Sharing the video with family who could not travel

Short answer: the simplest way to share a memorial video with family far away is a private link they can open on any phone or computer. Send it with a short note, and pick a time to watch together if you can. For relatives who do not use links, ask someone nearby to play it for them. A little planning means nobody is left out.

Not everyone can make the journey to a service. Some are too far away, some are unwell, and some simply cannot leave work or children. The video is one of the few parts of the day that can travel to them.

Bring them in before the video is finished

Sharing starts earlier than most families think. A cousin overseas may have photographs nobody else has seen. An old friend may have a short clip from a holiday years ago.

When our editors make the tribute, your family gets a private online portal by personal link, with no password. We can also open a link so relatives far away add their own photos, which helps them feel part of it even before they watch.

Being asked matters. A relative who could not travel but sent three photographs will watch the video differently. Some of it is theirs.

A link or a file: which to send

Most families end up using both. Each one suits a different person.

• A private link is easiest for most people. They tap it and the video plays. Nothing fills up their phone.
• The downloaded file suits relatives who want to keep a copy. It also helps where the internet is slow or patchy.
• Both together is the kindest choice for a mixed family. Send the link first, then the file to anyone who asks.

Before you send anything, open the link yourself on a phone that is not signed in to anything. If it plays there, it will almost certainly play for them.

Watching at the same moment, from far away

Watching alone can feel lonely. Watching at the same time as the family, even from another country, feels different.

Here is a simple way to do it:

• Agree on a time. Check time zones carefully. Write the time in theirs, not only in yours.
• Send the link a day ahead. Ask them to test it, so there are no surprises on the day.
• Each person plays their own copy. Sharing a screen on a video call often makes the sound stutter. Count down together, then everyone presses play.
• Stay on the call afterwards. The minutes after the video are often when the best stories come out.

If a shared time is not possible, that is fine too. Some people need to watch alone, at night, with no one else around. Let them.

Relatives who do not use links

An older aunt, a grandparent in a care home, or someone with poor eyesight may not open a link at all. They often care most about seeing it.

• Ask someone close by. A neighbour, a grandchild or a care worker can play it on a tablet and sit with them.
• Use a bigger screen. Most smart TVs can play a video from a phone. The person helping can set it up in a few minutes.
• Give them something to hold. Some families add a hardcover photo book to the tribute video. It needs no screen at all, and it can be posted to them.

Keeping it within the family

A private link is private only as long as it stays in the family. Decide early who should have it.

• Choose one sender. One person sharing the link keeps track of who has it.
• Ask before posting publicly. Some relatives are happy to see it shared widely. Others find that hard. A quick message to close family avoids hurt later.
• Think about who appears in it. Photos of children or of people who have since drifted apart may be fine at the service but less so on a public page.

A few words to send with it

A link on its own can feel abrupt. A short note turns it into an invitation.

Say who made it and who helped. Mention a photo or two they will recognise. Tell them how long it is, so they can find a quiet moment. Then ask them to share a memory back. Those replies often become a small collection the family keeps.

If you are still planning the video, you can see how our memorial videos come together, and watch a few sample videos to get a feel for the finished result.

Located in Westchester, NY, we serve families nationwide through a fully remote platform, so nobody needs to travel.