KWR: Tattoos

erilouboston · November 2009

So - I've always wanted one, but could never decide on what to get. And I'm a person of extremes, either I'm going to get something small, delicate and hidden, or my whole back done in ink, LOL! (JK, sorta...) Anyways - I kind of wanted to do something in memory of the wedding/marriage in some way - and during our ceremony, while I was reading my vows - a dragonfly landed on my dress and sat for a bit. Mike's sister actually got a pic of it (I'll try to post it here, but I've just added it to my "ceremony" pictures in my married bio if it doesn't work). So now I'm thinking of getting a small dragonfly - if I can find a graphic of one that isn't lame.

Who has ink here? What is it of? Do you ever regret getting it? Does it have any meaning? Will anyone be getting a tattoo in relation to getting married?

Shazzie116 · November 2009

I don't have a tattoo but I think that idea is so beautiful and awesome, I hope you find one you like!

evseidl · November 2009

I'm inked-- twice. One on my inner left ankle that I got with my longest friend in the whole wide world (it's a star, hers is on her inner right foot)-- to us, it symbolizes that we will always walk to the stars; kind of a go big, or go home reference.

The other is in the netherregions (on purpose, not because I wanted to show my cooter to the artist actually inking me--- I'm modest as all hell, so anything I got, I wanted to be able to cover it up. For example, even in a teeny tiny bikini- you can't see this creation). Anyway-- it's an orchid. The first flower my now Husband gave to me was a phalenopsis orchid (sp?). I commemorated it on myself.

I should mention that Kent is Japanese, and having a tattoo is indicative of being apart of a 'yakuza' or 'gang.' It's nationwide (as in they all think it, and they associate tattoo's as being 'BAD' things. Most gyms won't allow you to be a member if you have ANY ink- regardless of if you can cover it up), and something that will probably never go away- it's culturally embedded in them somehow. That said, it was important for me to be able to cover it up especially when i'm around his family.

note: the little star on my ankle is an outline and about .5 in diameter- so very small. Luckilly, those fabric bandaids are perfect. I snip the adhesive little end off and cover up the tattoo easily.

I think the dragonfly would be perfect- and what a fantastic 'crasher' to have at your wedding!

KatelynnRose · November 2009

My dad passed away last year and so this year right before my birthday i got "i love you" in his handwriting tattooed on my foot. I just brought in something he had written it on and they had no problem. I love your idea for a dragonfly, although i am totally a word tattoo type of person, b/c i love the meaning behind it!

mcononico · November 2009

I think tattoos are a great way to commemorate things.

I have 6 and they all mean something to me except for my first one... but I was 17 and stupid! LOL

The first was a butterfly and tribals on my lower back... my self proclaimed "tramp stamp" lol

Second was the Libra Symbol on the inside of my left wrist. I really love astrology and think I represent Libra to the T. The wrist is very easy to hide.

Third was a celtic cross in the middle of my back.

Fourth is a flower on my left food with the infinity symbol. My best friend also has an infinity symbol on her left foot. We got it to represent our friendship.

Fifth I have " Live Laugh Love" on my right foot. I got this when my mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2008 to represent how we can't take life for granted and we need to live each day to the fullest

Lastly.... a month ago I got an Orchid (my fav flower) with my father's initials "SJC" under it on the back of my neck. He passed away in July 2008 and I wanted a tattoo for him.

I find it very easy to hide all my tattoos no one really ever sees them and most people are shocked to find out I have 6. My biggest thing always was to not have them show up in wedding pics.... and I think I will be safe on the wedding day!

On another note... Dragonflys represent great luck and it is said they symbolized a lost loved one that is "visiting" you so I think it is a great idea for a tattoo!

Wow that was a long post lol... sorry for the novel!

erilouboston · November 2009

My dear Lizzie - there is so much I don't know about you girl! Ha! I'm making you take off your sock and show me that star next time I see you! (I wanted to get a star for SOOOOO long... maybe I'll do one of those too...).

So far, I just haven't found a dragonfly one I just (to quote Leah) luuuuurve. Is your orchid realistic looking? There seems to be a couple classes of tattoos - from the ultra-realistic looking, to the not-so-realistic looking.

erilouboston · November 2009

Katelynn - I LOVE that idea! I'm big into script tattoos as well - I was thinking of incorporating script and a design somehow... I don't know! As soon as I see what I want, I'll know it!

KatelynnRose · November 2009

mcononico...i LOVE your "Live Laugh Love" tattoo! I found a quote i wanted done..."Laugh as much as you breath...Love as long as you Live" also b/c my dad had been diagnosed with cancer. I love what it all means. The only problem is that its kinda too long so I think i will be reducing it to Live Laugh Love as well. Do you have a pic?

erilouboston · November 2009

mcononico - love your commemorative tattoos as well! My mother is convinced that my great-grandmother (who passed away when I was 14, but helped raise both me and her) was there with us on the wedding day - brought us the sunshine as I walked down the aisle and the dragonfly. But, we also lost Mike's grandmother recently, so maybe they all got together

FtMrskram · November 2009

I have 5...for the most part I don't regret any of them except for the first one...I was 16 and got it in somelady's kitchen while her kids were running around in the ghetto...I should of known better but I was young...I would like to get it removed sooner or later.

I have

1. top of my foot, a butterfly
2. A question mark on my ankle...don't ask...but it means ALOT!!!
3. a heart of roses on the back of my neck that trails out to my shoulders (my favorite flower and the only flower I like to receive from the DH)
4. a band of roses on my inner wrist. This is the only tattoo I actually got with the hubby, he didn't get roses..
5. (the one I HIGHLY regret, my tramp-stamp...my name on my lower back...and it isn't even small...so grosssssss....)

I love the idea of going big!!! If I were to ever get the one on my lower back removed...I would love to get a tonal tattoo on my entire back.

Me and DH were talking about getting a marriage tattoo just last night. I think I am going to get Always 9~18~09 and he is going to get Forever 9~18~09...not sure though...I saw that somewhere and loved the idea.

For your first one...I would not choose any place that is ticklish...those places hurt more!!!

mcononico · November 2009

Katelynn... Thanks!
I am attaching a pic of that tattoo.. but its a hard tattoo to take pictures of and get the whole thing because it kind of wraps around.
I have an album on facebook with all my tattoos and multiple angles of the live laugh love on if you want to friend request me and check it out

Just search if you search by email mcononico at gmail dot com you should be able to find me on there!

spuccio · November 2009

I love the dragonfly idea, Eriolou. And yes, the little fly making his home on your dress during your ceremony is very spiritual. I wonder whose soul it was, drinking in your vows :-)

I dont have any tats. DH has one on his back--something he designed himself. It is two nautilus shells nested in one another, flipped up like a ying and yang (one is slightly darker). Nautilus shells are a great sacred example of intentional design in nature--they grow according to the golden ratio, or phi. DH is a philosophy buff, so it suits him well.

My younger brother is 18 and just got his first two tats. He is an EMT and a firefighter, so he designed one for his shoulder that incorporates both of those symbols. His best friend passed away in July of bone cancer, and his second tat honors Greg. Greg's Make-A-Wish grant was a custom colored Mustang (what would you wish for as a 17 year old boy?

) and Matt's ink is of a real mustang, racing across his forearm.

I like tattoos that are really meaningful.

jkepros · November 2009

I have a tatoo on my belly, right next to my belly button. I won't be having children, so I don't have to worry about it getting all stretched out from being preggs.

It's a scorpion. It's a line drawing, just plain black ink. I'm a scorpio (classic!) & got it when I was 18 & graduating HS. I definitely don't regret it. It's so "me." Most people don't know I have it (including my entire family). FI & I have both thought about getting something for each other, but haven't decided what yet. We've thought about getting each other's signs--like, he gets a scorpion & I get a pisces. But haven't decided yet.

I think getting something to commemorate your wedding is an awesome idea!

AlwaysABridesmaid... · November 2009

I have 6. I regret 1 which was done on impulse. I love the idea of a dragon fly. Most tattoo artists will draw you up a few designs if you know what you want. Stay away from flash though (the books in the shop) They are incredibly generic and everyone has them. My favorite is the one I put the most thought into and had an artist draw up for me. It is an Irish Claddah but the inside of the heart is an italian flag and my cousins name, birthdate and death date. My cousin was killed in a car accident and he had always wanted an leprechaun eating spaghetti to represent out irish/italian heritage. When he passed away, we all go some interpretaion of his idea. The leprechauns all looked a litle manly to me so I went with something a little more feminine

Ps- Evs, love that you used the word cooter...made my day!

KatelynnRose · November 2009

I am totally an indecisive person...very bad...so when I FINALLY knew what i wanted without a doubt i had to decide where to put it! That took a while but I don't regret it one bit.

evseidl · November 2009

Haha-- Always-- everything else would have gotten flagged. No need to annoy our beautiful new mod!

caitie789 · November 2009

I love the idea of getting the dragonfly. Have you thought of whether it would be color or black and white?

I am a fan of meaningful tattoos...you are going to have it forever. I don't have a tattoo but have been thinking of getting one for several years.

It is a symbol (sankofa) that loosely means learn from your past. It looks like a heart without being a simple shape. I would get it really small somewhere discrete. Recently I have been thinking of getting my father's celtic cross tattooed in a smaller version as he passed from cancer a few months ago. A friend of mine also suggested "I love you" in his handwriting as he is getting his mom's signature tattooed on his wrist shortly. I love the idea of live, laugh, love, too.

SHAMRK34 · November 2009

I think this is such a beautiful idea! And I love the symbolism of it. I don't have a tat bc I am a chicken about needles - I have had so many but when it comes to an option of the needles I freak..
I love the idea of having a tatoo on my foot and am a bit obsessed with a few tatoos my friends have on their feet and toes..I think they look beautiful and I love the idea of it not really stretching down the line (childbirth, weight gain....)
I hope you find something you love!

JBs_Bride · November 2009

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_massachusetts-boston_kwr-tattoos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:89Discussion:4af49bdf-af49-4998-b739-9be0d6a1df81Post:eb037407-3766-46c3-8696-33df81ac26dd">Re: KWR: Tattoos</a>:
[QUOTE]Haha-- Always-- everything else would have gotten flagged. No need to annoy our beautiful new mod! :)
Posted by evseidl[/QUOTE]

It's going to take a lot more than "cooter" to get you banned. lol

Wishin986 · November 2009

(side note - this box won't come up for me in firefox. i have to use explorer. lame)

Like the dragon fly idea! My sister actually just got a dragonfly (a big one on her back) I love tattoos as a way to commemorate important life events - I'm really into Body Theory and projecting what's inside outside type thing. I currently have 2 tattoos.

1. Strength in Russian right below the underwear line on my left backside. I got it when I was going through a bunch of stuff my freshman year in college and I'm 1/2 Russian (dad's side) so I was commemorating that and also in part my gradmother who has so much strength on my mom's side.

2. Across the inside arch of my right foot I have "Lokah Samasthah Sukhino Bhavantu" in Sanskrit which translates to "May All Beings Everywhere Attain Happiness and Freedom". I got it while I was spending a summer conducting research in Nepal because I never wanted to forget what I am working towards - I'm very social justice / human rights focused.

My sister and I are thinking about getting a garnet pendant that is on a necklace I brought back to her from Prague of two hearts intertwined and possibly the last line of a poem she wrote for me "the one for whom I survive".

DH and I have also talked about getting footprints together because of an inspirational quote he created for me when I was going through some stuff - well he created a bunch but that was one that was easily translatable. But DH isn't usually a fan of tattoos and he wanted it to be my last one - and now with the sister thing - it's all kind of up in the air. But we'll see.

kaustin2010 · November 2009

I love the dragonfly idea! I think a tatoo should somehow be meaningful for you- after all, you're going to have it for a long long time.

I have two- one on my shoulder and one on my ankle. The one on my shoulder is the Little Prince. I read the book in a French class in high school and there is a line in it that says "You see the important things with your heart, not your eyes". I really liked that. The one on my ankle is three little start, which match the stars around the Prince's head on my shoulder.

As for what kind of dragonfly to get, remember that a good tatoo artist can recreate ANYTHING in ink for you. I took the front cover of the book with me and said "I want that". I bet you could find something really cool. Good luck and keep us updated!

MandahGirly · November 2009

I have one tattoo - It's a lily of the valley and a water lily - They represent the flowers for me and FI - I love it so much - It's on my left shoulder - And I'm planning on showing it off at the wedding - I even have a must have picture that I want our photographer to take of it with me and FI

I want to get another one after we are married - My name means "Worthy of Love" so i would love to get that tattooed along with our wedding date. I'm also planning on adding the flowers of our children to the tattoo I already have.

P.S. That's a bad picture because it was taken like an hour after I got it!

erilouboston · November 2009

I'm thinking of doing a black-only tattoo - I found this drawing of a dragonfly I like, it was a commission the artist did for someone's tattoo - I'm thinking about contacting her to see if I could get a better resolution version. I'm also thinking of putting "le gra go deo" in script along the tail (it means "with love forever" in gaelic, I had it engraved inside Mike's ring), and maybe hiding our names in one wing, and the wedding date in the other - but tiny - like only I could find it. Sort of like when they do mehndi and hide the groom's name in the design.

alnp27 · November 2009

I dont have one.
I know exactly what I want and where I would get it but Im such a baby.
I want to get my name spelt in Greek in honor of my grandfather who passed away a few years ago.
I'd really love to do it, and I'm thinking I might once I shed these pounds before the wedding, kind of like commemorating my hard work. So it would be kind of like a 2 in 1 meaning.

I think the dragonfly sounds like a beautiful idea. It will have so many meanings which I think is awesome
When my FI got his tattoo he had an idea of what he wanted so I printed some stuff out and traced them and reworked them and then we gave my sketch to the artist who redid it as well and he loves it.

livandrich · November 2009

when i was 18, my 20 year old cousin died very suddenly. i have her name in her writing on my left wrist. along with the matching nose piercings we had, it's my favorite thing on my body. i love it and would never change it. there are many ideas for more ink brewing in my mind, and i think another one is going to become a reality next week; i got my first around thanksgiving 6 years ago, so i think it's time for another!

dragonfly sounds fabulous- i feel like looking through some nature books or insect study books could help you find some beautiful drawings...like a vintage look...does that make sense?

Krystalynne21 · November 2009

I got one at 18....and I don't regret it. I put an angel on my lower back. Insert joke about the "tramp stamp" here. I love love love it to this day, and I actually want to add to it and put my son's name about the halo.

Scarlet856 · November 2009

That's funny Krystalynne I have the exact same angel, tramp stamp in the exact same place. You have good taste!

LexiMS · November 2009

I have three stars on my hip. They are pretty easy to cover up, and you can only see them when I am wearing a lower cut bikini. I got it when I was 18 with my best friend (she got a star on her foot).

While I don't regret it, I don't love it. I guess I am indifferent...FI doesn't like it. I also had some absurd idea that if it was on the outside of my hip bone it would be fine when I got pregnant, now I am seriously concerned it may look horrible after I have kids.
Funny how you don't think your body will ever change when you are 18....

jwatts23 · November 2009

Erilou- good post, we have been talking about this all day at work! I love the idea of incorporating that phrase in the tail and your names/or date in the wings.

I am thinking of doing a Hawaiian flower (hibiscus) on my foot to commemorate our honeymoon in Maui. It is also a flower I have been in love with for years. I am trying to find a phrase in Hawaiian as well - I have found a few good ones that are "for eternity", "forever" and a couple others. But I am thinking of incorporating our date or "P" (our last name) in the flower somehow- not too sure yet!

Everyone has some great tats- I'm getting inspired now!

erilouboston · November 2009

jwatts - yes! This post was very inspiring! After talking to my brother (also a graphic artist) he said that the one I liked wouldn't translate well if I made it really small (which is what I want) - so now I'm working on doing a script tattoo, in a gestural font, and incorporating a dragonfly motif in there somewhere... we'll see what I come up with after messing around with Illustrator for awhile..

jwatts23 · November 2009

I love it! You are so lucky to be have the gift of being crafty- me, not so much!

I keep playing around with how to bring in DH last name or wedding date- something! I will keep you updated.

And let me know when you figure it out- I would love to see! Dragonfly's have a big meaning in my family and DH weirdly enough and its fun to see something like that!

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