Should You Cover Up Your Tattoo for Your Wedding?

You can love your tattoo (it may even be an ode to your future spouse!) but still be undecided about showcasing it on your wedding day. Perhaps your mother-in-law made a disconcerting comment at your dress fitting, or you're worried it'll come across as odd in pictures or seem out of place at your black tie affair.

Our take? Don't worry about any of those things, and simply do you. You have every right to show off your tattoo on your wedding day—you undoubtedly got it for a reason, and something you decided to permanently place on your body clearly means a lot to you (not to state the obvious). It's a part of who you are, and we think it should be a part of your wedding day look if that's what you want—just take a cue from these ladies.

At the same token, maybe your concerns about your ink outweigh the benefits of leaving it out, loud and proud. In that case, you have tons of options: Lots of heavy concealers are made for the exact purpose of covering up ink, like Dermablend or Kat Von D's tattoo concealer. (Pro tip: Invest in both a lighter shade and your exact skin shade and set with a powder to more successfully cover up the ink.) You can also hire a makeup artist on your wedding day who specializes in airbrushing tattoos.

Whatever you decide, it's your decision and your decision only (that means no listening to your mother-in-law here). Your wedding should be the perfect representation of you—and if that includes showing off the sentimental shoulder tattoo that makes you smile every time you see it in the mirror, then let that baby shine.