Top 10 Funeral Packages Explained: What's Included & What's Not
Farrington Mortuary is a family-owned funeral home serving Costa Mesa, Santa Monica, and Southern California with transparent, itemized pricing. Funeral packages can be confusing, and the hardest part is knowing what a price actually covers before you commit. This guide breaks down ten common funeral packages, spelling out what each one includes and, just as importantly, what it does not, so your family can choose the right farewell without hidden-fee surprises.
Most families arrange a funeral only a handful of times in their lives, so the language of packages rarely means much until you are standing in front of a price list. A "package" is simply a bundle of services at a set price. The trouble is that two packages with similar names can include very different things, and the items left out, such as caskets, cemetery plots, or embalming, are often the ones that move the final bill the most. Reading the fine print is the single best way to protect your family.
1. Basic Direct Cremation ($1,195)
Direct cremation is the simplest package. It includes pickup and transport, refrigerated storage, the cremation container, a private individual cremation, a basic urn, personal return of the ashes, and the licensed funeral director's work on permits and the death certificate.
What is not included: a viewing, embalming, or any formal service. A residence or nursing home pickup fee may apply. This package is built for families who want simplicity and plan to hold their own memorial later.
2. Cremation With Scattering of Ashes at Sea ($1,495 unwitnessed / $2,395 witnessed)
This package adds an ocean farewell to a cremation. The witnessed option includes a boat service where the captain performs the scattering, and the vessel circles the site so family can pray and place rose petals before returning to shore.
What is not included in the base price: extras like a bagpiper, harpist, or dove release, which are available at additional cost. It suits families who want a meaningful ceremony without the price of a full service.
3. Direct Burial ($2,595)
Direct burial is the burial equivalent of direct cremation. It includes transport, storage, washing, dressing and casketing, ordering and receiving the casket, hearse transport to the cemetery, and use of staff at the graveside.
What is not included: the casket itself and cemetery fees are billed separately, and embalming is not included. Families choosing burial on a budget start here and add only what they need.
4. Natural Burial ($2,640)
Natural, or green, burial returns the body to the earth without embalming or a concrete vault. The package covers transport, storage, washing and shrouding or casketing, the casket order, service to a green cemetery within 60 miles, and staff for the graveside service.
What is not included: mileage beyond 60 miles is charged extra, and pricing can shift with cemetery and fuel costs. It is the choice for environmentally conscious families.
5. Home Wake ($2,595)
A home wake brings the farewell into a familiar space. It includes transport, storage, preparation, washing and dressing, flowers, transport of your loved one home for a service of up to four hours, and either private cremation or graveside burial afterward.
What is not included: extended service time beyond four hours and any cemetery or casket upgrades. It is deeply personal and less expensive than a formal chapel service.
6. Cremation With Witness Cremation ($2,695)
This package lets the family be present. It includes preparing your loved one for a viewing, a viewing in the crematorium chapel, a same-day cremation, a basic urn, and personal return of the ashes.
What is not included: a large reception space or catering. It carries deep meaning for many faith and cultural traditions where witnessing the cremation matters.
7. Cremation With Gallery Viewing ($3,395)
Held at Farrington's contemporary Santa Monica location, this package includes washing and dressing, a one-to-two-hour viewing in a gallery-style space, a silk-covered casket (or a rental casket for a small added fee), a basic urn, and return of the ashes.
What is not included: an extended multi-day viewing. It gives families the comfort of a viewing in a calm, modern setting without a traditional funeral's cost.
8. Water Cremation ($3,295)
Water cremation, or alkaline hydrolysis, is a gentle, eco-friendly alternative to flame cremation. The package includes transport, storage, the private process, a basic urn, personal return of the ashes, and all permit and death certificate work.
What is not included: a viewing or service, which can be added separately. It appeals to families who want cremation with a smaller environmental footprint.
9. Cremation With Traditional Church Service ($3,695)
For families who want a full church funeral with cremation, this package includes transport, storage, washing, dressing and casketing, use of a rental casket, hearse to the service location, a basic urn, and return of the ashes.
What is not included: the church or officiant fee, and embalming is a separate add-on. It is a common choice for Catholic and Christian families who want the service but prefer cremation.
10. Full Body Burial at Sea (starting at $4,500)
The most involved green package covers preparation, the mandatory biodegradable sailcloth shroud, coordinating and booking the passenger boat, transportation to the boat, and all professional and permit services for a burial roughly six miles offshore.
What is not included in the base price: an optional casket, a custom floral garland, a hearse, or a bagpiper, all available at additional cost. It is a natural, historic farewell on the open water.
How to Compare Packages Without Getting Surprised
A common pattern among families is focusing on the headline price and forgetting to ask what sits outside it. The two items that most often surprise people are the casket and the cemetery plot, which are almost always billed separately from the funeral home's professional services. The families who avoid sticker shock are the ones who ask for a full itemized general price list, confirm exactly what is included, and get any add-on costs in writing before deciding. A transparent funeral home will hand that over without hesitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a funeral package?
A funeral package is a bundle of services offered at a set price, such as transport, cremation or burial, and the funeral director's professional work. Packages make pricing clearer, but families should always confirm what is included and what is billed separately.
What is usually not included in a funeral package?
The casket and the cemetery plot are the most common exclusions, and embalming is often a separate add-on. Reading the itemized price list is the best way to see exactly what a package covers.
Which funeral package is the most affordable?
Basic direct cremation is the most affordable at $1,195, since it includes only essential care and no viewing or service. Families can hold a personal memorial later at their own pace.
Do funeral packages include the death certificate?
Yes. At Farrington, every package includes the licensed funeral director's work filing permits and completing the death certificate, though additional certified copies from the county may carry a small per-copy fee.
Key Takeaways
Funeral packages range from basic direct cremation at $1,195 to full body burial at sea starting at $4,500, and the key to choosing well is knowing what each includes and excludes. Most packages cover transport, care, and the funeral director's professional work, but the casket and cemetery plot are almost always billed separately, and embalming is often an add-on. The families who avoid surprises ask for a full itemized price list and confirm every add-on cost before committing.
Choosing a funeral package should feel clear, not confusing, and no family should discover hidden costs after the fact. Farrington Mortuary lays out every package with itemized pricing so you know exactly what you are paying for. Call (800) 674-3659 anytime, or start your arrangements online in about five minutes.
