Updated: 5 days ago
When someone you love dies, a memorial website gives everyone who knew them one place to visit long after the service. Relatives near and far can read about their life, look through pictures and add a story of their own.
How you build a website for a loved one depends on your time, who will look after it and how private it should be. This guide covers every way to make one, what to include and how to keep it online.
Create a memorial website that keeps their story close. Choose a template or start with AI, make the design your own and add the tools you need to share photos, gather memories and post service details, all with Wix.
TL;DR: how to create a memorial website
A memorial website, or memorial page, is a site that honors a person who has died with a biography, a photo gallery, funeral or celebration details and a guestbook. Families can build one from a template or with AI, then set privacy and plan renewals so it stays up.
You'll learn:
Every way to build one, compared
The pages and features families use most
How to moderate shared memories
Ways to give in their name
What it costs to keep it online
How to make one with Wix
What is a memorial website?
A memorial website is a personal website created to honor someone who has died. It usually holds their life story, photos and videos, details of the funeral or memorial service and a guestbook where visitors leave condolences and memories.
A memorial page is the same idea on a single page, often one long scrolling page with a short biography, a gallery and a message wall. Some families start with one page and add more, such as a timeline or a page for each chapter of a life, as relatives send material.
With Wix, for example, a one-page website lets you organize a memorial page into a single scrolling page with anchored navigation, so visitors can jump straight to the gallery or the guestbook.
An obituary announces a death and the service details, usually in a newspaper or on a funeral home's site. A memorial website can include the obituary text, but it belongs to the family, who can add to it and share it for years.
Ways to build a memorial website
There are several ways to create a memorial website, from filling in a template to writing code. For a family, the biggest difference is who can add photos and stories later without help, and who looks after the site in five or ten years.
Already know how you'll build it? Skip ahead to the 8 steps.
Memorial website builder with templates
A website builder gives you ready-made pages that you fill in with your own words and photos. A memorial template usually includes a welcome page, a biography, a gallery and a guestbook, so you only replace the placeholder text and pictures.
This suits most families, because anyone comfortable with email can change a photo or add a service time later.
Dedicated online memorial platforms, such as Ever Loved or ForeverMissed, also offer memorial pages with set layouts. Check how much you can change, what the free version includes and how long the page stays up.
Create a memorial website with an AI website builder
An AI website builder asks a few questions, such as the person's name, the tone you want and the pages you need, and creates a first draft. You then edit it like a template, replacing the sample text and images with your own.
It helps when grief makes a blank page hard to face. Check every name, date and place the AI writes, and replace any generated images with real photos of the person.
Worth knowing: AI can suggest a structure and gentle wording, but it didn't know the person. Use it for the layout and a first draft, and write the memories in your family's own words.
Learn more: How to design a website with AI
Build a memorial website with an AI chat assistant
An AI chat assistant, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, can help you plan the pages, turn notes into a short biography and suggest wording for the service details. Some website platforms connect to these assistants, so you can create and edit the site from the chat itself.
With Wix, for example, you can make a website with Wix in ChatGPT by typing @Wix, or use Claude with Wix through the official Wix connector. You still review the site in a browser before you share the link.
Build a memorial website with AI coding tools
AI coding tools, such as Claude Code, Cursor or Lovable, write a website's code from your instructions, which some people call vibe coding. You get a custom design, but you also need hosting, a domain and a safe way to collect messages, and someone has to fix what breaks.
This suits a family member who already builds software. Think about who takes over if that person can't, since a coded site is harder for other relatives to update.
Learn more: How to vibe code a website
Use a content management system (CMS) for a memorial website
A content management system (CMS), such as WordPress, is software for creating and updating pages without editing code. You choose a theme, add plugins for features like a guestbook and keep the software updated, either yourself or through your host.
A CMS suits families who plan to post often, such as yearly remembrance letters or news from a fund in the person's name. For a site meant to last for decades, those regular updates are the main thing to plan for.
Hand-code a memorial website
Hand-coding means writing the site yourself in HTML, CSS and JavaScript and putting it online with a hosting service. You control every detail, and you're responsible for every form, security fix and renewal.
It suits developers who want to make the site with their own hands as part of remembering. Write down where it's hosted and how to update it for whoever looks after it next.
Learn more: How to make a website
Headless website development for a memorial site
A headless website keeps the design visitors see separate from the system that stores content and handles features like forms or donations. A developer builds the design in code and connects it to that system, for example Wix Headless.
For a memorial, headless only makes sense for a developer who wants a fully custom design, or for a foundation with specific requirements. The developer sets up and tests every visitor step, from reading the biography to leaving a message.
Ask a designer or family member to help
If building a website feels like too much right now, ask someone to help. A relative or friend who is comfortable online can set it up, or you can hire a web designer and share the photos and stories you want to include.
Agree on who can make changes after launch and who keeps the account login. Some funeral homes also offer an online obituary page, so ask what's included and whether the family can edit it and keep it.
Find the best way to create your memorial website
Method | Best for | Who adds photos and stories | Guestbook and privacy | Skills needed |
Website builder with templates | Most families | Any family member | Built-in apps and settings | None |
AI website builder | Families who need a starting point | Any family member | Built-in apps and settings | None |
AI chat assistant | People who prefer to describe changes | Anyone with access, through chat | Depends on the platform | Basic |
AI coding tools | A tech-savvy relative | The person who built it | You set it up | Medium |
CMS | Families who post often | You, plus plugin updates | Plugins | Medium |
Hand-coding | Developers | The developer | You build it | Advanced |
Headless | Custom designs or foundations | The developer | Connected service | Advanced |
Designer or family helper | Families short on time or energy | The helper, then the family | Set up for you | None |
How to create a memorial website in 8 steps
These steps follow the order you'll build in: plan with your family, choose a design, add the story and photos, set privacy and then share the site.
Before you start: plan with your family
Before you open a builder, agree on a few things with close family: who the site is for, what it should hold and who will look after it. Ask relatives to send photos, videos and short stories to one person or a shared folder so nothing gets lost.
Decide early whether the site will be public or private, whether visitors can post without approval and whether you'll point people to a cause. These choices shape the template, the apps you add and the settings in step 05.
Anna Suntsov, Blog and Social Design Team Lead at Wix
“The most important thing before building a website is good research. Know what you want to do and collect good inspirations that will contribute to your design.”
For a memorial site, that research can be as simple as looking at a few memorial pages together and noting what felt right.
01. Choose a template or an AI website builder
Start with a template made for memorials, or let an AI website builder draft the first version. This online memorial website template has pages for a biography, a gallery and a guestbook, and you can browse more website templates in other styles, all free to use and customizable.
When you compare templates, check for:
A biography or About page
A photo and video gallery
A guestbook or comments area
Space for service details
A layout that reads well on a phone
You can keep the layout as it is and only add your photos and text, or change the colors, background and fonts to suit your type of website and the person's personality. Wix also offers other design features if you want to go further.
Expert tip from Dafna Rabin, Wix Templates Design Team Lead
“Once you pick the right layout or template for you, it’s really important to take the time to customize all the content. Many people overlook this step. Make sure you remove any unrelated images or paragraphs, and focus on creating a clear flow for the content that tells the story you want to share with your audience.”
For a memorial site, that means clearing out the template's placeholder text first, so every page reads as one person's story.
If you'd rather start from a description, Wix Harmony creates a first draft from a prompt, and its AI agent, Aria, can help rewrite pages as you go. You can then drag and drop any element to adjust it by hand.
02. Create a domain name
A custom domain name isn't required, but it gives the site a short address that's easy to read out at a service or print on a program, such as the person's full name. Choose one that's short, easy to spell and matches how people knew them.
When you choose a Premium plan with Wix, you can also get a free domain name voucher. Plan for the domain renewal too, since a memorial site is meant to stay up for years.
03. Upload media
Photos help visitors remember the person as they were. Start by uploading the photos and then choose how to show them: a photo gallery sorted by decade, place or event works well for large collections.
Adding a slideshow suits a short set of favorite pictures in a set order, and you can choose the speed and transitions. Scan old prints at a high resolution and ask relatives for original files rather than screenshots, so faces stay sharp.
Video brings back a voice and a laugh. You can add clips from YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook or upload files from your computer, and keep a recording of the service on the site for people who couldn't attend.
You can also consider adding music, such as a favorite song or a playlist they loved. Only upload recordings you have the right to share.
04. Add meaningful text
The words on a memorial site usually include a short biography, the obituary or death notice and tributes from family and friends. Start with the basics (full name, dates and places of birth and death) and then the people, work and passions that shaped their life.
A timeline helps visitors follow a long life: childhood, school, work, marriage, children, moves and milestones. Add a photo to each point where you can, and invite relatives to fill the gaps you don't know.
If you've already written an obituary for a newspaper or funeral home, reuse it on the site and add what didn't fit, like favorite sayings, recipes or the stories people tell at every family gathering.
Choose a font and colors that feel like them, quiet and classic or bright and warm, and keep the text easy to read on a phone. You can also learn how to build a blog and add one to the site, so family can post remembrance letters on birthdays and anniversaries.
05. Control privacy
Decide who should see the site before you share it. A public site is easiest for distant friends to find, while a private one keeps personal details among family. You can limit access by making your website password protected page by page, and password-protected pages aren't indexed by search engines.
With Wix, you can also create members-only pages that only signed-in visitors can see, and turn off search engine indexing for the whole site so it stays out of search results. A password for the whole site isn't available to all users yet, so check what your settings offer.
Whatever you choose, leave out home addresses, the dates the house will be empty and any financial details, and ask before posting photos of other people, especially children.
06. Invite people to view the memorial website
Share the link where people already look for news: in the obituary, the service program, a family group chat and on social media. A QR code on the printed program lets guests open the site on their phones.
To reach a longer list, an email marketing service lets you upload contacts, schedule an announcement and start from a ready-made email template. Ask people to reply with photos and stories you can add to the site.
Put the service details on their own page or section: date, time, address, parking and where to send flowers or gifts. Wix Events lets you create an RSVP event with the date, location and a description, and you can make the event private or password-protected.
If some people can't travel, you can stream the service on the site. Wix Video supports live streaming from an encoder, with up to 10 minutes per stream on a free site and up to 3 hours with a Premium plan, and the recording is saved to your video library afterward.
07. Encourage communication
A guestbook or memory wall lets people share stories and support each other. Adding a comments app, such as Wix Comments, gives visitors a place to write, and you can moderate every comment from one dashboard and choose whether guests can comment without signing in.
Decide how you'll moderate before you open it up. Some families approve each message first, while others check new comments daily and remove anything hurtful or spam. A form that sends memories to you, rather than posting them, gives you the most control.
If the family wants an ongoing space to talk, Wix also offers community tools such as member groups. Group posts can't be approved in advance yet, so keep an eye on new posts.
08. Use their memory for a cause
Some families ask for donations to a cause the person cared about instead of flowers. The simplest way is to name the charity on the site and link to its own donation page, so gifts go straight to the organization and it handles receipts.
If a registered charity or foundation runs the site, the Wix Donations app lets it collect one-time or recurring gifts and run several campaigns. It needs a plan that supports payments and a connected payment provider, and Wix Payments only processes donations for registered charities.
The Wix Help Center also lists other options. You can set up a PayPal Donate button, which needs a PayPal Business or Premier account and sends gifts directly to that PayPal account.
A practical note: rules for raising money in someone's name, for example for funeral costs, depend on your country and payment provider. Check the provider's terms and local rules before you add a donation button (this isn't legal advice).
What should I include in a memorial website?
A memorial website usually combines a few core pages with features that let other people take part. Use this table to plan yours, then add what fits the person and your family.
Top features of a meaningful memorial website
Feature | Why it matters | Wix tool to use |
Life story and timeline | Tells the story of their life in order | Website templates, Wix Blog |
Photo and video galleries | Brings memories to life | Wix Pro Gallery, Wix Video |
Guestbook or memory wall | Lets visitors share condolences and stories | Wix Comments, Wix Forms |
Service details | Helps people find the date, time and place | Wix Events |
Livestream | Lets people who can't travel take part | Wix Video |
Donations | Supports causes that mattered to them | A charity link, Wix Donations |
Privacy settings | Controls who can see and post | Page passwords, members-only pages |
Obituary text | Shares the formal notice in one place | Home or About page |
You might also add grief support groups and counseling services, links to organizations the person supported, burial or resting place information and a contact for the family.
How to keep a memorial website online for years
A memorial site is meant to last, so plan for it like any long-term account. On Wix, Premium plans and domains renew automatically by default. If a plan ends, the site stays live but goes back to a free wixsite.com address with Wix ads, and canceling a plan doesn't delete the site's content.
A domain that expires is disconnected from the site, with a grace period of about 30 days to renew it. Keep the payment card on the account current, and set a reminder before each renewal date.
Make sure a second family member knows how to reach the account, so the site doesn't depend on one person. Keep copies of the photos and stories offline as well.
How much does a memorial website cost?
You can create a memorial website for free on many website builders, including Wix. A free site uses the platform's own address and shows its ads.
Costs come from what you add: a Premium plan to remove ads and connect a custom domain, the domain renewal each year, longer livestreams and payment processing fees if a charity collects donations through the site.
Some dedicated memorial platforms charge a one-time fee for premium features, so compare what each includes.
Learn more: How much does a website cost
Memorial website ideas for inspiration
Every memorial site is personal, but most follow one of a few shapes. Browse real Wix sites for a website idea you like, then pick the shape that fits the person.
A one-page memorial page
One scrolling page with a photo, a short biography, a gallery and a guestbook. It's quick to build and easy to share as a single link.
A life story timeline
Pages or sections for each chapter of a life, from childhood to later years, with photos and stories from the people who were there.
A family archive
A gallery-led site that collects scanned letters, recipes, recordings and photos, so younger relatives can find them later.
A foundation in their name
A site for a scholarship, a fund or a yearly event in the person's memory, with updates and a link to give.
How to create a memorial website with Wix
Wix gives families a few ways to build, depending on how much help you want and which features the site needs.
Build and manage the site
Start from a memorial template or describe the site to Wix Harmony, which builds a first draft and lets you drag and drop any element. If you prefer chat, you can build and edit the site from ChatGPT or Claude.
Add the features families use
Wix Pro Gallery shows photos and videos in grids and slideshows. Wix Video hosts recordings and live streams, Wix Comments adds a moderated guestbook and Wix Events shares service details with RSVPs.
Wix Donations lets a registered charity collect gifts in the person's name, and you can find more tools in the Wix App Market.
Keep it private and online
Page passwords, members-only pages and search settings control who sees the site. Plans and domains renew automatically by default, so the site stays on its own address for as long as you keep them active.
Get help building it
If you'd rather hand it off, a designer can build the site for you. Funeral homes or designers who make memorial sites for several families can use Wix Studio, which adds advanced design tools and client management.
Memorial website FAQ
How can I create an online memorial?
Create an online memorial by building a memorial website or memorial page. Pick a template or an AI website builder, add a biography, photos and service details, set your privacy options and share the link with family and friends.
How do I create a memorial page?
Choose a one-page template and add a photo, the person's name and dates, a short biography, a gallery and a guestbook. Publish it, then share the link in the obituary, the service program or a family group chat.
How to write a memorial page?
Start with the person's name and dates, then write a few paragraphs about who they were: family, work, passions and the qualities people remember. Keep the tone warm, add a favorite quote or story and end with service details or a cause to support.
What is an obituary website?
An obituary website shares a death notice with biographical details and service information, often on a funeral home or newspaper site. A memorial website can include the obituary, and the family can keep adding photos and memories for years.
Can AI help write an obituary or memorial page?
Yes. An AI chat assistant can turn your notes into a first draft and suggest a structure. Check every name, date and place, and rewrite the draft in your family's own words, since the AI didn't know the person.
Can I create a memorial website for free?
Yes. Many website builders, including Wix, let you create and publish a memorial website for free. A paid plan removes ads and lets you connect a custom domain.
What is the best memorial website?
The best memorial website is the one your family can update easily and keep online for years. Dedicated memorial platforms offer set layouts, while a website builder gives you more design freedom and your own domain.
Do I need technical knowledge to build a memorial site?
No. With a website builder you can start from a template or an AI website builder and edit everything without coding.
How do I moderate messages on a memorial website?
Choose a guestbook or comments tool that lets you review, hide or delete messages, and decide whether visitors must sign in to post. Check new messages regularly, or collect memories through a form and post the ones you choose.
Can people donate in their name through a memorial website?
Yes. The simplest option is to link to the charity's own donation page. A registered charity can also collect gifts through a donations app with a connected payment provider. Rules for personal fundraising depend on the provider and your country.
Are there costs involved in creating and maintaining a memorial site?
A memorial site can be free. Optional costs include a paid plan, a custom domain and its yearly renewal and payment fees if a charity collects donations through the site.
How long will my memorial site be live for?
On Wix, ending a paid plan doesn't delete the site: it stays live on a free address with Wix ads. An expired domain is disconnected from the site, so keep renewals and the payment card on the account up to date.
