Cemetery & Memorial Planning Glossary

Memorial Planning Resource Center

Cemetery & Memorial

Planning Glossary

Planning for a loved one — or planning ahead for your own family — can feel overwhelming when unfamiliar terms come up. Every definition below is written in plain language, with context about why families choose each option and what the experience is like.

Burial & Cemetery Terms

Interment

Also: burial, final disposition

Interment is the formal word for the burial or placement of a person’s remains — whether in the ground, in a mausoleum crypt, or in a columbarium niche. Many families encounter this term for the first time when planning a service and find it interchangeable with “burial,” though technically interment applies to any permanent placement, including cremated remains.

At Ridgeview West Memorial Gardens, interment services are conducted with care and dignity, giving families a meaningful moment to mark the transition from service to permanent resting place. Families often ask what to expect: typically a brief graveside or committal service, sometimes just immediate family, that provides a quiet and personal close to the funeral process.

Grave / Burial Plot

Also: burial space, cemetery lot

A grave — also called a burial plot or burial space — is a designated area of ground in a cemetery where one or more individuals are interred. Plots are purchased in advance or at the time of need and are deeded property, meaning the right to use that space belongs to the family.

At Ridgeview West, burial plots are available in a variety of garden sections, each with its own character and atmosphere. Many families choose to purchase adjacent plots so that spouses or family members can rest together. Selecting a plot involves choosing both the garden section and the specific location — near a tree, along a path, or in a more open setting — details that matter deeply to families.

Crypt

Also: mausoleum crypt, entombment chamber

A crypt is an individual chamber within a mausoleum designed to hold one person’s remains — or in some cases, two people in a double-depth configuration. Crypts are above-ground spaces, offering families an alternative to ground burial that is protected from the elements.

The term is sometimes used interchangeably with “niche,” though a niche typically refers to a space for cremated remains while a crypt holds a casket. Families who choose crypt entombment often value the permanence and visibility of a mausoleum setting, the ability to place a memorial inscription on the front, and the accessibility of an indoor space for visiting loved ones throughout the year.

Entombment

Also: above-ground burial, mausoleum placement

Entombment is the placement of a casket within a mausoleum crypt, as opposed to ground burial. It is an above-ground form of burial that many families choose for its permanence, its sheltered environment, and the sense of timelessness a mausoleum conveys.

Entombment has deep roots across many cultures and religions and is available at Ridgeview West in both individual and family configurations. The committal ceremony at a mausoleum differs from a graveside service — offering an enclosed, protected space that feels intimate in all seasons. Families often describe entombment as feeling both grand and personal.

Grave Liner & Burial Vault

Also: outer burial container

A grave liner or burial vault is a concrete or other outer container placed in the ground to hold the casket. Most cemeteries require one to prevent the ground from settling over time, which maintains the appearance and safety of the grounds.

A grave liner covers the top and sides but not the bottom; a vault fully encloses the casket and typically offers a higher level of protection. Families are usually presented with liner and vault options when selecting a burial space — these are separate from the casket itself. At Ridgeview West, staff can walk families through which outer burial container is required and what options are available.

Lawn Crypt

Also: in-ground mausoleum, below-grade entombment

A lawn crypt is a pre-placed below-ground structure — essentially an in-ground mausoleum — that allows for above-ground entombment at ground level. The casket is placed in a pre-constructed reinforced space rather than directly in the ground, and a flat memorial marker lies flush with the lawn above.

Lawn crypts offer the protection of entombment with the visual simplicity of a flat cemetery section. They are a popular choice in memorial parks where a manicured lawn aesthetic is maintained, and they can be configured for single or companion (double) placement.

Mausoleum Terms

Mausoleum

Also: above-ground burial structure, entombment building

A mausoleum is a freestanding or attached structure built to house the remains of one or more individuals above ground, in individual chambers called crypts. Mausoleums range from large community structures that serve many families to private family mausoleums built exclusively for a single family.

They are one of the oldest forms of permanent memorialization, with origins across nearly every major culture and faith tradition. At Ridgeview West Memorial Gardens, mausoleum options offer families a dignified, sheltered alternative to ground burial — an enduring structure that can become a lasting landmark for generations to visit. Many families find the mausoleum setting feels both monumental and intimate, combining the grandeur of architecture with the quiet dignity of a personal memorial.

Community Mausoleum

Also: shared mausoleum, public mausoleum

A community mausoleum is a large shared structure within a cemetery that provides crypt spaces for many families. Rather than a private family building, a community mausoleum is part of the cemetery’s overall landscape and is maintained by the cemetery in perpetuity. Families purchase the right to a specific crypt space within the structure.

Community mausoleums offer the prestige and permanence of mausoleum entombment at a more accessible cost than a private mausoleum, while still providing a distinctive and dignified resting place. They are often architecturally significant landmarks within the cemetery grounds — a place families return to with pride for generations.

Private Family Mausoleum

Also: family mausoleum, custom mausoleum

A private or family mausoleum is a structure built specifically for one family — designed, inscribed, and configured to reflect that family’s legacy. Private mausoleums can accommodate multiple family members and are often designed with architectural detail, inscriptions, stained glass, or bronze elements that make them a true family monument.

They represent the highest level of permanent memorialization. Families who choose a private mausoleum often think multigenerationally — creating a space that will serve their family for a century or more. At Ridgeview West, our team can connect families with resources to explore private mausoleum options on the property.

Cremation Terms

Cremation

Also: cremation disposition, fire disposition

Cremation is the process of reducing a person’s remains to ashes — formally called cremated remains or “cremains” — through high heat. It is one of the two primary forms of final disposition, alongside burial. Choosing cremation does not mean choosing impermanence; in fact, cremated remains can be placed in a permanent memorial space just as meaningfully as a casket burial.

At Ridgeview West Memorial Gardens, we offer a range of permanent cremation placement options — columbarium niches, cremation gardens, and in-ground cremation burial — so that families who choose cremation still have a lasting, visitable place to remember and honor their loved one. A permanent placement creates something families can return to — a real place that holds the memory of a real person.

Cremated Remains

Also: cremains, ashes

Cremated remains — sometimes called cremains — are what result from the cremation process. Contrary to a common misconception, they are not solely ash; they include bone fragments that are processed into a fine, sandy consistency.

Many families are unsure what to do with cremated remains after a service. While some choose scattering, many find deep comfort in having a permanent, designated place to visit — a niche in a columbarium, a cremation garden plot, or an in-ground space. At Ridgeview West, we help families understand all permanent placement options so that remembrance is never just a moment, but a lasting place.

Urn

Also: cremation vessel, cremation container

An urn is the vessel used to hold cremated remains after cremation. Urns come in a wide range of materials — bronze, marble, wood, ceramic, biodegradable — and vary in size depending on whether they will be placed in a niche, buried, or kept at home.

When a family plans permanent placement in a columbarium or cremation garden, the type and size of urn matters because it must fit the niche dimensions. Ridgeview West staff can advise families on urn sizing and compatibility with available spaces. Selecting an urn is often one of the most personal decisions in the process — there is no single right answer, only what feels right for the family.

Niche

Also: urn niche, cremation niche

A niche is an individual compartment — typically within a columbarium wall or structure — designed to hold an urn containing cremated remains. Niches come in a range of sizes and configurations: single niches hold one urn, companion niches hold two, and some are designed with glass fronts that allow families to display a small photo or memento alongside the urn.

A niche provides a permanent, designated space that families can visit, just as they would a grave or mausoleum crypt. At Ridgeview West Memorial Gardens, niche options are available in peaceful outdoor settings designed to make visiting a meaningful, comfortable experience throughout the year.

Columbarium

Also: columbarium wall, cremation wall, niche structure

A columbarium is a structure — often a wall, building, or garden feature — made up of individual niches for the permanent placement of cremated remains. The word comes from the Latin for “dove cote,” reflecting the rows of small openings that characterize the design. Columbariums can be indoors or outdoors and are a common feature in modern memorial parks.

They offer families the permanence and visitability of a traditional burial in a form specifically designed for cremated remains. Each niche in a columbarium can be inscribed with the person’s name, dates, and a short tribute. At Ridgeview West, our columbarium settings are integrated into the garden landscape to create a peaceful, natural atmosphere for reflection and remembrance that endures for generations.

Inurnment

Also: niche placement, cremation committal

Inurnment is the formal placement of cremated remains into an urn, niche, or other receptacle — the cremation equivalent of interment. A committal or inurnment service can be held at the columbarium or niche location, giving families a meaningful ceremony to mark the permanent placement of their loved one’s remains.

Like a graveside service, an inurnment service can be as simple or as elaborate as the family wishes — from a private family moment to a larger gathering with readings, music, and tributes. At Ridgeview West, we work with families to create inurnment services that feel personal, peaceful, and complete.

Planning Terms

Preneed & Advance Planning

Also: pre-planning, planning ahead, prearranging

Preneed — sometimes called advance planning or pre-planning — refers to making cemetery and memorial arrangements before the time of need arises. Families who plan ahead choose their burial or cremation space, select memorialization options, and in many cases lock in current pricing, relieving their loved ones of difficult decisions during an already emotional time.

Advance planning is one of the most generous gifts a person can give their family. It removes ambiguity, prevents conflict, and ensures that final wishes are clearly documented and honored. At Ridgeview West Memorial Gardens, our advance planning team works with families gently and without pressure — answering questions, explaining options, and helping families make decisions at their own pace. There is no obligation to decide anything on the day of a visit.

At-Need

Also: immediate arrangements, time-of-need

At-need refers to arrangements made at the time of death — when a family must make decisions quickly in the immediate days following a loss. While at-need arrangements are always handled with full care and professionalism, they carry the added weight of grief and time pressure.

Many families who have made at-need arrangements later reflect that they wish they had planned ahead. Ridgeview West is experienced in guiding at-need families through every decision with compassion and clarity, ensuring that even decisions made quickly feel right and dignified. Our staff understands the weight of this moment and works to provide calm guidance throughout.

Family Memorial Estate

Also: family estate, family burial estate, legacy estate

A family memorial estate is a larger designated area within a cemetery — purchased and reserved for a specific family — that can accommodate multiple generations. Unlike a single burial plot, a family estate creates a defined family space: a section of ground, a mausoleum structure, or a combination of spaces that becomes a lasting family landmark.

Families who choose a memorial estate often think about legacy — creating a place that their children, grandchildren, and beyond can visit and feel connected to their heritage. At Ridgeview West, family estate options are available to families who want to think beyond a single generation and establish a permanent family presence in the park.

Right of Interment

Also: cemetery deed, burial rights, interment rights

The right of interment is the legal right to inter — bury or place remains — in a specific cemetery space. When a family purchases a burial plot, niche, or crypt, they are purchasing the right of interment in that space, not ownership of the land itself, which remains with the cemetery. This right is transferable and recorded in cemetery records.

It is one of the most enduring property rights a family can hold, intended to be permanent. Understanding this distinction helps families have accurate expectations about what cemetery property ownership means — and why a cemetery space, once selected, belongs to your family in perpetuity.

Memorialization Terms

Monument

Also: upright marker, granite monument, memorial stone

A monument is an upright memorial marker — typically granite or marble — placed at a burial space to identify and honor the person interred there. Monuments vary widely in size, shape, and design, from simple upright tablets to ornate carved structures with portraits, symbols, and extended inscriptions.

They are one of the most visible and enduring forms of personalized memorialization. Selecting a monument is a meaningful process, as it becomes the lasting physical tribute visible to every visitor for generations. At Ridgeview West, monument options are available for both ground burial and mausoleum spaces, and our team can help families work with monument designers to create something personal and lasting.

Bronze Marker

Also: flat marker, flush marker, bronze plaque

A bronze marker is a flat memorial plaque — typically flush with the ground or mounted on a granite base — made from cast bronze and inscribed with a person’s name, dates, and personal tribute. Bronze markers are the most common form of memorialization in lawn-style memorial parks because they maintain the open, manicured aesthetic while providing a permanent, dignified tribute.

They are extremely durable, weather-resistant, and can include portraits, emblems, religious symbols, and custom artwork. At Ridgeview West, bronze markers are available for all burial spaces and can be personalized to reflect the individual’s life, faith, and character.

Inscription

Also: epitaph, memorial inscription, marker text

An inscription is the text engraved or cast on a memorial marker, monument, or crypt front. It typically includes the person’s full name, birth and death dates, and a personal tribute — a line of poetry, a faith expression, a family phrase, or a brief description of who they were.

Choosing an inscription is one of the most personal decisions in the memorialization process, and families often take significant care with this choice. A well-chosen inscription becomes part of how a person is remembered by everyone who visits — a permanent statement of who they were and what they meant to those they loved. Ridgeview West staff are experienced in guiding families through inscription choices and can offer suggestions or examples to help families find the words that feel right.