Urns In Style was honored to work with Mr. Geo Marin in creating a custom urn to celebrate his daughter Jazmine (Jazzy). Afterwards, we reached out to him for an exclusive interview during which he discussed his experience designing a cremation urn for his daughter, as well as the process by which he created the the artwork that perfectly embodies Jazzy. Here are excerpts from the interview:
UIS: Hi Geo. We really appreciate your time talking to us today. You and Urns In Style worked together to design and create a special piece for your beloved daughter, Jazzy. Can you share your story with our readers about how you came up with the idea of creating a custom urn? Did you shop an urn at a funeral service first? Did you shop online? Tell us how your experience was overall.
GEO: Hello. I came about the idea for Jazzy's urn when at the funeral home, on the last day I spoke with the funeral director as to what were my choices for an urn, and she showed me their offerings, and honestly, I was not pleased. The sample urns in their display case were not bad pieces, but I thought my daughter, being a part of me, deserved a better “resting place”. I have always been called very creative, and that struck an idea that I should have something designed to my liking.
UIS: Tell us why you chose cremation.
GEO: I feel that when I had to bury my wife, Monica, she seemed far away resting in a cemetery that was cold and well, not next to me. The cremation I think, keeps my daughter closer to me in a spiritual sense and I feel she is always with me.
UIS: Do you remember how you found with Urns In Style? What made you decide to contact us?
GEO: After having my daughter cremated and not being satisfied with what was offered at the funeral home and catalog, I researched and e-mailed a few places that designed urns and it happened to be that Urns In Style responded pretty fast, and I was pleased with what the company offered, especially the personal touch you have in customer service is what I liked the most, as you guys treated me with respect, and my Urns In Style design consultant cared and felt my ongoing pain.
UIS: When we first talked during our discovery call, you kindly shared many elements that your daughter Jazzy loved but especially the Butterfly and you want it to glow. Can you elaborate for our readers?
GEO: At first I was overwhelmed with ideas and I basically took those ideas and slowly narrowed everything down to how I envisioned the urn in my head. Urns In Style was instrumental in everything as you guys did not rush me at all and worked with me throughout the design. Despite that I was away from the country, we still spoke. It was very rough designing an urn for my daughter who I see as a part of me that I lost. The idea of the floral base came to me because my late wife and I named our daughter after the flower Jasmine. I think it was a nice touch to have a Jasmine flower designed on the stained glass with a hand formed copper hand paint flower depicting the butterfly in it’s natural habitat.
UIS: The scope of the project pertained to creating two pieces: Stained glass art for the butterfly and a base featuring floral arts. How do you describe the design process? Was it your idea to go with stained glass? How did Urns In Style contribute to the design process?
GEO: As I mentioned earlier, I wanted an urn that I liked but more importantly, a beautiful urn that embodied my baby. Jazmine always had a kind liking for animals in general—especially butterflies. I found one of the butterflies she had doodled just last year in 2016 on a notebook, and to my surprise, you guys told me that you could engrave it on her plaque to display on her urn.
UIS: What were the most important aspects for designing the perfect urn for you and Jazzy?
GEO: I wanted to look at the urn and just see Jazmine every time I glanced at it. The urn had to speak of what she was like and the glowing butterfly had to glow because that is how I saw my daughter in everything she did and the way she was with others.
UIS: Once the design process was complete, can you recall how the actual production process went?
GEO: I remember Urns In Style giving me a completion date and being that I was away from the U.S., I told my consultant that there was no rush and I wanted to get everything right. The timing for me personally was not important. Quality was what I really cared about and you guys made everything happen just the way I expected.
UIS: When you received the final piece, what went through your mind?
GEO: I remember I was with a friend and I was anxiously waiting for the package to arrive, and when I saw the shipper with a package I knew it was her urn. I opened the package and just cried so much because I saw my daughter embodied in that urn. It was so beautiful, the colors so rich. I was ecstatic.
UIS: Is there anything you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on during this interview? Do you have any advice for those who are planning to create their own memorial cremation urns?
GEO: I think losing someone is extremely difficult and after the funeral services and all the people that comfort you are gone, you should take some time and cry and then cry some more. Slowly start jotting down some ideas of what made that person and what did the person love and take those ideas and mend them to one central idea. Get input from Urns in Style as they are very helpful and working directly with the company's principal, Michi Kustra, was amazing. She made me feel that I was dealing with someone that cares, not a company. She was extremely accommodating and we took about 5 months or so to design her urn, but the outcome was above and beyond. Don’t rush in designing the urn. You will end up with a beautiful one of a kind urn that will always embody your loved one. Michi not only listened to my many ideas, my many changes, and my late add-ons, she has also became a good warm inspiring friend even after the project completed. I don’t think you can find that personalized customer service in any other company.
UIS: Geo, we truly appreciate your time today sharing your experience in creating a custom urn. We are honored to assist you in celebrating Jazzy’s life.
Interested in learning more about our “design your own” custom urn service? Click here or email us at customercare@urnsinstyle.com. We will be contacting you in one business day to get things started.