Cremation is “the process of reducing the body to ashes and bone fragments through the use of intense heat” (Elder Options of Texas). It is often an affordable alternative to a traditional burial because you can reduce funeral home, cemetery, and headstone costs.
Depending on the regulations of your state, you may have at least a 24-hour waiting period before the cremation can take place. The actual cremation process can take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours as well as a few hours to allow the remains to cool. The remains can weigh anywhere from 3 to 9 pounds.
For a list of state-by-state cremation laws, click here.
You have several options for what happens to the remains. The ashes can be buried in a cemetery, placed in a columbarium, or scatter the remains.
You are still able to have a funeral or memorial service with a cremation.