All About Cremation Memorials

Cremation opens a world of possibilities for honoring a loved one's legacy. While many people choose to scatter the ashes of someone they love, others choose to safeguard the ashes by interring them in the cemetery. 

Safeguarding a loved one's ashes in the cemetery can be done in numerous different ways. If you are interested in honoring a cremated loved one in the cemetery, there are several methods you may choose. Some common options are described below. 

Cremation Gardens

Many cemeteries have designated cremation areas called "cremation gardens". This is an area where the plots are much smaller than those used in traditional burial. These small plots typically hold 1-2 urns or urn vaults, thus allowing a couple to be buried together. 

Columbarium

Columbariums are large structures that safeguard the ashes in their own niches (pronounced "n-itches"). The doors are typically engraved with names and dates of life and the ashes are locked in little niches behind the doors. 

Buried in a Traditional Plot

It is very common to see families choose to bury their loved one's ashes in a traditional cemetery burial plot. Often, they bury the ashes in a plot already occupied by someone traditionally buried. In this case, the family typically adds the cremated person's name and dates to an existing headstone, or honors them with their own marker at the foot of the grave. 

Sometimes families purchase a traditional burial plot and choose to erect their own personal columbarium. Personal columbariums, also known as "cremorials" or "cremation memorials", are typically made for 1-4 people. They come in all shapes and sizes and typically feature cremation niches designed to safeguard ashes. 

Some families purchase a traditional burial plot for their loved one's ashes because their cemetery does not offer a cremation garden or a columbarium. In this case, they may choose to bury the ashes below ground and erect a headstone at the head of the grave. Or, they can inter the ashes above ground with their own personal columbarium.

At Emerson Monument Company we assist countless families in ensuring their loved one's memory is not lost to time. Whether you choose to honor a cremated loved one's legacy in a private space or in a cemetery, we are glad to help.