Choosing an Urn: What to Know Before You Buy

Once cremation has taken place, choosing what happens to the remains is one of the more personal decisions a family makes. Urns come in far more variety than most people expect, and understanding the options can make the decision feel less rushed, even when it's being made in the middle of an already overwhelming week.

Traditional urns

Traditional urns come in a wide range of materials, wood, metal, ceramic, and stone, and are designed to be displayed at home, placed in a columbarium niche, or buried. Sizing matters here. Urns are typically sized based on the person's body weight before cremation, and funeral homes can advise on the right size so you don't end up with something too small or unnecessarily large.

Companion and keepsake urns

Companion urns hold the remains of two people, often chosen by couples who want to eventually be placed together, sometimes purchased years before either person has died as part of advance planning. Keepsake urns are smaller and hold only a portion of remains, letting family members divide a loved one's ashes among several relatives so more than one person can keep something close.

Jewelry and wearable options

For families who want something more personal and portable than a traditional urn, memorial jewelry offers a way to keep a small amount of a loved one's remains close, worn daily as a necklace or bracelet rather than kept on a shelf. This has become an increasingly popular option, particularly among family members who want a private, everyday way to feel connected rather than a display piece.

Alternatives to a traditional urn

Some families are choosing to skip the urn altogether in favor of solidifying remains into stones, which can be divided, held, and kept in ways a traditional urn doesn't easily allow. This option appeals to families who want something more tactile than an urn sitting on a shelf, something they can actually hold in their hands.