Are Wedding Ring Tattoos A Good Idea?

Are you thinking of getting a wedding ring tattoo for your big day? If so, you’re in pretty good company. Ever since Pamela Anderson opened the floodgates for these alternative wedding rings, tons of celebrities have followed suit. The Beckhams, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Kelly Rowland, the list goes on.

However, if you’re still on the fence about whether these quirky wedding ring alternatives are a viable option for you, here is a guide on everything you need to know (including some tattoo wedding rings designs to spark your imagination).

Is a Wedding Ring Tattoo a Good Idea?

Whether or not a wedding ring tattoo is a good idea largely depends on your style and how much you want to conform to traditional norms.

After all, the origin of wedding rings is a fascinating one. The history of exchanging rings to symbolize eternal love dates back to around 3,000 years ago. With that said, times have changed, and we now live in the 21st century, so if a wedding ring tattoo sounds like something you would prefer, then don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

They are budget-friendly

First things first, opting for a wedding ring tattoo will be substantially cheaper than a traditional wedding ring. The average engagement ring costs $5,500 (source), whereas you can usually find an artist who will do you a wedding ring tattoo for as little as $100. That’s more money for you to spend on your honeymoon!

Think about the comfort

A lot of people dislike wearing jewelry, and the thing is, once you get married, you’re supposed to keep your wedding ring on forever. On top of this, many other issues come with wearing a wedding ring, such as:

Your weight and finger size may change, making it uncomfortable
If you lose weight, you could lose your ring as it slides off your finger
An expensive wedding ring can make you a target for theft
People with sensitive skin may dislike metal objects on their skin

A wedding ring tattoo can solve all of these issues, so bear that in mind if any of the above concerns you.

Diamonds are forever – but what about tattoos?

Just like diamonds, tattoos are forever. If you wanted a more permanent way to show your love for each other, then a wedding ring tattoo is the way to go. What shows your love for someone more than getting something special inked onto your body for the rest of your life?

Plus, you can personalize your design and make it as meaningful, sentimental, and unique as you want.

Here’s What You Need to Know

If you’ve decided that wedding ring tattoos are for you, here are some things you should be aware of before you go out and get inked.

Find an Artist Who Specializes in What You Want

As this will be an incredibly meaningful piece of body art, you want to make sure it’s done right. That’s why you need to do your research and find a tattoo artist who can create the wedding band tattoos that you have in mind.

Make sure you speak to the artist before and tell them what your ideas are. Some artists are great at doing intricate designs; others prefer to do big pieces and may be uncomfortable working in smaller areas. Additionally, some artists only work using black ink, where others prefer colored ink.

Check-in with them first and find the right artist for you.

Remember That It Might Hurt

News flash: tattoos hurt! You need to make sure you’re ready for that. And unfortunately, finger tattoos are one of the most painful you can get. That’s because fingers don’t have much muscle or fat density, so the tattoo machine works close to the bones and knuckles; plus, you have more nerve endings there.

However, you can get special numbing cream to reduce the pain.

Permanency

While tattoos are permanent, they do fade over time. It’s important to remember that your fingers get a lot of use and constantly touch abrasive materials and come into contact with chemicals. They are also regularly exposed to sunlight, making them one of the areas that suffer from fading the most.

Another word on permanency: tattoos can be removed. So if you do end up getting a divorce, you can usually get your wedding ring tattoo removed or get a cover-up that hides the original ink.

Aftercare

If you want your tattoo to stay in tip-top shape for as long as possible, you need to keep the following tips in mind:

Keep the area clean and out of the sun for the first few weeks after getting tattooed
Moisturize regularly
Always apply sunscreen to the wedding ring tattoos before going into the sun
Be careful what chemicals you expose it to
If your tattoo fades, you can get it topped up to make it look fresh again

Sources: L to R, top to bottom: Tribal Ring Tattoo Design // Heart and Key Wedding Ring Tattoo Design // Musical Notes Wedding Ring Tattoo Design // Infinity Wedding Ring Tattoo Design // Roman Numeral Wedding Ring Tattoo Design // Infinity Symbol Wedding Ring Tattoo Design

Choosing a Wedding Ring Tattoo Design

Here are some tattoo wedding ring design ideas to get your imagination flowing:

Your wedding date

A simple yet classy design. Simply tattooing the date of your wedding on your finger is a nice way to commemorate your day. To mix things up, you can even opt for roman numerals.

Matching puzzle pieces

Matching puzzle pieces are a unique way of showing your love for each other. Two matching pieces that are only complete when they are together, like you and your partner.

Infinity symbol

A classy wedding ring tattoo symbolizes that your love for your partner is eternal.

Half a heart

One unique tattoo design would be to have half of a heart on your finger, the other on your partner’s. A loving tattoo to show that you both complete each other!

The Pros of Getting a Wedding Ring Tattoo

Last but not least, here is a recap of the pros and cons of getting a wedding ring tattoo and some things you need to bear in mind before deciding whether or not they are for you.

They are cheaper

As we touched upon earlier, wedding band tattoos are much cheaper than getting a traditional ring, and you don’t need to worry about losing it either.

They are different

Not many people have wedding ring tattoos, so you will certainly stand out from the crowd with yours. They are a great way to display your love and affection for each other in a highly personalized and unique manner.

You don’t have to wear jewelry

Hate wearing jewelry or have sensitive skin? No problem. A wedding ring tattoo solves that problem.

The Cons of Getting a Wedding Ring Tattoo

Some families might not approve

For many couples, wedding ring tattoos are entirely off the table as their family members will not approve. This may be more of an issue in religious families and those that prefer to stick to the traditional concept of marriage.

While the decision is ultimately yours to make, you might want to double-check you won’t be breaking your grandma’s heart in the process!

They fade

As mentioned, tattoos fade. No matter how well you look after your wedding ring tattoo, it will begin to show signs of wear and tear after a few years.

However, you can get it topped up once in a while to keep it looking fresh. It could also be a good idea for an anniversary date.

Divorce

It’s never nice to discuss divorce before you’ve even enjoyed your wedding day, yet it’s important to be practical. If you do end up getting divorced, it’s more difficult to remove a tattoo than to remove a wedding band from your finger.

While you can get laser tattoo removal (or a cover-up), this is usually expensive, painful, and time-consuming.

Job opportunities

Finally, despite their popularity, some people still look down upon tattoos and place a certain stigma on people who have them. While the times had moved on considerably from when tattoos were deemed taboo, you may want to consider your career options before you get your new ink.

There are many jobs where visible tattoos are forbidden, such as:

Military and law enforcement
Healthcare professionals
Teachers
Law attorneys
Some government positions

Of course, some of these positions may give you the benefit of the doubt considering your tattoo is a marital symbol, yet it’s worth double-checking if you have your heart set on a career in any of these fields.

Good luck, and thanks for reading!