Gen Z and millennial brides are regretting their tattoos — but they have lots of options

• Gen Z and millennial brides have opened up online about regretting their tattoos.
• The "clean girl aesthetic" trend, which emphasizes minimalist beauty, may be a contributing factor.

We've all heard of tattoo regret — and young brides may be more prone to this feeling than others.

Celeste Evanovich, a 28-year-old tattoo artist and content creator, said she has noticed an influx of Gen Z brides souring on their tattoos.

In a YouTube video published July 5, Evanovich shared multiple TikTok videos of women in their 20s saying they worried about how their ink would look in a wedding dress.

In one video, a TikToker with the username @smoneyyz said she works in the bridal industry and often feels self-conscious about the large designs on her arms and hands.

"Every weekend, I get to see all these beautiful brides and their beautiful sleeveless gowns, their beautiful smooth, clean arms, and I just feel this inner ache because I knew when I get married I'm not going to look like that," she said.

'Clean girl' aesthetic

Evanovich said the influx in bridal tattoo regret could be caused by the "clean girl aesthetic", a beauty trend which first blew up on TikTok in 2022.

The trends hones in on minimalist, simple looks, with an emphasis on dewy skin and natural makeup.

Evanovich pointed out TikTok videos where some women said their tattoos made them feel like they couldn't achieve a "clean" look.

While the trend may seem new, it's a hallmark of the wedding industry.

"The clean girl aesthetics and weddings go hand and hand. There's the age-old expectations for women to be pure on their wedding day, wearing bright white," Evanovich said in the video.

Stu Hepcat, a tattoo artist and founder of Hepcat Tattoos in Glasgow, Scotland, told Business Insider that tattoos clash with society's expectation of a "traditional" wedding look.

"It always comes from the purity of it, and how you're going to look on the day, and you don't want anything detracting from that special day," Hepcat said.

He said it's often the parents of the bride who influence this mindset.

It's something I can personally relate to. I'm getting married in April, and earlier this month I took the plunge and got my first tattoo — a dainty design on my ankle.

My parents were supportive, but my mom said something I'm sure many tattooed brides are fed up of hearing: "Just make sure it will look good with your wedding dress."

My tattoo will likely be obscured from view on my wedding day because of where it is. But even if that isn't the case, I'll still feel comfortable showing it.

Brides shouldn't feel bad about covering their ink

The decision to get married is a serious one, but getting tattooed doesn't have to be.

Samantha Jane is a tattoo artist at High Hopes Tattoo in New York.

Speaking to BI by email, she said her millennial clients are more likely to regret their tattoos than Gen Z because of the "popularization of tattoos in the last several years."

Samantha said she'd encourage brides to "do whatever you want to make you feel best on your wedding day," whether that be covering up with makeup or showing off.

"I don't think it's that serious," she said.

Evanovich told BI via email that she would encourage brides who aren't comfortable with tattoos to use makeup.

"It's your big day and if you feel like tattoos don't align with that it's ok! Just consider that when you're going into your next appointment," Evanovich said.

Bridal tattoo cover-ups are becoming more prominent. One of the most notable examples is Ariana Grande, who covered up her arm tattoos for her wedding to Dalton Gomez in 2021.

But at the same time, it appears to have become more acceptable for couples to make tattoos a big part of their wedding. For example, some brides and grooms have gotten inked during their ceremonies and others have hired artists to tattoo their guests.

In a July 2023 study by Pew Research Center, approximately 80% of the 8,480 Americans surveyed said they believed society had become more accepting of tattoos in the past 20 years.

Hepcat has noticed a positive shift. He said he recently had a newly married couple come into his shop to get matching wedding ring tattoos after their ceremony.

"Tattoos can be really positive in a wedding these days. It just depends on how you want to show it," he said.