Weddingbee boards

I know some people have very strong opinions on tattoos showing on your wedding day.  I am personally not one of them, but my Mother and FMIL are.  For my Christmas present I and my fiance booked an appointment with a tattoo artist for my quarter sleeve.  I've been wanting a major tattoo for a while, and have known what I wanted for a few years.  A big squid.  I love squid.  They are pretty, mysterious and yummy to boot.  I was a biology major in college (before I dropped out) and even when I was a little girl I loved the ocean and all it's inhabitants.  So there is meaning behind my beautiful cephalopod show piece.  

Unfortunately, my parents and my FMIL are very vocal on me waiting until after the wedding to do it, which is basically a whole year.  Not only do I not want to wait, I feel cheated out of a christmas present if I don't do it.  I already have other smaller tattoos that would be visable (much to their dismay) on the wedding day, and I don't plan on hiding those, but I don't want to hear about it either, if you know what I mean.

Should I respect them and wait, or should I do what I want (and every younger person seems to want me to do)?  Would I regret seeing it in the photos later on?

Thanks guys.  I already have it booked with a great artist (the end of February was the earliest opening he had).  I've considered a cute little capelet to wear during the ceremony and I'll probably make a whole other post on capelet 'porn'.  The idea for covering up my shoulders doesn't just stem from the whole tattoo bit, I'm a little heavy and have already heard my mom voice her opinion on brides with the whole fat arm clevage thing, and the wedding is in October, so I actually might need something warm.  I don't think I want to wait, and having made the appointment a while ago and paid on the art already, I think I should just go ahead and do it.  

It's just hard to know if I'll be happy with how it looks in a gown.  Oh god, my FMIL has gotten in my head! 

I have a huge tattoo on my back that I love.  I got it a few years ago when I was still single.  The first thing my mother said when she found out was "What about your wedding????"  She hates it.  She has been quite vocal about it and I ignore her.  My dress is strapless and it will be showing for the wedding.  But now that I am just a few weeks away from the big day, I feel like I should give in a little to my mother who has done so much to make my wedding  come together (including funding the entire event).  I am CONSIDERING airbrush makeup.  I will have my makeup trial in a few weeks and will try it out.  If the airbrush coverup looks bad I will not do it for the wedding, but it is something to consider, just to keep the peace.  I love my tat and love showing it off.  It is part of who I am.  But I love my mother more. 

I sometimes get a little worked up by this topic being someone who is considered by some to be heavily tattooed. I have  my neck, 2 full sleeves, my whole back, my hips, one thigh, and my feet done. To me this is not alot because many of my friends are fully covered, but I know to most people this is rather extensive. My fiancee is a tattoo artist and has far more than myself. I would not allow anyone else to dictate how I should look on my wedding day or any other and I don't think you should either. Also, the last thing you want to do is set a precedent that your inlaws can bully you into whatever preconceived notion they have about what a woman should be.

Now, that being said, I myself plan to wear opera length gloves and a stole to (somewhat) cover my tattoos for my ceremony (I'm doing a vintage hollywood thing). This is not because I am ashamed of who I am in any way, but simply because I love that era and want a glamourous, elegant look. I want people see me walk down the aisle and think of Rita Hayworth, not Kat Von D. Then during the reception party the colors can come out :)

I'm sure that there are situations where is would be appropriate to airbrush out a tattoo- perhaps an ex's name or a trashy college mistake, but in those situations I'd say go whole-hog and just get the thing lasered off. If you are a collector of art or meaningful images than that is part of who you are. Be aware though that when you have large visable tattoos many people will see it as entirely who you are and can get very offended by it. I've had people ask if I'm in the circus, tell me it's a "shame such a pretty girl would ruin herself", or look me straight in the face and say that i've desecrated God's creation. These opinions may be meaningless to you, but you need to accept that you may hear them frequently. Women tend to get far more averse reaction than men, but strong woman become so by forging their own path. So there's my 2 cents....or probably a good dollar's worth.