They say diamonds are a girl's best friend, but when it comes to engagement rings, some couples are bucking the trend — and forgoing jewelry altogether.
Instead, they're relying on some ink and the skills of an artist to create matching tattoos for both partners. The inked artwork signifies the same long-lasting commitment that a ring typically does — with tattoos being a little more difficult to remove.
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But why the tattoos over a ring? Perhaps it has to do with the exorbitant cost of a typical engagement ring. As of 2014, the average price of an engagement ring had risen to $5,855, according to the Knot's 2014 Real Weddings Survey. That's not even including the wedding bands. A small tattoo, of course, costs only a fraction of that.
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However, as Matt explained on TODAY, while a tattoo might be inexpensive to start with, should the relationship go south (the U.S. has a divorce rate between 40 percent and 50 percent, according to American Psychological Association), it's actually quite costly to get the tattoo removed — possibly even more expensive than the actual ring would have been to begin with.
But for those still pondering inked rings, numerous customization options are available to match personal tastes, perhaps even more so than with traditional rings. Couples have experimented with everything from just black lines signifying traditional bands to more intricate designs.
Perhaps, then, the couple that gets inked together, stays together.
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