Couple tattoos can be a polarizing topic: Some people cringe at the idea of matching tattoos for couples, while others think there’s no better way to cement, embrace, and enthusiastically show off their love for their partner. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks: Each couple knows what’s best for them.
That said, you might have some questions about the phenomenon. Why do so many couples opt to get matching relationship tattoos in the first place, and therefore, why should you?
Why do couples get matching tattoos?
According to Rachel Wright, MA, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex and relationships, matching tattoos can serve as a physical and permanent reminder of a person, commitment, care, experience, feeling, or moment. “When we see a tattoo on our body, it elicits some sort of feeling, and with a matching couples tattoo, it can illicit a feeling of belonging, joy, commitment, or something else,” Wright explains.
Some couples might even feel that the act of getting the tattoo will bring them closer together. “A shared experience, such as getting a tattoo together, can bring a couple closer,” Wright says, though she notes that matching tattoos aren’t a cure-all. “Like anything else, depending on what’s going on in the relationship, it may or may not have the effect that the person or people are wanting,” she says. “It all depends on the hope and meaning of it.”
What do matching tattoos represent?
While tattoos’ meanings always come from your personal connection to them, some tattoo artists think matching tattoos have evolved in recent years. “Historically, it was something that was very possessive and territorial, but today I see a lot of friends forging their friendship through tattoo storytelling as a celebration of what they mean to each other,” California tattoo artist Saem Kim tells Glamour.
“Sometimes this is in the form of chains welded to each other, like what you see in jewelry trends, such as a forever bracelet, or letters connecting,” she says. “On the other hand, it can also reflect hardship and bonding that moment onto your body.”
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What should I consider before getting a matching tattoo?
As for what advice experts have for individuals and couples considering matching tattoos? Be sure to ask yourself a few questions. What if, in a few years, this relationship winds up not being what it is now—how will you feel about seeing this on your body? “What is your ‘why’ for getting this tattoo? Whythistattoo together? What does this mean to you?” Wright asks. And of course, do you have any questions for your partner(s) before you do this together?
