When a loved one passes away, honor their memory in a meaningful way. If they were cremated, placing their ashes in an urn allows your family to commemorate their life through scattering, interment, or displays. With so many models available, it can be challenging to pick the right urn for your needs. Here are a few factors that should guide your decision.

Guidelines for Picking the Right Urn

1. Usage

Stone, wood, ceramic, glass, and steel are some of the most popular materials. Whichever option you choose impacts the urn’s appearance and durability. For example, wood is biodegradable, while stone and steel are sturdy materials.

What you intend to do with the cremains may affect your selection. For example, if you want to keep them on display at home, pick a visually pleasing material that won’t easily break. If your family will conduct a land or sea burial, choose a biodegradable product to prevent environmental contamination. If you plan to scatter the ashes, look for receptacles specifically designed for this purpose, as they feature openings to facilitate access.

2. Size

Urns come in multiple sizes to ensure adequate room for the cremains. As such, ask the crematorium for your loved one’s height and weight to determine the appropriate size.

A common rule of thumb is that 1 cubic inch of space is needed for every pound of body weight. There are also keepsake urns, smaller receptacles used for dividing ashes among family members, and companion urns that can eventually accommodate the ashes of two people who may wish to be kept together after their passing.

3. Design

Selecting a design is a deeply personal decision that should reflect your loved one’s personality, so think about what style most closely represents who they were and their interests. For example, there are options with engraved imagery of hobbies. You can also have the container carved or painted for further customization.

The compassionate staff at McGee Monument is prepared to help you find the right urn to pay tribute to your loved one. They offer a variety of models that serve as beautiful and secure final resting places. For more than a century, this family-owned company has provided residents of Conway County, AR, and the surrounding communities with high-quality and unique memorials. Call (800) 750-0177 to discuss your needs, or visit them online to view images of their products.