Brides with Tattoos...

mflfm · June 2010

Wow. I'm actually really really surprised that everyone was so laid back about this, I was TOTALLY expecting the opposite, it's good to hear. I am very heavily tattooed and have been for years. I am not wearing a burka to my wedding just because other people "don't like" tattoos. Tattoo's done and thought out well are not "a phase". It's sad that girls are so insecure and have to follow the in crowd thinking they are trendy, but what part of permanent can you confuse with phase or trend?!!?!? Why do people lose 40 pounds before their wedding, then look at pictures wondering who the hell they are? Big girls wear tight strapless dresses, skinny girls flaunt their bones. IT'S HOW YOU LOOK!!!! CELEBRATE YOURSELF. If your wedding is about your tattoos showing, you may have other issues you want to deal with first.

[Deleted User] · June 2010

When our grandmothers and mothers were young, only women of base orgins or ill repute had tattoos. (This was societies view not mine.) Tattoos were not seen by the majority of people as a piece of art but rather as something dirty and shameful. A true lady would never have contemplated such an act.

Our generation sees tattoos as expressions of the people we are, who and what we care about, and what we believe in. If this is what your tattoo is then by all means show off your tattoo. Grandma will get over it...some day.

lukeandmichelle · June 2010

There is no way I'm covering my tattoo on my shoulder blade...it will proudly show! The tattoo is a memorial to my sister and by showing my tattoo, I'm showing she's there with me in spirit and will always be a part of my family and special day.

My other tattoo is on my foot and I'll proudly show it off at the wedding and in pictures as it symbolises my profession and lifelong dream which I have recently accomplished.

annmarie1987 · June 2010

I have three, and I worked with my friend who's making my dress to specifically cut the dress so that they're all visible, including my back piece that goes from between my shoulder blades to down almost to the point of having to show my butt!

My mom's family is incredibly prudish and they've hated all my tattoos and piercings (the lip was their favorite to b*** about). But it's been a few years and I don't hide them except when I go to their church, out of respect for them, so I think they're learning that it's actually possible to have these things for a reason other than simply rebellion or teenage 'angst'. They love me, and I think they're slowly learning.

I think if you just treat your own body art with respect, and it's tasteful, people will most often see that and end up seeing it the way you do, as an expression of you and your love for your own body and life experiences.

mustangcheercoach · June 2010

I have six tattoos and three of them will be showing in my August wedding.

I did ask my fiance his thoughts on my tats because he has a minister in his family, but he told me that I was not to cover them, that he accepted the full package, he loves my tattoos and that I better not cover them and whoever doesn't like it...oh well.

So my tats will be showing as I wear my strapless gown...

amandasz618 · June 2010

I have 4 at the moment, soon to be 5. I got a sparrow tattoed on each shouler blade and I love them. My mother HATES tattoos, and asked me.."what are you going to do about those birds on your back when you get married.".. My reply.."I guess I'm getting married with birds on my back!" It's a part of you..don't be ashamed. I didn't ask permission to get them in the first place, so as much as I love and adore my mother, she won't be telling me what I can and can not do!

kathycapogrosso · June 2010

They're a part of me... I love them... and they're beautiful. I'd never cover them up.

Why get a tat in a place that's visible if you don't want to show it off!?

kitiarajade · June 2010

I love my tattoos, in fact I got a tattoo FOR my wedding that WOULD be showed off by my dress, I have autumn leaves across my back because I am getting married in the fall and I have a strapless dress. If you have a tattoo it is a part of who you are, therefore why would you cover any part of yourself on the most important day of your life. Accept yourself, all of you and let it all hang out!

kcshield · June 2010

I had a friend with a similar situation...she had a tattoo that she loved but you could only see half of it in her dress which looked bazaar so she covered it. I think it is a personal choice. I have a tattoo which I love but unless my dress was backless you would not see it but if you could I would cover it because I am getting married in a traditional Catholic church and there is just something tacky about a tattoo on a bride in a traditional setting. Don't give me wrong I give maddd props to the girls in the sexy dresses showing off their body art . I have come to find about 9 out of 10 of them have an equally as cool and hip wedding so it fits....just like you wouldn't eat caviar while watching roller derby you wouldn't be flashing ink in front of the 85 year old priest who baptised you...lol.

Btpullia · June 2010

If you don't mind showing it to everyone else, you should warn your grandmother first instead of springing it on her on your wedding day. If you would rather not show it, I have seen things at David's Bridal for covering up tattoos.

If it were me, I think it would depend on the placement of the tattoo and how appropriate it is before I could decide whether to cover or show it. I have a tattoo, but it is covered completely.

timurphy · June 2010

"Is being aware and courteous the same as being fearful and immature?"

These are not the same thing at all. I have two tats and I love them both. One symbolizes my heritage and family, the other my children. I am not anti-tat in any way. But I also believe in respecting the opinions and feelings of older family members. Just b/c you're considering covering it to respect your grandma's wishes does not make you a child or afraid. It means you are a respectful granddaughter who cares. I think that's admirable. I will say that if only part of your tat shows, I might consider covering it just for that reason. If the entire thing is showing, that's a different issue. If only part of it is peeking out, it might be a distraction from your overall look and worth covering for that reason.

tropicanagrl8 · June 2010

I have two, one around my navel and the other one on my upper middle back. I love them both!! The one around my navel will be covered by the dress and the one on my back will be visible. I'd probably tailor the dress if it did cover it..LOL

I guess we all have a lot of opinions on this topic but honestly there will be so many things going on for your special day that if someone really makes an issue about your tattoo that's just ridiculous.

liz.baker587 · June 2010

I have three tattoos the are definatey going to show and I am not covering them up. My mom's only request is that when the pictures come back, our photographer is going to edit some of the photos for her to have the "removed." I feel that they are a part of who I am and I am not ashamed to show them. As others said, they do noit want to look back at the pictures and regret the tattoos, well, have the photographer take them off for some of the photos.

The makeup to cover them is nasty. I would be more worried about getting the makeup on my dress than having them show,

kmcdonnell56 · June 2010

Well, considering I have two full sleeves, I'm kind of out of luck on the "covering" of them option! LOL! As a matter of fact, my fiance is a tattoo artist and does my work. The wedding is a big push to get him to finish what he had started! LOL! Both sleeves have been in progress for about 4 years or better - now I finally have him working on the completion! I love my tattoos. They all have meaning or tell a story. To me, if you cover what you love, or something that has meaning, it probably isn't taht important to you in the first place.

vscheidt891 · June 2010

All of my tattoos will be covered be my dress, except for the one on my foot. It wouldn't bother me if you could see them. I understand that you are thinking about your Grandmother's feeling, which I think is great. However, you are the only one who can choose what is right for you!

I'm planning on getting a tattoo on my other foot that has my wedding colors. I'm very excited!

angelob88 · June 2010

I'm going to show mine off. I love my tattoo, it's a part of who I am and I'm not going to hide it just in case a family member wouldn't approve.

kbrownkickin8586 · June 2010

I have a few tattoos.
One is on my chest and I've considered covering it only because I don't want that to be where your eye goes when we look at pictures.
I also have one on my back shoulder and I certainly will not cover that one - it says "no regret". I thought it would be totally inappropriate to cover that on my wedding day, even if part of it is covered with my dress.

diana8982 · June 2010

I got my tatto to celebrate my grandmothers life. I picked all of her favorite items, the cross, roses, pearls and a banner with her name Evelyn on it. I laways have my grandmother watching my back, lliterally, since thats where i placed it. I am gong to light a candle in her honor, but i want my tattoo to show...because its a part of me, and on my day, i shouldnt have to alter myself for anyone else. everyone is there to celebrate the beginning of a new part of my life, if they are offended by my tattoo, then maybe they shouldnt be celebrating with me.

JeFlanigan · June 2010

WOW LADIES!!! Thank you all for responding... this clearly went global on a major scale... Debbie313, and Bcleary, thanks for the suggestions if I decide to cover up... I do have time to make this decision but wow... over 90 responses as I post this and 400+ on the poll, I never expected this to get such a huge response... thanks again.

JimiandKaren · June 2010

I agree with most of you glam gals, that your tattoo is a part of you, an expression of your personality and style, and you should be proud of them.
However, in my situation, my family and the FI's family are very conservative and traditional in culture (I'm Chinese and he's Spanish). So in respect of my elders and my culture, I am covering my back piece with a single shoulder strap made of pleated tulle that fans out across my back. It doesn't cover my tattoos totally (you can see them through the tulle), but it does make them more subtle.

After the reception, I'm changing into another dress (a red strapless party dress), which WILL show off my tats proudly!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
152 days until my wedding!

aerinpegadrak · June 2010

I think this got included in that dumb email they send out. That's usually the cause of a flood of responses by new posters.

Cantia · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_brides-tattoos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:b1c1ce99-c742-41ef-a40c-2245e17abc10Post:0480cdd2-2eae-432b-8fd0-9a8231ce83c1">Re: Brides with Tattoos...</a>:
[QUOTE]WOW LADIES!!! Thank you all for responding... this clearly went global on a major scale... Debbie313, and Bcleary, thanks for the suggestions if I decide to cover up... I do have time to make this decision but wow... over 90 responses as I post this and 400+ on the poll, I never expected this to get such a huge response... thanks again.
Posted by JeFlanigan[/QUOTE]<div>
Tattoos are a hot topic! </div>

ans0021 · June 2010

I have one that will be covered by my dress, but if I had gotten it in a place that would show, I would definitely cover it up for the same reason you're concerned with. My grandmother doesn't know I have the tattoo and while I think it's something that she would approve of more after she knew the meaning behind it, I still don't want it to come as a shock to her on my special day, especially since I'm having my wedding in her yard. Not something I would want to have to worry about on my wedding day.

kamaniny · June 2010

I go tmy tattoo when i was 17 and i am 31 now. I hate it and it's location! I feel awkward trying on classy, beautiful dresses with a large tattoo on my shoulder! I hope airbrush makeup can hide it without having it smudge or run when sweating :0(

gasutherngurl · June 2010

I have wings on my back and to cover them would be completely offensive to my fiancé who has a sleeve and myself. They are an expression of how I feel about MY life. If you get them covered up then who are you trying to fool, obviously the tattoos are not apart of you. If your ashamed enough to feel that you need to cover them up in front of the people that care about you most in life, then obviously you do not need to have them. They are art, a free way to express oneself, plus they add character to you as a person. And I think they will look great with my wedding dress

!

JeFlanigan · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_brides-tattoos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:b1c1ce99-c742-41ef-a40c-2245e17abc10Post:1387065c-b7d3-4720-9a96-5bb9f8556728">Re: Brides with Tattoos...</a>:
[QUOTE]I think this got included in that dumb email they send out. That's usually the cause of a flood of responses by new posters.
Posted by aerinpegadrak[/QUOTE]
I think your right... It's actually the only reason I checked it again... I thought the subject died (and by died... the frequency of posts was dwindling....9 am CDT 6/2 and then the flood 11:30 CDT today).

celticlily · June 2010

How did that work? I want to do the same, but I'm afraid it's going to get on my dress...

tkjolly · June 2010

The only thing that drives me bonkers about brides with tattoos is when the dress covers half of it. Either cover it up or show it off, but don't have half of a beautiful piece of art peeking out from under the back strap of your dress. It's visually jarring and a distraction from the ceremony for guests who have never seen it before; we spend the whole time wondering what the hell is on your back/arm/chest!

JeFlanigan · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_brides-tattoos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:b1c1ce99-c742-41ef-a40c-2245e17abc10Post:b21431f6-a328-46ff-ac54-7d0a66f9845a">Re: Brides with Tattoos...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Brides with Tattoos... : Tattoos are a hot topic!
Posted by Cantia[/QUOTE]

Clearly!! LOL... although I didn't think hot enough to be an email... shows what I know.
I also never answered you (like 4 days ago). The knot's a twist off of another one, this one's been something to me since the early days of HS (so like 10 years or so) getting it now was something important for me to do with my brother, (whose deploying in 3 days) It's the top sticking out I'm worried about,
<a href="#" title="Click to view a larger photo" onclick="return gSiteLife.LoadForumPage('ForumImage', 'plckPhotoId', 'b4ae9636-6974-484e-b64a-a4447fad727a', 'plckRedirectUrl', gSiteLife.EscapeValue(window.location.href));"> <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/4/6/b4ae9636-6974-484e-b64a-a4447fad727a.medium.jpg" alt="" /></a>

InfamousQBert · June 2010

i totally understand being worried about your grandma's opinions, so i'm not going to call you immature. i'm not one to worry too much about my family's thoughts on those kinds of things, but i get why you would be. that said, i think your grandma might be more willing to accept that kind of thing than you think. i've seen a lot of grandparents who are more easy going than the parents when it comes to wedding stuff. she may not like it, per se, but i'd put more money on one of the parents having a fit than a grandparent.

depending on where it is (i'm guessing somewhere in the back/shoulder area), you could probably cover it pretty easily with a bolero jacket. those are SUPER popular right now and you can get one custom made on www.etsy.com or do a google search for pre-made ones. they go well with a lot of different styles and look more modern and hip than prim and proper.

http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_query=wedding+bolero&search_type=handmade

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