If you and your fiance have ever considered wedding ring tattoos? A wedding band tattoo is a gutsy move for a bride and groom but if you think you’re up for it, it’s a unique gesture that says “I’m in love” AND “I’m totally badass.”

Wedding ring tattoos are not for the faint of heart, however, and here’s what you want to consider before getting one:

1. The skin on your finger is thin and actually not ideal for a wedding band tattoo. The underside of the finger (close to the palm) won’t hold ink for long – that’s why you see a lot of couples with wedding ring tattoo designs that are only on the tops of their ring fingers.
2. Care for your tattoo very carefully in the first 2 weeks after it’s done – avoid putting it in water and exposing it to chemicals (like chlorine on your honeymoon), and definitely keep it out of the sun. That will help your wedding ring tattoo designs last longer.
3. To minimize fading, choose simple designs and dark inks.
4. Choose a tattoo artist with experience and don’t feel pressured to go with someone you aren’t sure about.
5. What if you want to get it removed? Well, you can, but it’s possible you might end up with some scarring and/or faint traces of ink.
6. If you like the idea of wedding ring tattoos, but aren’t sure if they’re right for you, consider doing both. Get a thin wedding ring tattoo design on your finger, then a traditional wedding band large enough to cover it. (That’s what Billy and Victoria from The Young and the Restless did, so as not to freak out their hoity-toity families.) 🙂
7. Time your tattoo carefully. Don’t wait until the day of the wedding or the day before. Give yourself enough time so that your tattoo is well-healed so you can enjoy your wedding and honeymoon. If you want, it’s okay to get it done afterwards.
8. If you want to take a design for a test drive before committing, try getting henna tattoos first. If you need some inspiration, here are 25,000 (yup) ideas for you to check out.
9. Tattoos aren’t just for alternative couples. They are also good for practical reasons – such as if you have a job with your hands where a wedding ring would interfere or if you travel a lot to underdeveloped countries.
10. For maintenance, always use sunscreen on your tattoo and minimize exposure to chemicals.

Okay, enough chit-chat! Let’s see some pics already!

Wedding Ring Tattoos – Some Picto-Inspiration:

This couple came up with the design just the day before they hand them done – they imagine them to be two hands holding, although sometimes they see eyes, wings, and other fantastic marriage metaphors. The best thing about this design? It will blur together with time – and that’s another metaphor. So awesome.

This couple opted for matching infinity designs. Simple and truly meaningful.

Here is an example of a ring covering a wedding tattoo. Ideal for alterna-couples who want just a touch of tradition.

A celtic knot-inspired wedding band. Notice how it only appears to go all the way around the finger… it actually stops on the edges to help preserve the design.

This meaningful design is special to the couple. What could you choose that would be special to you?

Another artistic wedding ring design (and the skull and crossbones bikini is pretty cute, too!)

This couple opted for a traditional ring for the bride and a wedding band tattoo for the groom. Why? The groom, a soldier, was being deployed to Afghanistan shortly after the wedding – and wearing expensive jewelry was deemed a bad idea.

This couple opted not to get matching designs. Instead they each got wedding ring tattoos that pleased them. Pretty cool.

A wedding ring tattoo is the ideal solution for people who do jobs with their hands. This drummer couldn’t drum properly with a cumbersome wedding band – that’s why he opted for the tattoo.

Here is another design that is sweet and meaningful.

This wedding ring spells the Hebrew word, “Chesed,” which means “kindness.” So sweet.

The groom had the bride’s name tattooed on his finger, and the bride had the groom’s name tattooed on her finger. A very cute idea – you might also want to do your wedding date.

This couple’s wedding rings actually match their wedding colors: orange and brown. These bands are simple and thin – very easy to cover with a traditional band if you ever wanted to.

Here is another couple that didn’t get the same thing done. The bride has traditional rings while the groom has a tattoo for a wedding band. (Also, I’m in love with the bride’s rainbow manicure!!)

Need some tattoo inspiration for your own wedding ring? Maybe here!