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.

Preplanning a Funeral: Benefits, Costs, and Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Preplanning a Funeral: Benefits, Costs, and Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Thinking about your own funeral is not easy. But for many people, preplanning a funeral is less about focusing on death and more about giving a practical, lasting gift to...

Choosing the Right Urn Size: Capacity Guide for Adults, Children, and Pets

Choosing the Right Urn Size: Capacity Guide for Adults, Children, and Pets

When you’re grieving, the last thing you want is to worry about math. Yet many families find themselves asking the same urgent question: “What size urn do I need?” Understanding...

Mailing Cremated Remains: USPS Rules, Required Kits, and How to Ship Ashes Safely

Mailing Cremated Remains: USPS Rules, Required Kits, and How to Ship Ashes Safely

When families talk about funeral planning today, the conversation often includes distance. Adult children may live in other states, a memorial service might be scheduled months after a death, or...

Gravesite Decoration Ideas: Flowers, Flags, and Seasonal Tributes That Last

Gravesite Decoration Ideas: Flowers, Flags, and Seasonal Tributes That Last

When it comes to gravesite decoration ideas, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. From flowers for graves and artificial flowers for headstones to flags on graves and seasonal grave...

Headstone Quotes and Sayings: Choosing the Right Words for a Loved One’s Grave

Headstone Quotes and Sayings: Choosing the Right Words for a Loved One’s Grave

Selecting the right headstone quotes and sayings is an emotional journey that combines love, remembrance, and reflection. Every word etched into stone carries the weight of a life lived, preserving...

Burying a Pet at Home: Legal Rules, Safety Tips, and Alternatives to Consider

Burying a Pet at Home: Legal Rules, Safety Tips, and Alternatives to Consider

Sometimes the quiet after a pet’s final breath feels heavier than words can hold. The house changes, its corners softer, its routines quieter, and yet their presence stays woven into...

Pet Cremation Cost by Size: Small, Medium, and Large Dog and Cat Price Guide

Pet Cremation Cost by Size: Small, Medium, and Large Dog and Cat Price Guide

Caring for a pet’s final arrangements is an important step in honoring the life and companionship they’ve shared with you. When considering pet cremation cost by size, many pet owners...

Coping with the Loss of a Dog: Grief, Rainbow Bridge Rituals, and Memorial Ideas

Coping with the Loss of a Dog: Grief, Rainbow Bridge Rituals, and Memorial Ideas

The quiet paw prints that once echoed through your home are now a tender memory. The wag of a tail, the warm snuggle by your side, the excited greeting at...

Headstone Epitaph Ideas: Beautiful Words, Quotes, and Short Sayings for Gravestones

Headstone Epitaph Ideas: Beautiful Words, Quotes, and Short Sayings for Gravestones

Choosing the right words to honor a loved one’s memory can feel overwhelming. In moments of grief, even the simplest decisions, like what to put on a gravestone, can suddenly...

Should Children Attend Funerals? Age-by-Age Considerations, Preparation, and Alternatives

Should Children Attend Funerals? Age-by-Age Considerations, Preparation, and Alternatives

When someone dies, adults often struggle with one big question: Should the kids come to the funeral? You might worry that it will be too scary or sad, or that...

Dating and New Relationships After the Death of a Spouse: Guilt, Timing, and Talking with Family

Dating and New Relationships After the Death of a Spouse: Guilt, Timing, and Talking with Family

If you are reading this, there is a good chance you’ve already lived through one of the hardest things a person can face: the death of a spouse or partner....

Advance Directives and Living Wills: Making Medical Wishes Clear Before the End of Life

Advance Directives and Living Wills: Making Medical Wishes Clear Before the End of Life

Most families don’t start talking about end-of-life medical care because everything feels urgent and frightening. They start talking because of something quieter: a news story that hits close to home,...

Organ Donation and Body Donation to Science: How They Affect Funeral and Cremation Plans

Organ Donation and Body Donation to Science: How They Affect Funeral and Cremation Plans

When you say yes to donation, you are really saying two things at once: “I want to help someone after I’m gone,” and “I still want my family to have...

Life Insurance and Funeral Costs: How Payouts Can Help and What to Watch For

Life Insurance and Funeral Costs: How Payouts Can Help and What to Watch For

When someone dies, two hard realities often arrive at the same time: grief, and bills. Families are suddenly trying to make decisions about funeral arrangements, cremation services, travel, and memorial...

Memorial Donations in Lieu of Flowers: How to Request and Manage Gifts in Someone’s Honor

Memorial Donations in Lieu of Flowers: How to Request and Manage Gifts in Someone’s Honor

When someone dies, flowers often arrive before the words do. They are beautiful, comforting, and traditional. But more and more families are choosing memorial donations in lieu of flowers, asking...

How Much Does a Funeral Cost? Complete Funeral Price Breakdown and Ways to Save

How Much Does a Funeral Cost? Complete Funeral Price Breakdown and Ways to Save

When someone dies, the question how much does a funeral cost often arrives right alongside shock and grief. It can feel jarring to talk about money when what you really...