A funeral or celebration of life is one of the few gatherings where the room itself matters. People arrive carrying stories, guilt about what they didn’t say, gratitude for what they did, and a nervous tenderness about doing the moment “right.” In that kind of space, technology can feel either like a gift or an intrusion. And few tools create more questions than the idea of a hologram funeral or a hologram eulogy.
Families usually don’t start with a desire to impress anyone. They start with a practical problem: the person who needs to speak can’t travel, the room is too large for a quiet voice, the loved one recorded something meaningful before they died, or the gathering is split across cities and time zones. When those realities meet modern event tools—projection, camera capture, augmented reality—people begin using the word “hologram” as shorthand for “Can we make them feel present?”
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, families are increasingly using digital tools in planning and memorialization while still valuing professional guidance, which helps explain why funeral tech conversations are becoming more common—especially when distance and scheduling make an in-person service difficult. The question isn’t whether technology belongs at a funeral. It’s which kind, used in what way, and for what purpose.
What people mean by “hologram” at a memorial service
Most funeral “holograms” are not true holography in the scientific sense. They are carefully staged illusions or displays that create a three-dimensional feeling. That distinction matters because it affects cost, setup, and how natural (or distracting) the tribute will feel.
Pepper’s Ghost tributes
A pepper's ghost tribute is one of the oldest “ghostly” stage illusions, and it’s also the backbone of many modern “hologram-style” performances. In simple terms, the illusion uses an angled reflective surface and a hidden image source so that a person appears to stand in the visible space. The Museum of Modern Art’s explainer on Pepper’s Ghost describes the classic concept: divide the stage into a visible area and a hidden area, then use reflection and lighting to create the apparition-like effect.
In a funeral setting, this can be adapted in a few ways. A prerecorded message might appear at a podium. A remote family member might “beam in” as a life-size presence, speaking live. Sometimes it’s more subtle: a gentle figure appearing during a musical interlude, then fading out. Pepper’s Ghost can look striking, but it also requires control—lighting, sightlines, staging, and rehearsal—because a small mistake can turn “warm” into “gimmicky” fast.
Stage projection and “hologram-style” eulogies
This is the most common, practical path for many families. The speaker appears on a large screen, sometimes with careful camera framing and good audio to create a lifelike feeling. It isn’t a “hologram” technically, but it can feel present in a way a phone on a chair never will. When families ask about virtual tribute display options, this is often what they actually need: professional projection, clear sound, and a plan for what happens if Wi-Fi fails.
This approach pairs naturally with elements families already understand, like a memorial slideshow, music, or a video montage. If you’re building a meaningful tech moment without reinventing the entire service, Funeral.com’s guide to planning a memorial slideshow is a steady place to start—because the same principles apply: storytelling, pacing, and testing the file on the actual equipment before people walk into the room.
AR-style displays (phone/tablet experiences)
Augmented reality (AR) memorials can look like “a hologram” floating in your living room when viewed through a phone or tablet. Guests scan a code and see a short message, a 3D object, or a video anchored to a physical place. This format can work well when a family wants intimacy without turning the whole service into a production. It’s also easier to share with distant relatives afterward, because it can remain available as a private experience rather than a one-time stage moment.
AR is not automatically cheaper than projection—custom development can cost real money—but it often avoids the logistical complexity of staging a life-size illusion in a funeral home chapel. When families want technology to be an option instead of a centerpiece, AR is worth considering.
What a hologram eulogy can do well, and what it can’t
When it works, a hologram memorial service moment solves a real emotional problem: absence. A child stationed overseas can speak to their parent’s community. A grandparent who can’t travel can be seen and heard clearly. A loved one’s message can be delivered in their own voice when the family simply cannot bear to speak yet.
But there are limits, and naming them early protects families from regret. A hologram-style tribute cannot recreate the full texture of human presence—the small side comments, the spontaneous laughter, the hand on a shoulder afterward. And in grief, even well-intended tech can feel sharp. Some guests may find a projected likeness comforting; others may feel unsettled. This doesn’t mean the idea is wrong. It means you plan for a range of reactions and choose a format that emphasizes tenderness over spectacle.
One helpful rule: if the technology becomes the story, it’s probably too much. If the technology disappears into the story—supporting a eulogy, a favorite song, a shared photo—people remember the person, not the equipment.
What it costs: realistic ranges and the main cost drivers
Families often search for projection eulogy cost because they want a simple number. In reality, pricing depends less on the word “hologram” and more on production requirements: how big the room is, what equipment is already available, whether the message is live or prerecorded, and how much rehearsal time you need to feel confident.
Here’s a grounded way to think about the budget: there is the cost of equipment, the cost of people, and the cost of content.
- Equipment includes projector/screen or LED wall, audio, microphones, cabling, lighting, and backup power plans.
- People includes an AV technician (or a full crew), setup/strike time, and sometimes a show caller who quietly runs cues.
- Content includes recording, editing, formatting, and in higher-end setups, compositing or special capture to make the image feel three-dimensional.
According to Rentech Solutions, even for standard projection, the room can dictate the gear. A brighter projector is needed for larger venues or spaces with ambient light. For example, one AV rental pricing page lists a 5,000-lumen projector at a one-day rental rate that can approach the high hundreds of dollars (with higher-output models costing more), which illustrates how quickly equipment costs can add up before labor is included.
For more “hologram-like” illusions, budgets can rise quickly. Holofex note that professional hologram-style productions can range from thousands to far more depending on realism, hardware, and production complexity. One widely shared overview puts consumer and professional device costs across a broad range and points out that high-end, lifelike productions can become very expensive—especially when custom content and rights are involved. Treat these numbers as directional, not definitive—your local AV team’s quote will be more accurate—but it helps families understand why “just a hologram” is rarely a small add-on.
In practical funeral terms, many families land in one of three cost bands:
Simple and steady (often the best fit): a high-quality remote eulogy on a screen, plus clean audio, a tech rehearsal, and a backup plan. This is the sweet spot when the goal is clarity and connection.
Enhanced presentation: larger screens, better camera capture, multiple microphones, and cue-based integration with music or slideshow content. This often aligns with a more produced celebration of life, where families already want a polished experience.
Full illusion or “hologram-style” staging: Pepper’s Ghost or specialized displays, controlled lighting, and professional operators. This can be beautiful when it’s carefully matched to the person’s style, but it requires thoughtful emotional judgment.
When it feels right: a respectful decision filter
The question families ask out loud is usually, “Would they have liked this?” The question underneath is, “Will this help us grieve, or will it make everything feel stranger?” A good decision filter keeps you centered on meaning rather than novelty.
Consider a hologram-style tribute when the technology solves a real problem:
- The speaker cannot attend, and the eulogy matters deeply to the family.
- The gathering is too large for informal video, and clarity is part of honoring the moment.
- Your loved one recorded a message intentionally, with the goal of being heard at the service.
- You are planning a celebration of life where production elements already make sense for the person’s personality.
And consider stepping back if:
- The family is divided about it, and the tribute risks creating conflict during grief.
- You cannot rehearse on the actual equipment in the actual room.
- The image would be startling for close family members who are not emotionally ready.
If you want a gentler “technology-forward” approach, many families find that a slideshow, a short video message, or a digital program achieves the same goal—shared presence—without the emotional whiplash of a lifelike illusion. Funeral.com’s guides to digital funeral programs, online memorial websites, and virtual vigils and shared online rituals can help you create something inclusive that still feels human.
How to plan it without turning the service into a tech rehearsal
When families try to add a hologram-style moment late in the process, stress multiplies. The best outcomes happen when you treat it like any other meaningful part of the service: it gets time, care, and a simple structure.
Start by grounding the tribute in the service’s emotional arc. Where will it land? Early, when people are still arriving and the room is unsettled? Or after a hymn or favorite song, when people are quieter and more receptive? In many cases, a projected eulogy works best after a brief introduction from someone present—one sentence that tells the room what they’re about to see and why it matters.
Next, protect the experience with redundancy. If it’s live, test the internet connection and have a phone hotspot ready. If it’s prerecorded, bring the file in multiple formats and on multiple devices. Confirm audio levels in the actual room. The goal is not perfection; it’s reducing the risk of a moment that feels like an interruption.
Finally, plan for what happens after. A hologram-style eulogy can leave the room tender, and people may need a soft transition: a song, a quiet pause, or a brief reading. This is where funeral professionals and celebrants are invaluable, because they know how to hold the room when emotions rise.
If you are also navigating disposition choices and what happens afterward, it can help to remember that funeral planning doesn’t end when the AV cue ends. Many families pair a modern tribute with a physical, lasting memorial—something that stays when the screen goes dark.
Pairing digital tributes with lasting keepsakes
For families who choose cremation, the most grounding part of the service is often not the technology at all—it’s the tangible center: a photo, a candle, a favorite object, and an urn that marks the reality of what has happened. If you’re planning a tech-forward celebration of life, consider creating a steady physical anchor nearby.
That can be a full-size urn chosen for home display or later placement, like those in Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection. It can also be small cremation urns or keepsake urns for family members who want to share a portion, which is exactly what the keepsake cremation urns for ashes collection is designed for. And for people who want something wearable and discreet—especially when daily life resumes quickly—cremation jewelry can be a gentle bridge, including options in Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces collections.
The same is true for pets. A family might stream a memorial for friends who loved the dog, then create a quiet home space afterward with pet urns that feel personal rather than clinical. Funeral.com’s pet urns for ashes collection, and more sculptural options like pet figurine cremation urns, can help families create that lasting anchor when the house feels suddenly too quiet.
If you’re unsure where ashes will ultimately go, it’s okay to choose a respectful “for now” plan. Funeral.com’s guide to keeping ashes at home can help you think through placement, safety, and what feels comfortable for everyone in the household. And if your loved one belonged to the water—ocean, lake, river—there are gentle options for water burial planning, including biodegradable designs discussed in this water burial urn guide.
A compassionate bottom line
A hologram funeral moment can be meaningful when it serves the room rather than steals it. The clearest sign you’re making a good choice is not how advanced the technology is—it’s how calm the family feels about it. If the plan adds steadiness, inclusion, and a sense of “we did right by them,” it may be worth doing. If it creates arguments, anxiety, or pressure to perform, simpler options can carry the same love.
And if you’re balancing the emotional “what feels right” with the practical “what can we afford,” you are not alone. Questions like how much does cremation cost often show up alongside technology decisions, because families are building a full picture of what the days ahead will require. Funeral.com’s cremation cost guide and its practical ideas on what to do with ashes can help you make decisions in an order that feels manageable.
In the end, the goal is simple: to tell the truth about a life, to let people love out loud, and to leave the room feeling held rather than hurried. If technology helps you do that, it belongs. If it doesn’t, you can let it go—without guilt—and still create something deeply modern, deeply personal, and deeply respectful.
