How to choose an urn

When shopping for a cremation urn, buyers should consider the following:

Choose for yourself:

It is a gift to your loved ones if you are able to pick out the exact urn you’d like. There should not be any stigma around doing this. It is practical and can guarantee you get to be remembered in the way you choose. Choosing an urn that featured your favorite flowers, a meaningful site, or even a tribute to the farm you grew up are all ways that you can choose now. You can choose a single urn, or choose to get multiple smaller urns. These can be customized and made as a set, or each fully unique. We are happy to help you work through any ideas you may have.

Size: Ensure the urn is the appropriate size to hold the ashes of your loved one. A good rule of thumb is 1 square inch per pound of their weight. We have the square inches shown on all urns in our shop. When in doubt, order a size larger. When placing bagged ashes into urn, make sure to allow extra room.

Material:

Choose a material that is durable and appropriate for the intended use and location of the urn. Our urns are made from wood and are intended for display. They can be used for funeral services as well. If you intend to bury the urn you will want to verify the requirements of the cemetery, most require the urn to be placed in an urn vault. The cemetery should be able to help you with this. If you need exact outer dimensions of the urn you have chosen from us, simply ask and we will supply you with that information or supply the cemetery or funeral home directly on your behalf.  You can, in most states bury the urn directly on your private property, check your local laws to verify.  Aspen Sky Designs focuses on urns for inside display, they can also be used for funeral or burial. (We encourage you to take photos of your urn before you bury it).

Design:

Consider the design and style of the urn to ensure it is a fitting tribute to the deceased. This is where Aspen Sky designs in partnership with Noelle Rollins Art shines. We want to make sure you have an urn that you feel captures the personality and humanity of the person you loved.  Also note, are you keeping all of the ashes or will you be dividing them between family members? We can offer sets of coordinating urns. Just ask.

Cost:

Determine a budget and compare prices to ensure the urn fits your needs. Urns can range in cost from lower amounts, up into the thousands. Choose a style and price point that makes you feel good both now and proud to display it for years to come.

Personalization:

Consider personalizing the urn with engravings or other customization options to make it unique and meaningful. Aspen Sky Designs can engrave or hand paint your loved one’s information on your urn. As well as customized colors, flower choices, and even create a fully customized design.

Timing:

We at Aspen Sky Designs fully encourage you to proceed with a time schedule that works best for you. Do not allow yourself to be pressured into wrapping everything up into a week if that doesn’t best serve you. We know people who have gifted themselves both weeks, and sometimes months before holding a full memorial. All those we have talked with who have chosen to slow down this process have been happy they did so in the long run. This allowed them to process their own grief a bit more before holding a public funeral or celebration of life ceremony. Others will choose to have a temporary standard urn used for the funeral service and have a permanent keepsake created for them to have long term, or multiple keepsake urns when ashes will be divided. We have also supplied new urns to those who lost loved ones years prior and are now looking to upgrade the urn they had originally chosen.