A recent burial trend is placing a new meaning on the “’till death do us part” line of traditional marriage vows.
According to a manager from Rockbridge Memorial Gardens in Virginia—part of our National Cemetery Network—the property has seen a recent increase in double-depth burials. Two people (typically a husband and wife) pre-purchase a cemetery space together, and their caskets are placed on top of one another when they pass. The couple then shares a single marker that features both names.
There are also options for couples with varying final wishes who want to remain together in one cemetery space. Cemeteries can accommodate a single in-ground burial of a cremation urn and a casket in the same plot. In this instance the casket would be placed at a deeper depth and the urn would be placed above it.
If a couple prefers an above-ground final resting place, there are mausoleum options as well. A companion crypt would place the caskets side by side. There is also the option of a tandem crypt placement where the caskets are arranged together lengthwise.
In addition to the sentimentality of spending eternity together on earth, there are some potential cost-savings benefits that come with double-depth burials—the costs associated with cemetery spaces and monuments that can be cut in half of two people sharing one plot.
Cemetery staff will work with couples to ensure their final wishes are met, but double-depth burials require an important element of discussion and planning. What are your final wishes? Are your loved one’s the same? Do you want to take advantage of this new burial trend?
Take some time to think about how you’d like to be buried (and with whom, if the case may be), find a cemetery and start planning.
