When choosing cremation for a loved one, it is important to determine what will be done with the cremains. While urns and scattering are common options, they don't give friends and family members a place to go to remember the dearly departed. Fortunately, there are several options for permanent memorials that give loved ones a place to visit, reflect and pay their respects.

Memorial Benches

Memorial benches can be placed in cemeteries or in memorial gardens. They offer loved ones a place to sit as they pay their respects, and they offer a beautiful way to honor your loved one's memory. Some benches have built-in vases so you can place flowers during visits, while others have simple, understated designs. Because these benches offer so much room for engravings, you can add inspirational quotes or a short biography about your loved one to the memorial site.

Cremation Pillars

Cremation pillars are unique options for memorializing your loved one. They are more slim than traditional headstones, so you can add more than one to the family plot if multiple family members are planning to be cremated as well. These pillars contain compartments to hold the cremains, giving your loved one a final resting place. You can have each side of the pillar engraved with personal information or an etched portrait of your loved one.

Cremation Grave Markers

Cremation grave markers look similar to flat headstones used for traditional burials, but they include an integrated urn in the center to hold your loved one's cremains permanently. You can choose upgrade options, such as built-in vases. Companion markers are an excellent option for couples, as they include two urns. This lets you memorialize both loved ones in a single cemetery plot.

Family Cremation Headstones

Family cremation headstones offer multiple compartments so your family can be interred together. They typically include a large space for the family name to be engraved on, and the compartments for the cremains can be built into the center or placed off to the side. You can opt to have all the family member names engraved on the reverse side of the headstone, or have them engraved underneath the family name. These headstones offer a place for the whole family to be memorialized together, which can be a comfort to some.

Before you choose a cremation headstone, check with the cemetery to ensure these types of memorial markers are allowed. A headstone memorial company like Maurice Moore Memorials may also verify your memorial choice with the cemetery for you before creating the marker. If you are pre-planning your own funeral, you can arrange to have your chosen marker made in advance and placed at your cemetery plot, with the information of your date of passing added in later.