Although a wedding is often both a huge undertaking and a rite of passage marking a significant change in one’s life, once the ceremony is over and the papers signed, most people don’t look different.
The wedding ring is often the only external sign that someone’s social status has changed from single to married. Some people, though, don’t even bother to wear wedding rings, while others – for a variety of reasons – want that change in status to be permanently advertised. These serious folks get wedding band tattoos and we’re here sharing all the details behind this intimate trend.
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The Shifting Perception About Tattoos
The old view of tattoos was that they were only for tough people; sailors, bikers, and other “rough” sorts who (presumably) gave little thought to being poked for hours with painful needles and having permanent marks on their bodies.
In recent years, though, tattoos have grown increasingly popular at all levels of society as a means of personal expression, and it is no longer surprising to find tattoos on nearly everyone around you.
Wedding band tattoos have also been growing in popularity and are now a common thing done by spouses soon after their wedding. As always there is no limitation on what you can do or what design you should pick.
What is a Wedding Ring Tattoo?
A wedding band tattoo is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of flaunting a new and shiny band around your ring finger, you get a tattooed “ring” instead to symbolize your marriage and that you’re “off the market.”
Ditch the Gold & Replace it With Ink
Wedding band tattoos can be a practical alternative to wedding rings, if your job forbids the wearing of jewelry for safety reasons. Wedding band tattoos are also not likely to fall off in the sink, at the airport, or in the couch, and get permanently lost.
Fortunately, a good tattoo artist can give you a beautiful wedding ring tattoo for a price similar or better than a fine piece of jewelry. Furthermore, you can get creative and personalize a style all your own.
A Brief History of Wedding Band Tattoos
It’s one of the most symbolic parts of marriage: the wedding ring. But just as we see more and more couples opting out of donning a white gold beauty we’re also seeing more and more partners deciding to skip the jewelry store and head straight to the tattoo parlor instead.
Wedding bands themselves are believed to have started in ancient Egyptian culture. And since the ring is a complete circle, it symbolizes eternity, which is the commitment you’ll be making the day you say, “I do.” Our society takes that one step further though by getting permanently inked to show their love for their bride or groom.
You can’t ever take this off n a fit of rage, so, it becomes, to some, an even stronger symbol of love than the original! There’s a greater sense of permanence if you decide to go this route.
Although there’s no defining date to when the wedding band tattoo trend started, we do know that Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee got them back in 1995 with its popularity only rising since – for both celebrities and within our own friend and family circles.
Are Wedding Ring Tattoos a Good Option For You?
If you are interested in getting a wedding ring tattoo, it is recommended that you choose a simple design that is easy to maintain – your tattoo artist should be able to help you with this decision.
The simplest design to maintain is a dark one-color band, and this sort of tattoo will probably show less evidence of fading or blurring than others over time (although it will still have to get re-inked periodically). A simple Celtic knotwork design, or a stylized tribal design incorporating the name of your spouse, may also be a good choice, depending on the design and the ink colors.
Potential Negatives to be Aware Of:
Tattoo’s Can Be Painful
Tattooing can be a painful procedure even on relatively insensitive areas of the body, like the back or thighs. Hands have many more nerve endings than most other areas and any tattooing on the hand could be extremely painful.
The skin on your hands is also different from skin in other areas, so it heals differently and holds ink differently and often not very well. Fingers, in particular, are an awkward area to tattoo – and the smaller your fingers, the more awkward it will be.
Consider the Long-Term Of Having a Tattoo
Consider as well that your hands are the part of your body that see the most use and exposure to the elements. This means that the tattoo ink will fade, distort, and blur much more quickly than it would on other areas of the body. So your “permanent” wedding ring will actually need to be reapplied periodically, probably about yearly.
This means the lifetime cost of a wedding band tattoo is probably going to be much higher than the one-time investment in a wedding ring.
Lingering Ideals Regarding Tattoos
There is still some lingering prejudice in society against people with tattoos, particularly tattoos on highly visible areas of the body – so a wedding band tattoo may not be a good option for people working in socially conservative professions or circles.
Difficulty Finding the Right Artist
Finally, you’ll need to find a tattoo artist who is willing to do the tattoo. Many artists will not do tattoos in highly visible areas, and some tattoo studios forbid such tattooing. Other artists may not like working on such an awkward area of the body that does not hold ink well. However, if you are persistent, you should be able to find someone who is willing to do a wedding band tattoo.
Six Examples of Wedding Ring Tattoos We Love
viaForever and always, the infinity sign is a good way to go.
viaSimplicity is key for this duo.
viaThey’ll climb the mountains together, as one.
viaShe’s his queen, he’s her king.
viaOriginal designs make this style even more intimate and personal.
viaYou’ll be saying his/her name for the rest of your life, so, why not?
