By It’s safe to say that brides with tattoos have a few more things to consider before their wedding day - should they rep the ink or cover it up? While there's no right or wrong answer, the decision to show off their ink or hide it usually comes down to a few different factors; tradition, family, photos, presentation, etc.
So, we took it upon ourselves to speak with a few different tatted women (some single and some already married) about what they would do, or what they have already done, to see what it truly comes down to when deciding if they should flaunt their ink.
Here are their responses-
“When I got married I left my tattoos uncovered. I love my tattoos and got them for a purpose. I wasn't gonna allow someone else's negativity, or what they thought, change my perspective. I'm proud of my tattoos and will never cover them for anyone.” - A.S.
“I'd have mine exposed; even though I probably won’t get married. They are a part of me. Why hide them?” - T.M.
"My tattoos are like my everyday accessories, everyone knows I have them, so why would I cover them and try to be someone I’m not? I’m more focused on getting a wedding dress I like then whether or not my tattoos should be covered." - J.N.
“When I got married, I chose to show my tattoos. I didn’t feel like I needed to hide my true self on my wedding day. But it actually resulted in negative comments from my mom that made me feel pretty shitty. I’ll remember not to invite her to my next wedding - ;-D” - P.L
“Actually my only rule when I got a tattoo was that I didn’t want it showing on my wedding day. So I got it on my ass” - M.S.
“Well if I got married again... I would cover a few just because those photos are keepsakes. I want it to be as classy as possible. Especially for my parents and my grandparents” - A.M.
"I’m proud of my tattoos. I wouldn’t hide them but I would display them in a tasteful way. I don’t feel the need to put a spotlight on them. They’re a large part of who I am so the idea of covering them up feels unfaithful to myself." - M.T.
“Hell yea I’m going to hide them. My mother is old fashion and believes tattoos are the devil. She’d probably smoke my ear off with her Italian rambling and make worse marks on my body then my tattoos using a wooden spoon.” - L.K.
“My ink is how I express things that are most important to me. My most visible are on my arms and fingers. I will probably wear a tasteful, classy long sleeve or ¾ sleeve wedding gown; showing just the shoulder and collar-bone of my tattoo. Covering most of my tattoo doesn’t mean I am ashamed of it, it’s honestly more of a fashion-preference than anything for me. I’m pushing for Mysteriously-Bad-Ass-Classy” - P.S.
“I believe that a woman should be able to decide whether or not she would like to show them. I do not think they should be hidden unless they choose that. For me, It's going to be half and half because some of mine are not exposed.” - J.P.
“I ended up not liking any of my wedding photos because I chose to show mine. They didn’t look as soft or classy as I dreamed they would. I guess if I could shout any advice out there, I’d say take into consideration what you want your photos to look like, because besides the feeling, those are going to be the long-lasting mementos that remind you of that day.” - B.F.
“Tattoos symbolize memories, meanings and emotions. It's a great way to express yourself so why not expose them?” - Z.N.
So when it comes down to it, here's a suggestion to every bride - Unless you’re scared of your old-fashioned Italian mother, wear the dress that you feel amazing in and stay true to you whether your tattoos are showing or not. It’s not about everyone else, It’s about you and how YOU feel on the biggest day of your life thus far. You don’t need to hide your ink, nor do you need to feel bad if you WANT to hide them. In the end, the entire wedding day is such a roller coaster of events that the ink will sink into the background, it won't even be on your mind.