Diamonds and gold might be the time-honored choices, but some couples opt for a more permanent ways of symbolizing their matrimonial bonds to one another.
In a recent interview, tattoo artist Louie Campopiano said approximately four to five people inquire about wedding ring tattoos each month at Traditional Tattoos’ Foothill location in San Luis Obispo.
A quick Google search reveals a litany of interesting wedding ring tattoo designs, from simple bands to more elaborate configurations embellished with braiding, Celtic knots, and so on, as well as many designs that do not resemble actual rings. A meaningful symbol, a spouse’s name or initials, or the date of the wedding are few of the more common non-ring designs.
The reasons for getting a wedding ring tattoo can be as diverse as the designs and the couples who choose to get them.
Atascadero resident Eric Boege got his at the suggestion of his wife, Kim, after a friend of hers noticed he wasn’t wearing his wedding band. Unfortunately, the ring no longer fit, but Kim found a remedy to that situation.
Craig and Denise Dingman of San Luis Obispo got their first tattoos at the age of 62 years young when they had their wedding rings done in ink. They were married in 2012 and wanted a special way to celebrate and commemorate the fact that they found love later in life.
Mike and Erin Wurm of Upper Lake, who eloped to Spooner’s Cove in Montaña de Oro on Earth Day in 2010, one-upped the whole “till death do us part” notion, electing instead for more of a “to infinity and beyond” sentiment, each getting infinity symbols on their ring fingers.
Along those same lines, Inky and Kris Wine of Arroyo Grande, who were married on Halloween in 2003, got the Kanji symbol for “forever” tattooed on their fingers. When you’ve garnered the nickname “Inky” due to a fondness for the art form at hand, a wedding ring tattoo is probably just in the cards for you.
If you are thinking about going with the tattoo option for your wedding ring, there are a few things you may want to consider.
First, some tattoo artists will advise against it and may even choose not to do the tattoo. Fingers are not necessarily seen as an ideal location for tattoos due to the fact that the constant movement, the continual contact with the other fingers and everything else in the world, and the ability of the skin to regenerate more quickly in the area can lead to blurring and fading of the tattoo.
Of the four to five people who inquire about wedding ring tattoos at Traditional Tattoos each month, Campopiano estimates that only about 10 percent go through with it. Nevertheless, like choosing a spouse, it is ultimately a personal decision and many people, probably including some tattoo artists, choose to get them anyway.
Cost is another factor to consider. Traditional Tattoos’ minimum is $60, and Campopiano estimates that the average wedding ring tattoo would be around $80 to $100. That’s less than the average simple gold wedding band and certainly less than a nice icy rock.
The amount of pain involved may be a concern as well. While the fingers can be more sensitive than other areas, Campopiano suggests that it’s not a major factor because the small size of the tattoo means the process will be over relatively quickly.
Also, given that the divorce rate in the United States is about 40 to 50 percent according to the American Psychological Association, it may also be prudent to know a few things about tattoo removal.
Linda Peterson, a registered nurse with San Luis Obispo Dermatology & Laser Clinic, estimates that no more than half a dozen patients had laser removal treatments for ring tattoos in 2013, though she wasn’t certain if they were specifically wedding ring tattoos.
A consultation for tattoo removal at SLO Dermatology & Laser Clinic is $100, and the minimum cost per treatment is also $100 for tattoos up to two square inches. A majority of tattoos take between eight and 12 treatments for removal, and the necessary intervals between treatments can be as long as three months.
Though patients are able to use an anesthetic cream on the tattooed area prior to the treatment—and a cryospray is used during the treatment to chill the skin and decrease discomfort—the procedure is still painful. On the bright side, wedding ring tattoos are small, so the treatments only take about 10 minutes each.
As someone who isn’t married and never has been, allow me to offer my unsolicited, uninformed advice: if you feel it’s absolutely necessary to express your love and commitment to your significant other through a permanent marking on your body, which can only be removed through a costly, time-consuming, and painful process, consider going with the proverbial name tattooed on your ass. That way if things don’t work out, you won’t have to see it all the time and constantly be reminded of your past (at least not without a little effort). And given the locale of the artwork, you can just think of it as more of an insult.
Trever Dias is an intern for New Times, the Sun’s sister paper to the north. He can be contacted through the editor at rmiller@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 13-20, 2014.