Rendered almost exclusively on the left ring finger of the hand, tattoos of wedding bands are true symbols of love and eternal devotion.
While that is also true of physical wedding rings, the tattoo versions of the rings give people a new way to show that they are in love and that they are not afraid to show it with some ink.
Because of the particular finger’s direct connection to the heart, it has been labelled as the universal signifier of marriage. Therefore, an image or design placed on this finger is incredibly personal and symbolizes lifelong partnership with another. If you see someone with a wedding band tattoo, you can be pretty sure that there is someone else out there with a similar design on their finger.
While anyone can get wedding band tattoos, most of the time it is people who are either married or plan to be married in the future. However, before countries and states started to legalize gay marriage, gay partners would sometimes get their wedding band tattoos to show that they planned to be together forever. The fact is that absolutely anyone can get a wedding band tat with the person they love even if they are not married yet.
People who get wedding ring tattoos of any kind often get them to add in an extra level of permanence. Physical rings can be lost, but inked-on rings are going to still be there regardless of what you do. In fact, some people don’t like the fact that they have to spend so much on rings to show their love for one another so they instead opt for just the wedding ring tattoos. Either way, if you and your partner get a wedding band tattoo, you are showing that you are confident that your relationship will last for the rest of your lives.
A stronger bond between the partners comes with that extra level of permanence. Even when people are together for years, there is often an underlying fear that it will someday end. Wedding band tattoos have the tendency to wipe away some of those fears since both people recognize that they are willing to permanently alter themselves in the name of love. In fact, even people who have been married for a while will often get wedding band tattoos to strengthen their bond with one another.
Even the tattooing experience itself can bring partners closer together. This is not the type of tattoo that you want to get alone. Sitting next to your partner as you get matching wedding band tattoos is a very memorable experience that you will want to relive for the rest of your life. Plus, having the same artist work on both will up the chances of the designs having a more uniform look to them.
Some people whose spouses pass away will get wedding ring tattoos to show that they will never forget those special people who were in their lives. This is also a nice idea for anyone who plans on getting remarried since those new partners will often understand that you will always have a connection to the person who passed on.
The design of the tattoo that replaces a traditional wedding ring can emulate the look of a ring, keeping the appearance but ensuring a sign of deeper commitment. The choice to create a facsimile of the actual traditional jewelry conveys a strong sense of loyalty and fidelity within the marriage. Sometimes these designs add on to the design of the real wedding rings, while other times they sit underneath the rings and are exposed only when the rings are taken off.
Celtic knots, Korean knots, or any other cultural design can be used as the style of ring tattoo for those with strong roots in the culture’s heritage. These cultural designs can cover the rings, or they might even sprout out of the rings and extend further down the finger. The fact is that it’s up to the individuals how they want their wedding ring tattoos to look, but it’s usually a good idea to have them match so people can easily recognize that the two people are together.
Tattooing the name of one’s significant other in place of a ring represents the permanence of the commitment of marriage. The presence of the name, first or last, on the finger is highly visible and serves as a constant reminder of the eternal bond shared between two lovers. A design can accompany the name as well, making a more ornate and even more visible image. Since the ring finger isn’t the largest canvas in the world, some people opt to get the first initials of their partner rather than getting the entire name.
Wedding ring tattoos allow people to have a lot more design options for decorating their ring fingers. Some people don’t even put the wedding ring tattoo near where their actual rings go. Instead, they might choose to get their designs around the tips of their fingers. Others will get much longer wedding ring tattoo designs, which look a lot better in ink than in physical form. There is a huge list of small designs that work great as wedding ring tattoos, so people can craft some very beautiful looking finger tattoos.
Since you do have so many design options with wedding ring tattoos, it’s very important that you sit down with your partner to talk about how you want your specific designs to look. Do you want the tattoos to go under your rings? Or maybe you want them to cover your ring fingers. Some people even choose to get tattoos that only make sense to outsiders when they are lined up. Go over all of your options before you commit to anything, so you know for sure that the design you end up choosing is the one that you’ll be happy with forever.
The obvious downside of wedding ring tattoos is that they are permanent and partners who break up will usually have to go through the process of getting the designs removed or altered in some way. This is yet another thing you will need to think about before committing to getting a wedding band design. Yes, you obviously think that you will be with your partner forever, but the fact is that there is always a chance that it won’t work out. Wedding ring tattoos are awesome, but this is a risk you’re taking.
It’s always smart to work with an experienced tattoo artist, but that is especially important when getting wedding ring tattoos. Many of these designs have a lot of small details, so you want to work with someone who has done that type of work in the past. These are tough tattoos to fix, so you definitely want your artist to get it right the first time.
Wedding band tattoos can be a fantastic way to show how much you love the one you’re with, which is why they have soared in popularity in recent years. If you are thinking about getting a permanent wedding band inked on your skin, be sure to think long and hard about the design you want to go with and work with a great artist that can bring your vision to life.