Although traditional burials are still the most popular way to say goodbye to a dear family member or friend, it is becoming more customary to hold a service in conjunction with the interment of ashes.

An interment of ashes service is a wonderful opportunity for the deceased’s family and friends to pay their final farewells to their lost loved one, and to express their sorrow collectively.

The ashes are gathered and placed in a permanent place during the internment of ashes service. On the day of the burying, family and friends assemble at the burial site.

A religious leader, funeral director, relative, or anybody else who was close to the deceased will have been chosen to perform the burial services, and eulogies, prayers, and poems will be read and sung, depending on what the deceased, or their family, had chosen.

The rules for dispersing ashes will vary according to the religion of the deceased.

There is no official ‘right or wrong’ way to host an internment of ashes ceremony, just as there is no right or wrong way to conduct a funeral.

There are so many options to choose from, whether the family wants to hold a formal ceremony with all the deceased’s friends and family invited, or a small, intimate service with only a handful of guests. It is completely up to those who are planning the ceremony.

It might be tough to determine whether to organize an interment of ashes or another alternative, such as a burial or a simple cremation, after losing someone close to you. You do not want to be making difficult decisions after losing a loved one, especially when you are grieving for someone who meant so much to you.

In this post, we will look at what it means to select an interment of ashes for your loved one, as well as looking at the various other options accessible to you.

Hopefully, after reading through each point, making this difficult decision will become a bit easier.

So, let’s look into it.

What Is A Cremation?

Cremation is the method of disposing a person’s body after they have passed away.

During the cremation procedure, the body of the deceased is placed into a cremation chamber. The corpses will be burned to ashes at a temperature of 1400-1800 °F (760-982.22 °C) in this chamber.

Following the cremation, the ashes are deposited on a tray to cool. They are then placed inside an urn before being returned to the deceased’s loved ones to bury, scatter, or keep.

This method is thought to be more efficient than traditional burials, since it may be finished in less time after death.

The process takes between 2-3 hours overall – for flame-based operations – depending on parameters such as the height and weight of the remains, the kind of container storing the remains, and the capacity of the apparatus deployed.

In the United States, cremation has become just as commonplace as traditional burial. In this day and age, more than half of Americans choose cremation, and it is predicted that by 2035, that number will rise to 78 percent.

There are several reasons why people are becoming more inclined to select a cremation over a burial for their loved ones. It has been stated that cremations, as a whole, are much better for the environment.

Additionally, cremations are quite a bit cheaper than burials, due to less space being taken up by an urn, compared to a coffin.

Why Should You Choose Cremation Over A Traditional Burial?

If an individual is aware that they are nearing the end of their life, they may have made plans for what will happen to their body when they pass away. This will make the overall process much easier for those who will be placed in charge of the decisions that will need to be made prior to the individual’s death.

If the death was sudden, and the person was quite young, there may be no plans in place. In these cases, a lot of decisions will need to be made concerning their funerals, memorials, and whether or not they should be buried or cremated.

There are numerous options when it comes to burying or scattering a person’s remains, and there is no right or wrong answer for which you should select. It is a matter of personal preference.

While there is nothing wrong with having a conventional burial, most individuals nowadays prefer cremation for a variety of reasons.

Cremation is usually much less expensive than burial, which is something that families of the deceased will need to consider. Direct cremation, specifically, is the most cost-effective alternative as it eliminates the expenditures of visitation and a funeral service.

It has also been stated that a cremation is better for our environment compared to burials.

In the United States alone, around 800,000 tonnes of formaldehyde-based preservation fluids are used for burials each year, and roughly ten acres of cemetery store enough casket wood to create 40 houses.

That being said, a cremation can also have negative effects on the environment. A burned body will emit greenhouse gases as well as vaporize harmful substances, such as mercury and dioxins, that may be present in the body.

When mercury is released into the air, it is dangerous, however the total amount of it that is emitted annually from crematoria is little to none. So, overall, it is not too harmful to our environment.

There are numerous reasons why someone would choose to be buried or cremated. These causes are sometimes linked to a person’s religious beliefs. Since a burial is the more conventional choice, older generations are more likely to pick this option.

Some people are afraid of being buried alive, and therefore will opt to avoid a traditional burial, while others are afraid of being burned alive, and would prefer to avoid cremation. Some people prefer to have a grave that their loved ones can visit.

All of these decisions have an impact on how a person, or a person’s family members, will want their body to be managed for after they pass away.

Overall, this is a personal decision that the individual, or their family members, will need to make. Additionally, the family should take the deceased’s desires into consideration over their own.

What Is An Interment Of Ashes?

The interment of ashes is the process of burying a person’s cremated remains at a permanent resting site.

A ceremony may be arranged in conjunction with the interment of ashes, if the family decides. Similar to a funeral, these ceremonies can allow relatives and friends to grieve together, bringing closure to that person’s life.

Some people may want to hold a small or informal interment service, while others may hold a formal service with multiple family members and friends present.

Sometimes, families will choose to have an interment service at a time that is convenient for them, rather than having it on the same day as the funeral. This could happen a week or two after the funeral, several months later, or on a memorable date decided by the family (or by the deceased, prior to their passing).

When it comes to selecting an appropriate location for the internment of ashes, there are various possibilities to consider.

Burying The Ashes At A Cemetery Or A Churchyard

Placing ashes at a burial site in a cemetery is one of the most popular options in this list. Ashes are buried in cemeteries similarly to coffins, with the option of placing a modest headstone to mark the spot.

The person’s family will be required to sign a burial plot application form, which is usually provided by their local council or cemetery, for approval to commence with an interment of ashes ceremony at a cemetery or churchyard. There may also need to be a conversation about any burial regulations or applications that are necessary.

In addition to burying a loved one in an easily accessible location, there is also the option to place them in a family burial plot, if the family has one. If not, a burial space will need to be purchased: this plot can be kept for up to 75 years.

Burying The Ashes At A Memorial Garden

Memorial gardens are primarily intended for the interment of ashes, sometimes found on church grounds. They are easier to construct within towns and cities since they take up minimal space compared to cemeteries.

Burial plots can be purchased in cremation gardens, and many even permit for the interment of numerous people’s ashes in a singular spot. The memorial purchase, construction, and landscaping, are typically covered within the interment charges.

Many memorial gardens also regard themselves to be environmentally friendly, thus they will encourage the usage of biodegradable urns. This option should definitely be considered regardless.

Burying The Ashes At A Privately Owned Land

Families may wish to disperse or bury their loved one’s remains in a meaningful or memorable area, in some cases. They will be permitted to inter the ashes on these private properties if they obtain permission from the landowners.

If the family chooses to bury their loved ones’ ashes on private land, they will need to make all the arrangements themselves, rather than relying on specialists.

In addition, the ceremony will need to be designed in terms of cost and quality. On the basis of the family’s finances, a funeral director could be employed to arrange the interment ceremony.

This is a lovely, sentimental way to inter a loved one’s remains, especially if this is a decision that the deceased had made before their passing.

Burying The Ashes In A Woodland Burial Site

Providing the ashes are contained in a biodegradable urn, woodland burial places offer an ecologically sound choice for the interment of ashes.

Many forest burial sites have been built across the country, enabling mourners to prepare an environmentally appropriate grave for their loved ones’ ashes.

An interment of ashes in a public location, such as a woodland or forestry, will require permission from the proprietor, just as you would if you were choosing a burial on private land.

Additionally, it should be noted that most forest burial sites will request that fresh flowers, trees, or other natural organisms are used as burial markers instead of synthetic plants and/or gravestones.

Storing The Ashes At A Columbarium

A columbarium, much like a mausoleum, is an above-ground site where urns can be stored and visited by the deceased’s loved ones.

The cremated remains are housed in discrete compartments, which can be situated indoors or outdoors. They will be available in a variety of sizes and designs, depending on the pricing. The urns can be shown through transparent glass panels, or beneath a steel plate in a columbaria niche.

Storing a loved one’s ashes at a columbarium has the benefits of being less expensive, occupying minimal space, and requiring less upkeep than a traditional burying ground. Additionally, since hazardous embalming chemicals are not being deposited in the earth, this technique is also more environmentally sustainable.

How Much Does It Cost To Inter Ashes?

The cost of interring cremated ashes is determined by a number of criteria, including (but not limited to) the burial plot’s location, the material of the urn, and whether or not a headstone is used. The majority of the decisions are influenced by the deceased’s family’s preferences.

Depending on the choice of cemetery, memorial garden, private land, woodland burial site, or columbarium, the cost of leasing a burial plot will fluctuate. Plots for interring ashes, on the other hand, are significantly less expensive than grounds for interring bodies.

By interring a loved one’s ashes in an existing family grave, the costs can be greatly lowered. However, the cemetery administration will still charge a fee for opening the grave, and for the interment of the ashes. There would also be a payment for the grave plot’s preservation.

The cost of interment will increase depending on the type of memorial, such as an inscription carved on a gravestone or monument.

Through a direct cremation, the deceased’s ashes will be interred directly after cremation, eliminating the need for a memorial ceremony. This option is regarded as being among the most cost-effective cremation solutions.

The Interment Of Ashes Ceremony

If the individual is cremated directly, there is no need for a ceremony to be organized for the interment of ashes, as previously stated. Many families, however, will decide to hold a memorial service in order to publicly mourn and honor their departed loved one.

An official ashes interment ceremony will aid in the grieving of the deceased’s friends and relatives, providing closure and comfort to those mourning the loss.

During the interment service, the deceased’s family and friends will gather at the burial ground. The cremated ashes will have been transported to the burying place ahead of time, along with the relevant documents.

The ashes are often buried during the ceremony, already placed in an urn. Some interments won’t require an urn, depending on the location of the service. Cremation ashes can simply be deposited into the ground through a funnel, in certain instances.

Depending on the family’s desires, the service can either be led by a religious leader, a humanist, a funeral director, or even by somebody who was particularly close to the departed, should they volunteer. The service may include hymns, eulogies, poetry readings, and prayers.

Other Ways To Honor Your Loved One’s Ashes

Some families will choose not to inter their loved ones’ ashes for a variety of reasons. This may be due to financial constraints, or personal choices. If you are one of these people, you might be contemplating what else you could do to commemorate the deceased’s ashes.

Here are a handful of popular, respectable options for you to pick from.

Scattering Ashes Into The Wind

For some individuals, dispersing their loved one’s remains in a meaningful, sentimental location is much more preferable to interment. If it takes place somewhere that meant a lot to the departed, it can be a wonderful way to pay honor to the life they lived.

Many people will pick this choice if they are aware that their life is coming to an end: they will want their ashes dispersed in the spot where they enjoyed spending time while living.

It’s worth noting that this action will need to be meticulously organized.

If not well arranged, some ashes may fall and settle on the ground, or, even worse, get blown backwards directly into the faces of those present. Depending on the location, the family should also check the environment laws concerning scattering ashes, especially if doing so on private land.

Scattering Ashes Into The Ocean (Or Other Bodies Of Water)

Some families opt to release their loved one’s ashes into a body of water, such as a lake, a river, or the sea. This is particularly fitting if the deceased was a lover of the sea, or an avid traveler. If released into the ocean, their ashes will eventually move all across the world.

If the family has opted to scatter the ashes across a wide body of water, the service may take place on a boat.

However, environmental rules will need to be reviewed once more before this occurs, and participants should be aware of wind gusts that could blow the ashes backwards.

Keeping The Ashes In An Urn At Home

Some families may prefer to preserve their beloved’s ashes at home, placed in a special urn. The family might choose to display the urn in their home for all to see, or they can keep it hidden in a secure location.

However, selecting who gets to keep the ashes is one of the challenges that comes with this option. It may be tough to select who gets to retain the urn in their home if the deceased had a large family with multiple children and grandchildren. It can be a nice, sentimental alternative if the family can make this decision without difficulty.

Dividing The Ashes Between Family Members

Returning to our previous option, the ashes can be divided between family members if they would prefer to do so. This can be a wonderful way to honor the deceased’s desires as well as those who are grieving their loss.

Some people may argue that a person’s ashes shouldn’t be divided, and should be kept together as one. However, by separating them and gifting them to several members of the family, the deceased can rest peacefully surrounded by their loved ones, especially if they do not live together.

Creating jewellery With The Ashes

Aside from retaining the ashes for personal use, some companies can use the ashes to create exquisite pieces of jewellery.

This art form has become increasingly popular over the past few years, and for good reason.

Cremation jewellery allows a person to re-connect with their loved one by allowing them to carry them with them at all times. Necklaces and rings are some of the most popular items, with the ashes delicately inserted into the diamonds and jewels.

Just a tiny quantity of your loved one’s ashes are required to make these magnificent, sentimental keepsakes, meaning that multiple pieces of jewellery can be created for various family members.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to saying goodbye to a beloved family member or close friend, the last thing you will want to do is make these tough decisions.

The options are made easier if the deceased had already made the decisions prior to their death, but sometimes, these events can happen more suddenly than we would like them to. In these cases, the decisions are left to those who were closest to that person.

If you are reading this, and you are one of the people who are making these decisions, we are incredibly sorry for your loss. We also hope that you have found some comfort and ease while reading this article, and have found it a little easier to make certain decisions.

We wish you all the best.