Urns, Cremation & Ashes in Florida: A City-by-City Guide by Dei Gratia Urns

Losing a loved one is one of life’s hardest moments, and finding the right urn to hold the ashes of the deceased is an important part of honoring their memory. In Florida — a state where cremation has soared in popularity — families are increasingly choosing cremation as their final tribute. Today Florida’s cremation rate is well above the national average, roughly 68–70% of all dispositions.

This means more Floridians are bringing home a vessel for ashes, rather than planning a burial. An urn (funerary vase) is traditionally used to store cremated remains en.wikipedia.org. Urns come in many styles and materials — from polished metal and carved stone to wood or biodegradable fiber — to reflect personal taste and cultural traditions. At Dei Gratia Urns, we understand that choosing the right urn and memorial is a deeply personal decision.

Each city and community in Florida – from vibrant Miami to rural panhandle towns – offers unique cremation services and urn options. In this city-by-city guide, we’ll explore the landscape of urns, cremation, and ashes in Florida, with tips to find the perfect tribute for your loved one. (For general background on the cremation process, see Wikipedia’s Cremation page; for urn design, see Urn.)

For context, a typical cremation yields only a few pounds of remains. Wikipedia reports that a full-body cremation leaves about 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) of ashes en.wikipedia.org. Those ashes are stored in an urn (also called a cinerary urn), which is usually a vase or container with a secure lid en.wikipedia.org. Because ashes are relatively light, all standard adult urns will comfortably hold them. Families can choose size and style freely: large urns (often 8–10 inches tall) for display, or smaller keepsake urns to share among relatives.

Florida is experiencing a clear cremation trend. For example, an industry report shows Florida’s cremation rate climbed from 66.6% of deaths in 2018 to an estimated 68% by 2025. According to local news and funeral professionals, it’s approaching nearly 70% today. This growth isn’t surprising: cremation is often more affordable than a full burial.

A comparative pricing report for Florida cities shows direct cremation (with no formal service) can be arranged for around $800–$1,100 in many major cities. By contrast, a traditional funeral with burial (casket, cemetery plot, embalming) averages around $7,848 in Florida — about $9,000 total with cemetery fees. In other words, choosing cremation can save families thousands of dollars. (No wonder Florida’s rate is among the highest in the nation.)

So when planning a Florida memorial, the focus shifts to what urn best honors a life. There are many factors: material, design, and personalization all matter. An urn might be a bronze or marble vase that sits on a mantle, a wood box buried in a family plot, or an eco-friendly urn that dissolves in water for a sea scattering. Some people even keep a keepsake urn or piece of ash jewelry.

Because families have so many choices, it helps to know the options: materials (metal, wood, stone, biodegradable) and styles (classic vase, figurine, box, or even artistic shapes). Each design is made to hold ashes securely; for example, metal and ceramic urns often have gaskets or threaded lids to seal the remains. In summary, the “best” urn depends on whether you plan to display it in a home, entomb it in a niche, bury it in a cemetery, or scatter the ashes. Our experts at Dei Gratia Urns are here to help guide these choices with compassion and decades of experience.

Figure: A decorative funeral urn (similar to those used worldwide) at London’s Golders Green Crematorium, used to hold the cremated ashes of sociologist Karl Mannheim (d. 1947).

Choosing the Right Urn for Your Loved One

When selecting an urn in Florida, think of it as choosing the final keepsake for someone’s life. Design and material can reflect the person’s personality, culture, or beliefs. Common urn materials include:

• Metal Urns: Durable urns often made of brass, bronze, or stainless steel. They give a classic, dignified look and are great for indoor display or entombment.
• Wood Urns: Made from oak, cherry, mahogany, or other hardwoods. Wood urns have a warm, traditional feel. Engraving or ornamental inlays can personalize a wooden urn.
• Stone/Marble Urns: These are elegant and long-lasting, often used if the urn will be buried or placed in a mausoleum niche. Granite or marble urns look solemn and stately.
• Ceramic/Porcelain Urns: These come in many shapes and colors. Hand-painted urns or those with custom artwork add a personal touch. Ceramic urns are suitable for indoor memorials.
• Biodegradable (Eco) Urns: For eco-conscious families, biodegradable urns are made of salt, sand, paper, or plant materials. Salt and sand urns dissolve in water, making them perfect for scattering ashes at sea (e.g. off the Florida coast). Other eco urns can biodegrade in soil, allowing for a natural burial.

Size and type also matter: Standard adult urns hold about 200–220 cubic inches, which is sufficient for the ashes of most adults. Companion urns are double the size to hold two people’s ashes (often for married couples). Keepsake urns are tiny (just a few cubic inches) and hold a small portion of ashes so multiple family members can each have one. Some urns even include a spot for a photo, a small memento, or an engraved plate.

Many Florida families add personal touches to urns. This might include engraving a name, dates, or a short message on a metal urn. Photo urns let you insert a picture of the loved one. The Funerary urn Wikipedia article notes that cultures around the world have decorated urns in myriad ways en.wikipedia.org. We see similar variety in Florida: for example, a Christian family might choose a cross-embossed wooden urn, while a nature lover might pick a green ceramic urn with a floral design.

Finally, consider the planned disposition of ashes. If you will bury the urn in a cemetery plot, you may use any sturdy urn (metal or ceramic), and a burial vault or liner may be required by the cemetery. If you will entomb it in a columbarium niche, plastic or fiberglass urns are also acceptable (though many families still prefer metal or stone for looks). If you plan to scatter the ashes (on land or at sea), look for a scattering urn or tube: these are designed so the ashes can be released easily. Tampa Bay funeral homes, for instance, report that families often use special scattering tubes on boat trips to cast ashes into the ocean.

In short, choosing an urn is about honoring the deceased’s memory. Whether you select a simple eco-urn or an elaborate decorative vase, the urgency is on quality and dignity. All Florida funeral homes and crematoriums will guide you. Our team at Dei Gratia Urns can assist you too — we offer hundreds of high-quality urn designs (in metal, wood, marble, biodegradable materials and more) so that wherever you are in Florida, you’ll find an urn that feels right for your loved one.

Urns in Florida’s Top Cities

Below we highlight cremation and urn services in Florida’s major cities. Funeral homes, crematoria and memorial providers are found statewide, so even in small towns you can find appropriate urns. The main differences among cities are local customs and scenery (e.g. beach scattering vs. inland ceremonies).

Miami, Florida

In Miami’s vibrant, multicultural community, you’ll find a huge variety of urn and cremation options. Metropolitan Miami has many large funeral homes and crematories that cater to Hispanic, Caribbean, and international families. You can see urns with religious iconography, bright colors, or polished classic finishes in Miami chapels. Because Miami sits on Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, many families plan to scatter ashes in the water or on the sand. It is common to see ornate scatter tubes or water-dissolvable urns sold here, designed so ashes can be released gently from a boat or even on a beachbaynews9.com.

Local funeral directors note that Miami families often hold wake or memorial services in venues (sometimes outdoors by the water), then use the urn during the service. There are also specialty shops offering unique cremation products: photo urns with a loved one’s picture, natural wood urns for pet ashes (Miami has many pet lovers), and even reef-friendly urns that mix ashes with concrete to help restore coral. Overall, Miami’s urn scene is diverse and international, matching the city’s blend of traditions.

Orlando, Florida

Orlando residents cherish family and community, and that extends to memorial services. Although Orlando is inland, many families still honor their loved ones by scattering ashes in nature — for example, at lakeside parks or private property. Orlando’s nickname is “The City Beautiful,” and accordingly you’ll find urns with nature-inspired designs (flowers, palm trees, sunset skies) among local selections.

Funeral homes around Orlando report that direct cremation is very common (due to its affordability and ease). Families often hold private memorials at home or in community halls after cremation. The urn is typically on display with photos and mementos. Local shops carry both stately marble or bronze urns for placing in a niche at Greenwood or Forest Lawn Memorial, as well as creative keepsake urns for home. If families plan a scattering ceremony (for example, at sunrise on the beach or at the foot of a favorite tree), providers will recommend biodegradable urns or scattering tubes.

Tampa & St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay Area)

The Tampa Bay area — including Tampa and St. Petersburg — has a mix of retirees, military families, and young professionals. Many retirees have homes along the Gulf of Mexico, so ash scattering over the Gulf is particularly popular here. Local funeral homes often arrange boat ceremonies from Pier 60 in Clearwater or around Anna Maria Island. Columbaria at veteran cemeteries (such as Bay Pines Veterans Cemetery) hold thousands of urns with military honors.

For urn purchases, most Tampa Bay funeral homes stock traditional wood or metal urns. An increasing trend here is the use of environmentally friendly options: some companies even create artificial reef urns (concrete modules seeded with coral larvae) so a portion of ashes contributes to marine life. St. Petersburg’s diverse culture means a wide selection of urn styles: you might find elegant marble urns in a downtown St. Pete funeral parlor alongside colorful pottery urns offered in beachside St. Pete shops. Urn personalization is big here — for example, engraving with a sailboat motif for a Tampa Bay sailing enthusiast.

Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is Florida’s largest city by area, encompassing beaches, rivers, and suburbs. Cremation is very common in Jacksonville. Many families use urns that reflect Jacksonville’s coastal heritage: for instance, urns shaped like sailboat hulls or painted with ocean motifs. A significant military and veteran community (NAS Jacksonville, etc.) often chooses urns that include honor flags or emblem engravings.

Cremation providers here note that over 65% of funeral arrangements now involve cremation. Local urn showrooms display both classic urns and keepsakes. For example, at Jacksonville’s Jacksonville Beach community, scattering ashes at the shoreline or off a charter fishing boat is a typical tribute. If ashes are being interred instead, families often choose sturdy stone or metal urns to place in Jacksonville’s many memorial gardens. Funeral directors will also remind families that Florida law lets them scatter ashes on private property freely, which Jacksonville beach owners sometimes do at sunset ceremonies.

Fort Lauderdale and Broward County

Just north of Miami, Fort Lauderdale has its own blend of culture and a large retiree population. With the city’s extensive canal system and access to the Atlantic via the Intracoastal Waterway, boating-style memorials are popular. Many Broward County families scatter ashes from boats. Funeral homes in Fort Lauderdale carry specialized urns for this purpose (for example, units that release ashes into the water safely). Fort Lauderdale also has a significant veteran population, so urns with American flag colors or naval insignias are common.

Broward funeral providers emphasize options for smaller families too: companion urns for couples, and decorative tabletop urns for homes. Eco-urns are also available for garden burials in cemeteries like Lauderdale Memorial. A local trend is marine scattering combined with a reef contribution: families place ashes in an urn shaped like a reef ball, which sinks into the ocean and fosters new coral.

Tallahassee, Florida

Tallahassee, Florida’s state capital, caters to government families, university faculty, and rural communities. Its funeral homes often serve a blend of traditions: Military urns for veterans, simple wooden urns for traditional Southern families, and artistic urns for students or academics. Many Tallahassee residents have ties to other parts of Florida, so some urns purchased here are sent to a family plot elsewhere.

Because Tallahassee isn’t on the coast, scattering is usually in wooded areas or lakes. Some families scatter ashes at a favorite state park or on private land. Funeral directors note that making an appointment with a local certified preneed planner can help families of legislators or judges arrange a respectful urn selection. As with any Florida city, you can find both high-end urn retailers and general online catalogs serving Tallahassee.

Gainesville and North-Central Florida

In Gainesville (home of the University of Florida), urn choices can be quite modern – reflecting a youthful and academic community. Photo urns, customizable art urns, or keepsake jewelry urns are popular for younger families. Adept funeral planners there might point to themed urns (e.g., decorated in the university’s colors) if that’s fitting for the person. The many lakes and springs north of Gainesville also offer peaceful scattering spots.

Across North-Central Florida, smaller towns each have funeral homes offering basic to upscale urn selections. For example, Ocala’s historic cemeteries often see families choosing sturdy marble urns for burial. In Pensacola (Panhandle), with its military traditions, urns often have patriotic motifs and ashes may be scattered at sea from fishing boats. Even in rural areas like Marianna or Live Oak, local funeral directors can ship urns to you or show catalogs; they are well-versed in Florida’s flexible scattering laws (families may keep ashes at home or scatter on private land without permit).

Other Florida Cities and Towns

Beyond the cities mentioned, urns are available throughout Florida: in the Keys, on the Space Coast, and everywhere in between. Each community might have its own local customs – for instance, Fort Myers families might favor warm-toned wooden urns, while Panama City residents might choose a simple box urn. But the key point is that everywhere in Florida you can find a cremation urn. Funeral homes and cemeteries in Ocala, Palm Bay, Pensacola, Daytona Beach, and dozens of small towns provide urn catalogs and guidance.

Florida law is quite permissive: you may legally keep urns and ashes at home, bury them in existing plots, or scatter them with very few restrictions. (Just note: federal law requires ocean scattering to take place beyond 3 nautical miles offshore.) So whether you live in Miami or a far-flung hamlet, rest assured there are funeral service providers to help you choose an urn.

Figure: A Florida sunset beach. Many Florida families choose coastal locations for scattering cremated ashes. For example, a Tampa funeral director describes releasing ashes gently into the ocean at sunset during a memorial cruise.

At Dei Gratia Urns, we’re proud to serve customers all over Florida’s cities, towns, and neighborhoods. From Miami’s colorful cultural urns to Jacksonville’s traditional marble urns, to eco-friendly scattering urns for the Keys or Panhandle, our catalogs cover it all. We also keep you informed about Florida’s regulations: for instance, Florida law explicitly states that no casket is required for cremation (only an approved cremation container), and there are no state laws restricting where you may keep or scatter ashes. For sea memorials, the rule is to scatter beyond 3 miles offshore.

No matter where you are in Florida, choose an urn that reflects your loved one’s life. Personalize it with an engraving, select a style they would have loved, and take comfort in knowing Florida’s cremation providers will respect your wishes. Dei Gratia Urns is here to help with compassionate advice and a vast selection of urns.