Question: Love Tattoos for a Strong Relationship

My partner and I have weathered many storms during our marriage. After losing his job and our life savings in the stock market, dealing with our in-laws, and surviving plenty of infidelities on his end, we are still a match made in heaven and have the coveted true love most people are after. I was wondering what sort of tattoo design may signify our strong relationship.

We may need to cover up one of the tattoos that he got for another girl, so I am open to any or all suggestions. I know tattoos won't keep us together, but I have faith that our bond will be just as eternal. Do you have any ideas for love tattoos for a strong relationship? Signed, Full of Hope

Answer: Dear Full of Hope,

I am full of ideas for your love tattoos that signify a strong relationship. First off I want to commend your commitment to one another, especially after dealing with the in-laws. That is certainly no easy task. Next, job loss is always an economic hardship. Luckily you have obviously pulled past that in order to consider body art. Please don't put your tattoo above a car payment.

Last, three cheers for getting over infidelity, especially on multiple accounts. For this reason I will not suggest any name tattoos. Since your husband already tattooed something in favor of another woman, hopefully it is simple to cover or at least not definable towards her. A flower such as a rose tattoo would be a very smart choice on his end, but after multiple accounts of infidelity it's safe to say maybe he's not so smart?

In that case, I suggest the following tattoos for both of you:

Anchor Tattoos: Even if the ship is sinking it's still not going anywhere. An anchor tattoo will signify the both of you being bound to one another. He gives you strength, you lock down his freedom. It's a win-win choice for a couple's tattoo.

Heart and Dagger: Love hurts and you already know that. Spice up a traditional heart tattoo and get straight to the matter with a dagger. You could even go with the phrase made popular by Old School Ed Hardy merchandise and add the verse "Love Kills Slowly." Which it obviously does, right?

Infinity: Round and round and round you go! There is no end to this cycle, so why not opt for an infinity loop tattoo? You can add verse to this trendy tattoo style to make it even more significant to your relationship. Consider adding the words Hope, Love, or Faith to your infinity symbol, all of which must be present in any strong relationship.

Verses: At times a symbol may not clearly define your love, especially with all the hardships you've endured. Still waters do run deep, and while your relationship may have been shaky there is certainly some depth to your story.

With that said, you may be better off with a verse or a phrase instead. Consider matching tattoos that say the following: Love Never Fails (lucky for you it hasn't yet)! Trip Over Love and You Can Get Up, Fall in Love and You Fall Forever (Unknown, but well said). Grow Old Along with Me! The Best is Yet to Be (Robert Browning- add this to any existing flower tattoos). There is Always Some Madness in Love (Nietzsche-this is accurate, who needs boring)?

I hope these suggestions get the love ball rolling. With some ample thought and time you should be able to discover just the right tattoo design that symbolizes your strong bond.

Just remember that while a tattoo is forever, relationships take work. Hang in there and put your partner first and you should continue to weather the storms. Best of luck to you both. May your tattoos reflect your strong and eternal commitment to one another. If not, there is always laser removal. You can read all about that here.