremation Urns: Meaning, Best Materials, and Beautiful Styles for Adults, Keepsakes, and Companion Urns

Red Cremation Urns: Meaning, Best Materials, and Beautiful Styles for Adults, Keepsakes, and Companion Urns

Choosing an urn is rarely just a “shopping” decision. For many families, it’s one of the first moments when grief turns into something practical: a plan, a place, a way...

Cremation Necklace Guide: Types, Materials, Seals, and How to Choose the Right Urn Pendant

Cremation Necklace Guide: Types, Materials, Seals, and How to Choose the Right Urn Pendant

In the days after a cremation, families often discover that the hardest decisions are not the big ones. The service may be complete. The paperwork may be signed. And yet...

Keepsake Urns: How Mini Urns Work, What They Hold, and How to Choose One

Keepsake Urns: How Mini Urns Work, What They Hold, and How to Choose One

After a cremation, grief can feel strangely practical. You may be holding a temporary container and facing questions you never wanted: where will the ashes rest, what feels respectful at...

Choosing an Urn Material: Metal vs Wood vs Ceramic vs Biodegradable (Pros, Cons, Care)

Choosing an Urn Material: Metal vs Wood vs Ceramic vs Biodegradable (Pros, Cons, Care)

When families begin comparing cremation urns, it’s rarely a purely “shopping” decision. It’s a way of answering a tender, practical question: what will hold this person’s memory in a way...

Engravable Cremation Urns: Engraving Methods, Pricing, and Where to Buy

Engravable Cremation Urns: Engraving Methods, Pricing, and Where to Buy

There is a moment many families describe in almost the same words: the practical decisions are finally done, the immediate rush of paperwork and phone calls quiets down, and then...

Custom & Personalized Cremation Urns: Photo, Engraving, and Unique Memorialization Ideas

Custom & Personalized Cremation Urns: Photo, Engraving, and Unique Memorialization Ideas

When someone you love is cremated, the questions that follow are rarely “just” practical. You may be choosing an urn while you are still learning how to carry grief through...

Cremation Urn Size Guide: How Many Cubic Inches You Need (Plus an Easy Calculator)

Cremation Urn Size Guide: How Many Cubic Inches You Need (Plus an Easy Calculator)

There’s a moment that catches many families off guard. The big decisions have already happened, the paperwork is underway (or finished), and then a surprisingly practical question lands with emotional...

Engraved & Personalized Cremation Urns: Engraving Methods, Photo Options, Costs, and What to Expect

Engraved & Personalized Cremation Urns: Engraving Methods, Photo Options, Costs, and What to Expect

Personalization tends to show up in the quiet moments, not the dramatic ones. It’s the pause when someone says, “We should add their name,” and then another person softly adds,...

Angel Cremation Urns & Angel Wings Keepsakes: Meaning, Styles, and How to Choose

Angel Cremation Urns & Angel Wings Keepsakes: Meaning, Styles, and How to Choose

When a family chooses cremation, the practical questions can feel surprisingly intimate. You are not only deciding where a loved one’s remains will rest. You are deciding how their presence...

Different Types of Cremation Urns: Materials, Styles, and Which Last the Longest

Different Types of Cremation Urns: Materials, Styles, and Which Last the Longest

If you’re reading this, you may be trying to make a decision that feels both practical and deeply emotional at the same time. Choosing among types of cremation urns can...

Custom Cremation Urns: Photo, Engraved & Fully Personalized Memorial Urns (Buying Guide)

Custom Cremation Urns: Photo, Engraved & Fully Personalized Memorial Urns (Buying Guide)

If you are looking at custom cremation urns, you are probably not just shopping for an object. You are trying to make one of the first permanent decisions after a...