Cremation: How to Choose the Right Urn

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If you are pre-planning your funeral service and considering cremation, you will need to select a cremation urn. According to the National Funeral Directors Association , just over 40% of Americans choose to incorporate cremation into their funeral services. Keep in mind these factors when choosing an appropriate urn:

Determine Your Budget The first factor to consider when choosing an urn is the price. Make sure to set a price range before you contact your funeral director to ensure you do not go over your budget. If you are pre-planning your own services, you can select the urn in advance—committing to an urn early on ensures that the price will remain unchanged in the future.

Measure the Size of the Urn Next, you’ll need to determine the dimensions of your urn. A standard full-sized urn will hold about 200 cubic inches of ashes. Small urns are also available for distributing the ashes among family members. This style of urn is especially popular with large extended families. Extra-large companion urns are also available for two individuals who wish to share the same resting place.

Choose an Appropriate Style The final step in picking an urn is choosing an appropriate style. Themed urns can appeal to your personal tastes, while traditional urns are always a classic choice. If you are looking to personalize your urn, consider choosing one with a military logo that features your branch of service. You can also choose a highly decorative urn that reflects your personality and interests. Additionally, you can ask family and friends for additional suggestions for customizing the urn.

Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland offers both traditional and ceremonial cremation services . Contact us at (510) 654-0123 for more information on selecting the appropriate urn for your needs or to learn more about our cremation options.