How long should a memorial video be?
Short answer
During a funeral service, 3–7 minutes (about one or two songs) is the usual length, because crematorium services typically last 30–60 minutes in total. At a wake or celebration of life, a 6–10 minute film or a loop works well. A version to share online can be longer, up to 10–15 minutes.
The right length depends less on how many photos you have and more on where the film will be shown. A service runs to a fixed time; a reception does not. Many families end up wanting two versions: a short one for the service and a longer one for afterwards.
Why the service sets the limit
Crematoria book services back to back. In the UK, a cremation service typically lasts 30–60 minutes and most slots are 30, 45 or 60 minutes, set by the crematorium (Simplicity, 2026). Funeral Partners puts a typical cremation service at about 30–45 minutes. Within that time there are words of welcome, the eulogy and tributes, music, any readings or prayers, and the committal.
A tribute film takes its time from the same slot, so a celebrant will usually suggest 3–5 minutes. Ask early: if the service is 30 minutes, a 10-minute film would take a third of it.
Recommended length by setting
| Where it plays | Suggested length | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crematorium or church service | 3–5 minutes | Fits one gap, for example after the eulogy, without pushing the slot |
| Longer service or memorial | 5–8 minutes | Room for two pieces of music and the whole life story |
| Celebration of life | 6–10 minutes | Often the centrepiece; people expect to watch together |
| Wake or reception | 10–20 minute loop | Plays in the background; people drift in and out |
| Shared online afterwards | 5–15 minutes | For people who could not travel; can include more photos and clips |
Specialist funeral videographers suggest 3–7 minutes for a main tribute and 6–10 minutes for a background slideshow at the wake (UK Funeral Video Services); Eulogize recommends 3–8 minutes, or two songs.
Use the music as your timer
Most popular songs are 3–4 minutes long, so the music you choose is a natural limit: one song for a short service tribute, two contrasting songs for a longer one. Fade out cleanly at the end of a song rather than cutting mid-verse.
Browse funeral songs by part of the service to find a reflection song that suits the slideshow.
How many photos for each length
At about 5 seconds per photo you need roughly 12 photos per minute: 36 for 3 minutes, 60 for 5 minutes, 120 for 10 minutes. Our guide to how many photos for a funeral slideshow explains how to choose them.
Make two versions if you can
- A short cut for the service: the strongest 30–60 photos and one or two songs.
- A longer cut or loop for the wake and for sharing: everything else, the funny photos, the holiday snaps.
- Name the files clearly (for example Margaret-service-4min.mp4 and Margaret-wake-loop.mp4) so nobody plays the wrong one on the day.
Questions people ask
How long should a video be at a funeral?
Usually 3–5 minutes during the service itself. Ask the funeral director or celebrant how much time the slot allows before you start editing.
Is a 10-minute memorial video too long?
For a 30–45 minute crematorium service, yes — it would take a quarter or more of the time. For a celebration of life, a wake or sharing online, 10 minutes is fine.
How long should a celebration of life slideshow be?
Around 6–10 minutes if everyone watches together, or a 10–20 minute loop if it plays in the background while people talk.
Sources
- How long is a cremation service?, Simplicity Cremations, 2026-06-25 (read October 5, 2026)
- What happens at a cremation service?, Funeral Partners, 2026-01-05 (read October 5, 2026)
- How many photos should a funeral slideshow have?, UK Funeral Video Services, 2026-06-07 (read October 5, 2026)
- 8 tips to create a beautiful funeral slideshow, Eulogize, 2026-09-25 (read October 5, 2026)
How we wrote this
Written by the In Memoriam Film team with AI assistance for research and drafting, then checked against the sources above. Figures come only from those sources; where a number is our own rule of thumb we say so. We make memorial films, so where a guide mentions our product, that is why.