In-person memorial service
People gather physically to remember, speak and support one another.
Digital memorial services
Bring everyone together to remember a life
A digital memorial service can help family and friends take part in remembrance wherever they are, while an online memorial creates a lasting place for photographs, messages and memories long after the service has ended.
Free for 6 months No card required Public or private
- Include people anywhereContribute across places and time zones
- Share a life togetherGather photographs, stories and messages
- Public or privateChoose how the memorial is shared
- Keep memories togetherReturn and add more after the service
A clear definition
What is a digital memorial service?
A digital memorial service uses online technology to help people remember and celebrate someone who has died. It may complement an in-person funeral or memorial, enable distant friends and relatives to participate, and provide an online place where photographs, stories, messages and memories can continue to be shared afterwards.
The wider idea can include remotely shared readings, video, livestreaming or recorded participation. Unforgettable Memorials focuses on the lasting memorial: a dedicated page for life details, photographs, stories, videos, music and condolence messages. It does not provide funeral livestreaming.
That lasting page can be shared before the service, used to gather contributions around it, and continue growing when the event itself is over.
Connected forms of remembrance
A memorial service no longer has to exist in only one place
Physical, virtual and digital remembrance can work together. The right combination depends on the people involved, not on a fixed format.
Virtual memorial service
People attend or participate remotely in an online remembrance experience.
Digital memorial
A permanent place dedicated to the person that remains accessible before and after the service.
Learn more about creating an online memorial or how a virtual memorial supports remote remembrance.
Before, during and after
A place for memories before, during and long after the service
- 1
Before the service
Create the memorial and begin gathering photographs, stories, messages, important details and contributions from people who may not be able to attend.
- 2
During the service
Share the memorial link, invite people to contribute and use selected photographs or memories as thoughtful material around the wider remembrance.
- 3
After the service
Keep the memorial available so people can return, add photographs, leave messages and introduce future generations to the person’s story.
Give everyone somewhere to share what they remember
The service may last an hour. The photographs, messages and stories can remain together for much longer.
Create a memorialStart with a name and photograph. Add more whenever you’re ready.
The lasting memorial
Bring the different parts of someone’s life together
A dedicated memorial preserves more than an announcement. It lets different people contribute the part of a life they knew.
Photographs
Collect images from childhood, friendships, family life and ordinary moments.
Stories
Preserve anecdotes and memories that might otherwise be lost.
Messages
Give people somewhere thoughtful to leave condolences or personal remembrance.
Video and music
Include meaningful recordings and music alongside the written story.
Family contributions
Invite people to submit their own photographs, words and memories for review.
Life details and events
Record dates, biography, events and relevant charity links in one organised place.
Participation without travel
Include people who cannot be there in person
Relatives abroad, elderly family members, colleagues and old friends may be unable to attend at short notice. Distance does not have to prevent someone from contributing to the remembrance. A shared memorial link gives them somewhere to add photographs, words and memories in their own time.
Many views of one life
No one person remembers an entire life
Childhood friends, relatives, neighbours, colleagues, teammates and grandchildren each know a different part of someone. Their photographs and stories can reveal moments others have never seen or heard, making collaborative remembrance richer than a static notice.
Understanding the options
Is a digital memorial service the same as livestreaming a funeral?
No, not necessarily. Funeral livestreaming primarily lets people watch an event remotely. A digital memorial service can be broader, gathering photographs, written memories and messages in a place that remains afterwards. Unforgettable Memorials is not a funeral livestreaming platform.
What is the difference between a digital memorial service and an online memorial?
A digital memorial service describes the wider use of technology around remembrance, often surrounding a funeral or commemorative event. An online memorial is the lasting page dedicated to the person. It can form part of the service and remain available afterwards.
Is a digital memorial service the same as a virtual memorial?
A virtual memorial usually describes a remembrance event or experience taking place online. A digital memorial service is broader: digital tools can support remembrance whether the main gathering is physical, virtual or a combination of both.
Where does an online condolence book fit in?
An online condolence book mainly collects messages of sympathy and remembrance. A full memorial can also preserve photographs, stories, video, music, life details and ongoing contributions.
A practical starting point
How to create a digital memorial for a memorial service
- 1
Create the memorial
Start with the person’s name and photograph.
- 2
Add what matters
Include life details, photographs, stories and memories.
- 3
Invite other people
Share the memorial and welcome family contributions.
- 4
Use it around the service
Give people somewhere to visit before or after the event.
- 5
Keep adding over time
Let the memorial grow after the service has finished.
Privacy and control
Share the memorial in the way that feels right
Choose a public memorial or keep it private and share its direct link. The memorial custodian manages the page and can review guest photographs, stories and condolence messages before publishing them.
A permanent place
The service ends. The memories don’t.
Stories heard at a service and photographs found across different branches of a family can easily disappear into messages, social feeds and phones. A dedicated memorial gives those fragments somewhere considered to remain together.
Useful ideas
Ways to use a digital memorial around a memorial service
- Invite guests to contribute a favourite photograph beforehand
- Collect memories from people unable to attend
- Use selected photographs as inspiration for the service
- Invite people to leave messages after the ceremony
- Preserve stories shared during speeches
- Add photographs from different stages of the person’s life
- Share the link with relatives in other countries or time zones
- Continue adding memories after the event
For families spread across towns, countries and time zones, an online place allows each person to take part when they can—without requiring everyone to be available in the same place at the same moment.
Why it helps
Why use a digital memorial service?
Include people wherever they are
Let family and friends contribute without needing to travel or be online at the same time.
Gather a fuller story
Bring together memories from family, friendships, work, neighbourhoods and different generations.
Create somewhere to return to
Keep online remembrance available after an in-person or virtual memorial service has ended.
Preserve photographs and stories
Give important images, messages and personal accounts a dedicated home rather than a temporary feed.
Support different kinds of service
Use the memorial alongside a physical gathering, an online remembrance service or a mixture of both.
Keep family control
Choose public or private sharing and review guest contributions before they appear.
Designed with care
A thoughtful place, with clear choices
Public or private
Choose whether the memorial is discoverable or shared through its direct link.
Contributions under your control
The memorial custodian can review guest photographs, stories and messages before publishing.
Start without payment details
Use the complete memorial free for six months, with no card required.
Help when you need it
Follow the step-by-step creation guide or explore our practical resources.
Helpful answers
Digital memorial service FAQs
You can also follow our practical guide to creating an online memorial.
What is a digital memorial service?
A digital memorial service uses online technology to support remembrance before, during or after a funeral or commemorative event. It can help distant family and friends contribute, while a lasting online memorial keeps photographs, stories and messages together afterwards.
How does a digital memorial service work?
A family creates and shares a digital place for the person being remembered. People can visit from wherever they are, contribute photographs, stories and condolence messages, and return after the service to keep building the memorial.
Can it be used with an in-person funeral?
Yes. A digital memorial can complement an in-person funeral or memorial service by gathering photographs and memories beforehand, including contributions from people who cannot attend, and preserving them after the event.
Can people who cannot attend contribute?
Yes. Sharing the memorial link gives relatives, friends and colleagues elsewhere a place to add their own words, photographs and stories. Guest contributions can be reviewed by the memorial custodian before publication.
Is it the same as livestreaming a funeral?
No. A livestream is primarily a way to watch an event remotely. Digital remembrance can be broader, combining remote contributions with photographs, stories, messages and an online memorial that remains after the event. Unforgettable Memorials is not a funeral livestreaming platform.
What is the difference between a digital memorial service and an online memorial?
A digital memorial service describes the wider use of technology around remembrance. An online memorial is the lasting page dedicated to one person and can form the permanent part of that wider service.
What can I add to a digital memorial?
You can add photographs, life details, written stories, condolence messages, videos, music, events and charity links. Family and friends can also submit their own memories for review.
Can a digital memorial be private?
Yes. A memorial can be public or private. The custodian chooses how it is shared and controls which guest contributions are published.
How do I share it with family and friends?
You can share the memorial’s direct link by email, text or the messaging service your family already uses. People can visit from different places and time zones whenever they are ready.
How much does it cost?
Every memorial starts with six months free and no card is required. You can choose an ongoing plan when the free period ends.
Begin when you are ready
Keep the memories together after the service is over
Create somewhere family and friends can continue sharing photographs, stories and memories whenever they are ready.
Create a memorialStart with just a name and photograph.