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.

Casket Delivery Inspection Checklist: How to Check for Damage Before You Accept It - Funeral.com, Inc.

Casket Delivery Inspection Checklist: How to Check for Damage Before You Accept It

A casket delivery can feel like a small detail in the middle of a very big week. But when a casket arrives with a dented corner, a scraped finish, or...

Casket Kits: What to Look For in Pre‑Cut DIY Options (Fit, Fasteners, and Compliance) - Funeral.com, Inc.

Casket Kits: What to Look For in Pre‑Cut DIY Options (Fit, Fasteners, and Compliance)

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles in when you’re responsible for arrangements. Even if your family has talked about wishes for years, the moment you need to make...

Plywood vs Solid Wood for DIY Caskets: Strength, Cost, Appearance, and Eco Tradeoffs - Funeral.com, Inc.

Plywood vs Solid Wood for DIY Caskets: Strength, Cost, Appearance, and Eco Tradeoffs

Building a coffin or casket yourself can feel like one of the most personal things a family can do. Sometimes it comes from deep tradition. Sometimes it comes from a...

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...

Cremation Urns Buying Guide: Types, Prices, Where to Buy, and What to Avoid - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cremation Urns Buying Guide: Types, Prices, Where to Buy, and What to Avoid

Buying an urn can feel deceptively complicated. You might be trying to make a meaningful choice while also navigating deadlines, budgets, and a flood of options that look similar online....

Full-Size Cremation Urns: Standard Sizes, Price Range, and How to Shop - Funeral.com, Inc.

Full-Size Cremation Urns: Standard Sizes, Price Range, and How to Shop

A full size cremation urn is the most common choice families make after cremation, largely because it’s the simplest plan: one secure container designed to hold the complete remains of...

Where to Buy an Urn for Ashes: Online vs Funeral Home vs Local Stores - Funeral.com, Inc.

Where to Buy an Urn for Ashes: Online vs Funeral Home vs Local Stores

When you’re grieving, “shopping” for an urn can feel like an unfair task. The question where to buy urns for ashes sounds practical, but it’s rarely just about a product....

Postmortem Fingerprints for Memorial Jewelry: How Prints Are Taken, Saved, and Used - Funeral.com, Inc.

Postmortem Fingerprints for Memorial Jewelry: How Prints Are Taken, Saved, and Used

The first days after a death can feel like decision-making in a fog. You’re arranging care for your loved one, answering calls you don’t remember making, and trying to hold...

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...

How to Choose a Cremation Urn: Size, Material, Price, and Where to Buy - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Choose a Cremation Urn: Size, Material, Price, and Where to Buy

Most families don’t sit down one day and decide to shop for an urn. The decision usually arrives in a smaller, harder moment: you’re picking up a temporary container, you’re...

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...

Cheapest Way to Be Cremated: Direct Cremation Costs, California Price Guide, and Money-Saving Tips - Funeral.com, Inc.

Cheapest Way to Be Cremated: Direct Cremation Costs, California Price Guide, and Money-Saving Tips

When someone dies, families often find themselves doing math through tears. The question can feel blunt: what is the cheapest cremation option that still feels respectful? In most cases, the...

Best Type of Urn for Ashes: Materials, Durability, Burial Options, and What to Avoid - Funeral.com, Inc.

Best Type of Urn for Ashes: Materials, Durability, Burial Options, and What to Avoid

There’s a moment many families don’t expect: the cremation is complete, the paperwork is signed, and suddenly you’re holding a temporary container and realizing you need to choose “the right...

Wooden Box Urns: Measuring, Sizing, and Choosing the Right Style for Ashes - Funeral.com, Inc.

Wooden Box Urns: Measuring, Sizing, and Choosing the Right Style for Ashes

A wooden box urn appeals to families for a simple reason: it feels steady. A box-shaped urn can sit quietly on a shelf without drawing attention, travel more easily than...

Urn Return Policies Explained: Time Windows, Restocking Fees, and Custom Engraving Rules - Funeral.com, Inc.

Urn Return Policies Explained: Time Windows, Restocking Fees, and Custom Engraving Rules

When you’re buying an urn, the return policy is not a small detail. It’s part of the safety net—especially if you’re ordering quickly, coordinating with a service date, or trying...

Choosing the Best Cremation Urn: Popular Styles, Materials, Personalization, and Where to Buy - Funeral.com, Inc.

Choosing the Best Cremation Urn: Popular Styles, Materials, Personalization, and Where to Buy

There’s a particular kind of quiet that follows a cremation. The phone calls slow down. The paperwork finally stops arriving in a stack. And then, sometimes when you least expect...