To create a memorial website, choose a template, upload photos and videos, write a short biography of the person and add a guestbook and a donation link, then share the address with family and friends. Creating a website to honor someone who has passed keeps their memory somewhere lasting, and learning how to make a website as a memorial takes less time than most people expect.
It has become a popular website idea for families who want somewhere permanent to gather. Wix provides an easy-to-use website builder with designer-made, fully customizable templates. This guide walks through the eight steps, what to include on each page and how to control who can see the site.
Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should feel simple and exciting. Wix generates a personalized starting point with AI. You can customize every detail with intuitive drag-and-drop tools, while Wix handles the tricky parts to make building your site simple. That way, you can focus on what matters most: bringing your ideas to life. Ready to get started? Create your website today.
TL;DR: How to create a memorial website
A memorial website honors someone’s life and gives family and friends one place to remember and share. This guide covers choosing a layout, writing a meaningful bio, organizing photos and memories and adding features like a guestbook or donation link, whether you are building it for a loved one or offering it as a service.
Top features of a meaningful memorial website
Features of a memorial website | Why it's important |
Personal biography | Shares the story of the person’s life in a clear, heartfelt way |
Photo and video galleries | Brings memories to life with meaningful visuals |
Guestbook or memory wall | Gives visitors a place to share stories, condolences or messages |
Event and service info | Helps people find dates, times and details for memorial events |
Donation links | Makes it easy to support causes that mattered to the person |
Privacy settings | Allows you to choose who can view or contribute to the site |
How to create a memorial website in 8 steps
01. Choose a template or an AI website builder
While you can always build your memorial site from scratch, using a template is the easiest way to get started. This special online memorial website template includes all of the features you need to make a meaningful site. You can also browse through this selection of website templates, all of which are free to use and easily customizable.
After choosing your template, it’s up to you how much control you want to have over the website design. You can keep things simple by leaving the website layout as is, while uploading relevant information such as your photos, videos and text.
You can also take advantage of the template’s customizability, changing specific elements to fit your type of website, such as its color scheme, background image or font. There are many other design features that you can use to tailor the memorial website even more so that it reflects the personality and life of the person you are memorializing.
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 business copy first, so the page reads as one person’s story and nothing else.
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Learn more: How to design a website with AI
02. Create a domain name
While a custom domain name is not necessary for creating a memorial website, it can be a nice way to let the name of your loved one live on. Acting as your website’s online address, a personalized domain name will also add a distinguished, professional feel to your site. When using Wix, you can create a free domain name with premium packages.
Learn more: How much does a website cost
03. Upload media
Displaying photos of your departed is a wonderful way to remember the precious moments you and others have shared together. Start by uploading the photos to your website’s gallery, and then choosing how you want to display them. Before adding them to your page, edit your photos with the Wix Editor by cropping them, adding frames or using filters.
Adding a slideshow on your memorial site is a good option for showcasing multiple photos in a specific order. Slideshows can have a touching visual appeal, and you can choose from various speeds and slide transitions. Another option is using a photo gallery on your site, where you might divide photos into specific themes, time periods or events, using an attractive gallery layout.
Sharing videos on your memorial site is a brilliant solution for making sure no one misses the funeral or memorial service. Embed video from YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook straight into your video library, or upload files from your computer. Both sit alongside the rest of your media. Another creative way to connect those who are not able to attend services is to live stream the event directly on your site.
To further remember your departed, think about adding music to the memorial website. Perhaps their favorite song or playlist can be a poignant reminder of your lasting memories.
04. Add meaningful text
A memorial site is an opportunity to share meaningful texts about your loved one. Whether it's a eulogy or another type of personal tribute from family and friends. Sharing stories about your loved one is a sincere way to honor them.
When adding text, you can further express the memory of your loved one by changing your website’s font to a style that represents their personality, or perhaps one that sets a distinct tone.
Consider learning how to build a blog and adding it to your memorial website to create a lasting space where family and friends can share memories and reflections about your loved one. Use it as a platform for storytelling and honoring their legacy with personal anecdotes.
05. Control privacy
Privacy may be a concern for some people, especially when personal or sensitive content is involved. If the online memorial is something you’d like to limit to close family and friends, you can easily control access by making your website password protected.
06. Invite people to view the memorial website
Once you’ve created a memorial site, you’ll want to let family and friends know that they can visit it themselves. A convenient way to inform them of the new site is by using an email marketing service. This solution makes it easy to upload contacts and schedule emails. The professional email templates offered will help you announce the website’s launch with a touch of class.
It’s common practice to encourage correspondence, and ask people to send back relevant photos or stories they may have. When they get back to you with images and/or stories, you can easily add them to your website.
07. Encourage communication
A memorial website is a strong way to get family and friends who knew your loved one to communicate and support each other. Adding the Comments App directly to your site will make it easy for visitors to share experiences and memories with each other. Alternatively, creating a forum for your community is another lively way to keep the conversation going. It’s easy to manage and there are many templates and features that you can integrate into your site.
08. Use their memory for a cause
Another way to honor your loved one’s memory is by supporting a cause they were passionate about in their lifetime. There are many charities out there in need of donations and it shouldn’t be difficult to find one that resonates with their story.
With Wix, you can set up a PayPal Donate button on your memorial site so that donations are sent directly to your account. You can either create a set amount for donations or let visitors decide how much they wish to contribute.
For ongoing support, the Wix Donations app handles it natively. You can run more than one campaign, accept one-time or recurring gifts and manage donors and receipts from your dashboard. Wix enables non-profit organizations and cause-driven businesses to collect donations natively, with a dedicated donations page and built-in error handling included out of the box.
What should I include in a memorial website?
When creating a memorial website, you'll want to think about which pages and content to include. Some recommended information includes:
An introduction that is welcoming and reserved and sets the tone for the entire site
A brief biography of the deceased, highlighting their accomplishments, passions and personality
A curated collection of photos and videos that capture the deceased's life, personality and interests
Images that evoke fond memories and showcase their essence
A space for visitors to share their thoughts, memories and messages of condolence
Information about grief support groups, counseling services and other resources that may be helpful to visitors
Links to relevant organizations or charities that the deceased supported
Details on the burial or memorial service
Memorial website FAQ
How can I create an online memorial?
You can create an online memorial by creating a website. This allows you to gather important information pertaining to funeral arrangements, as well as provides an easily accessible online portal for memory sharing and keeping.
How to write a memorial page?
Compose a heartfelt memorial page by sharing cherished memories, emphasizing the individual's impact and qualities. Begin with a brief introduction, including the person's name, birth and passing dates. Highlight their achievements, character and contributions to society and their family. Use a warm tone and consider adding quotes, poems or anecdotes. You can ask other family members and friends to share these with you to include in the page. Consider including a photo gallery as well. Provide details about memorial services or contributions in their honor at the end. Keep the language respectful and comforting, as its main goal is to offer solace and comfort to those who visit the page.
What is an obituary website?
An obituary website is an online platform dedicated to commemorating individuals who have passed away. It typically includes biographical information, details about the person's life and achievements and funeral service details. Obituary websites are online memorials, allowing friends and family to share condolences, memories and photos in memory of the deceased.
Can I create a memorial website for free?
Many website builders, including Wix, allow you to create a memorial website for free.
What is the best memorial website?
The best memorial websites often provide user-friendly features and customization options to honor loved ones in a personal way.
Do I need technical knowledge to build a memorial site?
Absolutely not. With a website builder, like Wix, you can build a site by using their AI website builder or from templates without any coding knowledge at all.
Are there costs involved in creating and maintaining a memorial site?
You can create a memorial site for free and maintain it for as long as you need it. If you want to choose and register a unique domain name for your site, so you will have to pay for that, or with Wix it comes free with a paid plan. Creating a memorial site however doesn't have to be expensive and can be done for free or with a basic paid plan.
How long will my memorial site be live for?
A free site stays up as long as your account is active. A paid plan runs for the term you chose and continues while the subscription is active, so a memorial site can stay online indefinitely.
