Have you ever thought about getting matching ink with your special someone? Some couples simply adore the idea of getting tattoos on their wedding day. Believe it or not, my husband and I got finger tattoos after our ceremony, and we love showing them off.

Our hands, photographed by Hotzel Photography in Joshua Tree.

Whether it’s your first tattoo or one of many, tattoos can be a fun way to commemorate your wedding. A quick note on tattoos—they’re permanent! Shocker, I know. So, my best advice is to really think it through. Then again, getting married is a big deal too—so chances are, you already know what’s up.

In honor of the ink, here’s a quick guide to some of the practical aspects of getting couples’ tattoos on your wedding day.

Logistics: Choosing a Tattoo Artist, Timing, and More

Unless you have a tattoo artist in your friend group, ready to apply some ink on the big day, you’ll need to think through scheduling a tattoo appointment.

Shawna watches on as John had a friend tattoo him on their wedding day at Burning Man.

Yes, some tattoo shops allow for walk-ins. That’s what Isiah & I did for ours. While the photos were lovely, the tattoos themselves aren’t perfect. If I had spent more time researching, I would have found better artists like Gabriella—who, incidentally, did our second matching tattoo.

But if you have a busy wedding day (think: reception, dinner, multiple photo locations, etc.), you’ll probably be happier with a set schedule.

Plus, planning ahead allows you to research your artist and coordinate bigger pieces. Small tattoos like dates, initials, or rings are done in a jiffy. But more complicated designs or larger works take time that could cut into the rest of your day.

Special note: Whether you decide on a walk-in or an appointment, it’s essential to ask if your wedding photographer can join you two. Some tattoo studios are too small or simply do not allow for additional people in the room. If you want wedding photos of the moment, be sure to call ahead and ask!

Wedding Tattoos: Day-Of or Another Day?

Do you want your tattoo looking fresh FOR your wedding day? Or do you want to get it done ON your wedding day?

Obviously, getting inked the day-of is very memorable and a total vibe. Just know that you might be walking around with a bit of plastic wrap over your new artwork for the rest of the day.

Sometimes, couples prefer to have a piece that’s done and fully healed so they can show it off in their wedding dress or suit. If you prefer the latter, you probably want to plan to complete your tattoo a full two weeks before your wedding day.

Then again, a lot of my couples choose to work with me because I specialize in outdoor elopements and adventure wedding photography. New tattoos are technically open wounds. And if you’re hiking or otherwise among the elements, that can put stress on your artwork. So, there’s no shame in waiting on your wedding tattoo until you can properly take care of it.

Couples’ Matching Tattoo Ideas

Now that we’ve covered all the need-to-knows and what-to-think-abouts, we can move on to the fun stuff. Ideating your new matching tattoos!

Maybe you already have an idea in mind. Awesome! But if you are thinking through some options with your partner, these suggestions might spark some conversations.

Body location: A lot of people do fingers for wedding tattoos. It’s an obvious choice, since you’re already exchanging rings. Some folks choose tattoos for the ring finger—especially if they don’t plan on wearing jewelry—while others choose other fingers, so the ring doesn’t cover it up.

But remember that fingers are a highly visible area prone to more sun exposure—which is to say, they fade faster than some other parts of the body.

Not to mention that some artists won’t tattoo your hands if you don’t have other tattoos. The hands are commonly referred to as a “job killer” tattoo placement, along with the neck and face.

Still, some couples want it anyway—and I certainly fall into that category myself.

Other common areas include upper arms (easy to hide, easy to show off), sides (always by my side), shoulder blades (always got my back), upper chests (near the heart), or thighs (easy to hide).

Meaningful letters and numbers: Common examples include the initials of your partner or your anniversary date. Heck, you can even get fancy with the date by using Roman numerals.

Something to keep in mind, though: Consistently, the most common tattoo regret is getting someone else’s initials. So, if that troubles you, you can always choose something else.

Isiah & I got the alchemical symbol for air tattooed, because we are both air signs (he’s a Libra and I’m a Gemini). Alternatively, you could get tattoos of your pet names for each other, the coordinates of your wedding location, or something symbolizing your bond that’s meaningful to you both.

Powerful Images: As a couple, you two probably have lots of shared interests. Tattoo your favorite place, animal, or plant. Maybe even matching trees if you got married in the Redwoods or matching mountains if you were married in Mammoth Lakes.

There’s really no limit to what you two can do here. So let your imaginations run wild!

See More Ideas

The Last Tip for Wedding Tattoos

Tattoos are memorable in their own right—they are stuck on you, after all. But you can make the moment even more special by bringing your wedding photographer in on the action.

Tattoo shops are a vibe. And when you go in your wedding attire to get inked up, it’s so much fun to capture the moment in living color. What better way to remember this super fun and unique wedding day activity than with some professional wedding photography on the big day

Book with Love & Latitudes Outdoor Wedding and Elopement Photography today!