Choosing the Right Casket for a Burial
A casket is the box that holds the body of a recently deceased person. Used for centuries, caskets have undergone a total overhaul and are now available in both simple and ornate styles. Funeral homes in Indiana offer a large selection of caskets that fit all styles and budgets. When it's time to make funeral arrangements for a loved one, you may feel overwhelmed with the choices provided to you.
Everyone wants to provide their deceased loved one with the best funeral arrangements, but it's not always in the budget. Before making any big decisions, speak with the Indiana funeral homes staff about the casket and financing options available. Unless your loved one had very specific instructions about the type of casket they wanted to be buried in, it's really up to you how simple or ornate you'd like to go with the casket choice.
Traditional Casket Choices
Historically, caskets were made from local wood, usually pine, and the box was simple and understated. There was little to no adornment on the casket. The most popular coffins in the showrooms of Indiana funeral homes are still the traditionally styled caskets. Wood, wood veneer, and cloth covered caskets are the most common type of caskets used in today's funerals. While the wood and cloth provide a bit more elegance, these caskets still appear simple and understated.
Funeral homes in Indiana offer traditionally styled caskets because many people choose to follow tradition when it comes to family burials. If the deceased is an older person, then the one responsible for handling the funeral arrangements usually tries to choose a casket that represents the deceased. With older folks this is usually the traditional, unadorned casket.
Contemporary Caskets
Funeral homes in Indiana also offer a selection of more contemporary caskets. Metal, hardwood, wood veneer, and cloth covered are still the choices available, but it's the adornments and carvings that make these caskets stand out from a traditional casket. Coffins can have scrollwork, engravings, elaborate handles and knobs, or beautifully patterned liners. While these aspects of a coffin may seem small, it's the tiny details that make these coffins stand out. Indiana funeral homes can help you recognize the little things that can make a casket go from ordinary to extraordinary.
There are also wood coffins that have very elaborate carvings on the top. These are often religious carvings, like a huge cross, and are used to represent that the deceased is now in a different spiritual world and represents their religious beliefs. Indiana funeral homes can work with you to custom order any casket that fits your needs. Professionals in the funeral industry strive hard to meet every need of the family, including procuring the desired casket.
Eco-Friendly Caskets
Many Indiana funeral homes are catering to families who want to have an environmentally friendly funeral. This means using as few chemicals as possible in the preparation of the body and choosing a casket that does not harm the environment. Unless there will be a viewing of the body, it's not necessary for funeral homes in Indiana to embalm a body. This may be a step that a family wants to leave out when planning a green funeral.
Eco-friendly caskets are something new on the market. With more people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and do things that maintain and preserve the world we live in, more Indiana funeral homes are getting requests for eco-friendly coffins. An eco-friendly casket is one that will naturally biodegrade along with the body. As it biodegrades, it does not leech any harmful components into the soil. Common eco-friendly materials used by funeral homes in Indiana are bamboo, willow, and cardboard.
If your family wants a traditional viewing, funeral homes in Indiana can usually provide a rental casket that's used just for the viewing and then transfer the deceased to the eco-friendly casket for the burial. Some families prefer this as it allows for what many consider to be a traditional casket to be used during the viewing but still protect the environment when it comes time for burial.
Casket Extras and Accessories
It may seem like shopping for a casket is cut and dry. Is it big enough? Do you like how it looks? Can you afford it? However, there are other aspects of burial to consider when shopping funeral homes in Indiana for a casket. Will you be putting a floral spray atop the casket that you need to pick out? What type of lining do you want in the casket? Would you prefer the casket has a separate chamber to bury the deceased with a few loved possessions? Is the deceased a veteran needing a U.S. flag draped over the top? The staff at Indiana funeral homes will ask these questions to help determine what you need.
While choosing a casket may seem simple, it can get overwhelming. However, Indiana funeral homes are experienced at helping families choose the right caskets and accessories. Funeral homes in Indiana offer everything from online catalogs to casket showrooms to help you choose your loved ones final resting place.
I found Heritage Cremation when I was calling funeral homes in the area to make cremation arrangements for my brother. The cremation cost was a big concern for me and compared to the other funeral homes I found Heritage Cremations had the best price and the most compassionate staff. I was a bit worried because the cremation services price at Heritage Cremation was so much less than the other cremation services I was quoted, but I have to say the cremation service was beautiful. Visitors actually complimented me on the cremation service, and the kindness of the staff at Heritage Cremation. 
