Wedding Ring Tattoos: Best Modern, Celtic, Religious

Modern-day married or engaged couples have one interesting wedding ring option that their parents probably would be scandalized to imagine and their grandparents probably wouldn't even have known about: wedding ring tattoos.

Tattoos are also, for the most part, a permanent choice, so wedding ring tattoos can be a way for devoted couples to prove that their marriage is truly for better or for worse. In an age when the divorce rate is 50%, this can be a refreshing change of perspective for married couples. Below, I present some of the most beautiful/thought-provoking/unique tattoos that I have been able to find. Enjoy!

Tara from Tara Jubilee explains that she and her husband decided on matching wedding ring tattoos because her husband works with heavy machinery, which might make a traditional wedding band a hindrance and possible a health risk when he is working with moving parts. Another point she makes is that many men are not used to wearing any jewelry, and getting used to wearing a ring for the rest of their lives might be a nuisance they would prefer not to undergo.

The celtic bands she shows are simple, with crisp lines outlining the shape of the tattoos. I really like them because they are not designed to draw attention to themselves, but to be a simple statement and representation of the couple's love and fidelty to each other.

As an alternative to a tattooed design on his finger, Tim at Cast Iron Skillet got the phrase: "EPH. 2:25" inked on his ring finger. The meaning? It is a verse from the book of Ephesians in the Bible: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." Whether or not you are Christian, this is a beautiful sentiment to remember, and a reminder everyday of how to act in a positive marriage.

Tim wears his tattoo under a traditional wedding band, but some people will choose to only have their religious tattoo. The option of having it small enough to hide under another ring is important for those working in conservative office environments, and unfortunately almost all of us are in places like this at least sometimes.

Howard Stern, popular radio and television host, married model and actress Beth Ostrosky in October 2008. He had expressed his reluctance to wear a traditional wedding ring because of the annoyance and discomfort factors, so he took a much more permanent route instead: he had the letter "B" in Old English script tattooed on his ring finger, for his wife's first name. It's fairly large and definitely not able to be covered by a traditional wedding ring, but hey, he's Howard Stern. He has never cared what anyone else thought. Later, his new wife got the letter "H" inked on the inside of her wrist. Their two tattoos are simple, yet classy.

Eva Longoria has the date of her wedding to Tony Parker tattooed on her left wrist with the Roman numerals "VII VII MMVII" (7 7 2007) representating their wedding date. While the tattoo doesn't mimic a traditional wedding band exactly, the effect is similar, and it is a more artistic way to tattoo their wedding date.

Much less traditional-looking, these modern wedding ring tattoos do not try to look exactly like a traditional wedding ring, but instead be a new twist on the concept of having a wedding ring at all. This style of wedding ring tattoos are becoming popular with today's twenty-somethings, and I expect to see more modern tattoo styles in years to come.

It's supposed to be the happiest, most memorable day of your life: your wedding day. They say you will never be more beautiful or more in love with your significant other. Whether or not that's true, many people recognize their wedding day as the day their lives changed forever - the day things changed from "I" to "we". Many couples choose to immortalize their favorite day be getting the date tattooed on their ring finger as a sign of lifelong commitment to each other.