We lost both my MIL and SIL a couple years ago. My MIL wanted to be buried, so we went the whole 9 yards; however, she had made and paid for most of the arrangements several years before. We discussed everything with my SIL's husband and decided to have her cremated. Luckily, he claimed the ashes. I have always opted to be cremated, and my husband changed his mind about the big funeral and has decided that he also wants to be cremated. I will leave it to my husband and children to decide what to do with the ashes, but I found out that you can make arrangements with the US Coast Guard to have your ashes scattered at sea, and I told them this was OK with me.