Different Kinds of Casket Styles

Selecting a casket can be overwhelming with the wide variety of caskets available, dealing with the grief and death of a loved one, planning the funeral and then having to visit the funeral home to select a burial casket can be extraordinarily emotional and confusing.

With so many choices of wood or steel caskets, features such as satin lining, waterproof or sealed, I hope this guide can provide you some guidance along with the help of your funeral home director.

I would suggest that you start with a budget.  Keep in mind there are many items other than the casket which need to be budgeted for and your funeral home director should be able to provide you with this guidance.  Starting with the basic choice of wood or metal casket after deciding budget is the next logical step.  You may not have the personal preference you wish based on this budget so the next consideration is the deceased personal style or the family’s tastes.  Remember the casket is a form of honoring the deceased loved one so it is a personal decision.  Consideration should be given to special influences in the person’s life such as time spent in the military or particular hobby as often a casket can be decorated to reflect these personal memories.  For instance an American flag could be painted or engraved onto the casket.  Color could play a role as well with white traditionally being the choice for a deceased young person representing their youth and innocence.  If the person was a larger than life personality or had wealth than choosing a top of the line metal casket would be appropriate.

With so many options available to families or if you are pre-planning your funeral find a funeral director you are comfortable with and sit down and look at your budget and options and use the expertise of the funeral director. Most funeral homes have casket rooms where they have on display the least expensive to most expensive with a variety of features, woods, metals and seals.  The funeral director is there to assist you with the differences between your options.

Remember however, your needs or the family’s needs must come first.  Do not let a funeral director steer you into making a choice you are uncomfortable with or outside of your budget.  You have to do what is right for your loved one and for the family and purchase a casket, funeral casket or burial casket, whatever you choose to call it, that will honor the memory of the deceased while you deal with the death, grief, and responsibilities of planning a funeral and remember the funeral home should be a trusted resource.

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