When planning end-of-life arrangements, many couples find deep comfort in the thought of remaining together forever. Whether you are arranging a memorial for your parents or pre-planning for yourself, a companion urn offers a beautiful, unified resting place.
But what exactly is a companion urn, and how do you choose the right one?
What is a Companion Urn?
A companion urn is a cremation urn specifically designed to hold the ashes of two people. It serves as a lasting symbol of a shared life and enduring love, allowing them to remain together rather than in separate vessels.
Some companion urns like the Indigo Arch Cultured Marble Urn for Two have two separate compartments for ashes, whereas a companion urn like the Ebony Urn for Two features a single, shared compartment to hold both sets of ashes.
The Benefits of Choosing a Companion Urn
Opting for a companion urn over two separate urns comes with several practical and emotional advantages:
1. A Meaningful Honor:
It provides a beautiful, visible tribute to a couple's lifelong bond and devotion to one another.
2. Budget-Friendly:
Depending on the materials and style you select, purchasing one companion urn is often more cost-effective than buying two individual urns.
3. Space-Saving:
A companion urn typically takes up less room than two separate vessels, making it easier to accommodate in limited spaces such as a bookshelf of niche.
Essential Tips for Choosing and Using a Companion Urn
If you are considering a companion urn, keep these practical tips in mind to ensure everything goes smoothly:
1. Calculate the size accuracy:
To find the right capacity, you need to know the combined weight of both individuals before cremation. A good rule of thumb to remember is that 1 pound of body weight prior to cremation equals roughly 1 cubic inch of urn capacity.
2. Check the final resting place:
Before purchasing, consider where the urn will permanently rest. While dimensions rarely cause issues for traditional ground burials, they can be a major factor if you plan to place the urn in a columbarium. Always check the urn dimensions as well as the space limitations first to ensure your companion urn will fit in its intended final resting place.
3. Wait to engrave:
We find that it’s often easiest to hold off on custom engraving until both individuals have passed. Engraving the urn just once ensures that the font, style, and size of the names and dates remain perfectly consistent for both people.
2. Simplify the Transfer:
Keep the ashes in the temporary containers or plastic bags provided by the crematorium until you are ready to fill the companion urn. Keeping them contained makes the final transfer much simpler and cleaner. For more tips on how to fill an urn, read our guide here.
A Beautiful Ceremony Idea: Co-Mingling Ashes
Some couples explicitly request that their ashes be co-mingled, meaning their remains are blended together. This request can be a deeply touching part of a companion memorial service.
Much like a traditional sand ceremony at a wedding, you can invite family members and guests to take turns scooping a portion of the ashes into the companion urn. As they do, the officiant can speak to the couple's enduring love, creating a powerful, shared moment of remembrance for everyone in attendance.