Dear Reader,
We all have instances that have marked us deeply.
I remember being around 22, still in college and convinced the world was all cotton candy and rainbows. One day I was at the mall by myself for a while before my friends met up with me. I was walking down the main drag of stores when a woman stopped me.
I’m a friendly sort so I didn’t think anything of it. She proceeds to tell me she can’t believe I would tattoo myself, because didn’t I know I would never be a beautiful bride?
When she said that I remember being shocked. I might have mumbled something and wandered away, bleeding on the inside. I’d never thought of getting married, I’ve never been fixated on the idea but suddenly I knew that I would never be a beautiful bride. I already had massive confidence issues going on and this didn’t help.
My perception didn’t change until around five years later when I was looking at my friend’s wedding pictures. He’d gotten married to a mutual roller derby friend who was a stunning woman with beautiful ink. Looking at the dress and her and the whole set up – she was a beautiful bride, and she had tattoos.
While I’ll always be self conscious about my body, I’ve accepted that I can be a non-traditional beautiful bride, someday if I decide to get married. I’ve even used the personal experience with the crazy lady in my paranormal romance, I Spy You that I hope to send out on submission this winter sometime.
So Sunday I was poking around Facebook and I see this link to a website called Tattooed Brides.
WHAT?!?!
I had to look! The site is all about the tattooed bride and started as a photography venture. It’s really awesome, I suggest checking it out. Maybe someday I’ll be on there. Who knows!
