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Make an Invoice NowA funeral service invoice is sent for payment after a ceremony has been performed for the deceased and their family. The funeral company, either as part of a wake or other cultural rituals, may also provide services such as preservation of the body through embalming, transporting the body, making arrangements with the cemetery, and assisting in the obituary. The funeral service is most likely to be conducted at the funeral home where the body is buried or transferred within five (5) days.
Table of Contents
- What is a Funeral Service?
- How much does a Funeral Service cost?
- How long does a Funeral Service last?
- How long does a Funeral Home hold a body?
- Funeral Service vs Memorial Service
- Funeral Industry Salary & Hourly Rate ($/hr)
What is a Funeral Service?
A funeral service is provided by a local funeral home that begins by obtaining possession of a body once the person has died, and proceeds to care for the deceased all the way to the cemetery or crematorium. Upon the funeral home receiving the body, the service will begin by embalming and preparing for any wake or other ceremony decided by the family. The funeral service will provide the coffin, help the family write the obituary, and transport the body to the cemetery for burial. The funeral service is commonly paid with a deposit at the start with the balance being paid after the burial or cremation.
How much does a Funeral Service cost?
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the average cost for a funeral in the year 2019 was $7,640.
Cost Breakdown
- Base Service Fee: $2,195
- Body Transportation: $350
- Embalming: $750
- Other Preparation: $255
- Use of Facilities for Viewing: $425
- Use of Facilities for Ceremony: $500
- Hearse: $340
- Service Car/Van: $150
- Memorial Print Package: $175
- Metal Casket: $2,500
How long does a Funeral Service last?
A service can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the religion and cultural values.
Christian Funerals
Most Catholic, Protestant, and other religions related to the Christian faith take between 45 to 60 minutes for the mass. Afterward, the ceremony proceeds to the cemetery for the burial. For cremations, a memorial service will happen at a later time.
Jewish Funerals
Most Jewish funerals will last 40 to 70 minutes at a synagogue and then the body is required to be buried either that day or the next depending on how early the person died. If the deceased passed that morning, the body is required to be buried that day. If the deceased passed in the afternoon or later in the day the body is required to be buried the next day.
Muslim Funerals
Most funerals of the Muslim faith are performed by an Imam and can last from 30 to 60 minutes. In the Muslim faith, a body must be buried within twenty-four (24) hours of the time of death. With such time-restrictions, it can be difficult to arrange the necessary family members and friends to celebrate the life of the deceased.
How long does a Funeral Home hold a body?
Depending on the circumstance a funeral home can hold a body from 1 day to 3 weeks. If the body is to be held for more than five (5) days, the funeral home is recommended to embalm and refrigerate the body until it can be transported to the burial or cremation.
Funeral Service vs Memorial Service
A funeral service is a ceremony that occurs with the body of the deceased.
- Example: A wake, religious mass with the coffin, or the burial of the deceased.
A memorial service is a ceremony without the body of the deceased.
- Example: If the deceased was cremated, the spreading of the ashes.