Should I shave my armpits for my wedding day?

i just feel I should point out that not all Pagans abstain from shaving. I'd venture to say that at least half to a majority of us do shave. I have nothing against people who don't, but there seems to be this stereotype that if you're Pagan it means you don't shave your pits. To each their own, obviously, but I just don't want it to be assumed that Paganism and not shaving are linked. Thanks!

As Ariel is always good to point out, it's important to be authentic to yourself. That could mean doing the same thing you have (not) done for years because it's comfortable or because you want to make a powerful statement. It could also mean that you are in the mood to do something different for a special occasion, and just need to find the right approach to something unfamiliar. Whatever you decide, I think it's important to point out that while political significance might influence your decision to go au naturel on a daily basis, it can but does not have to be the only factor in what you decide to do for your wedding. Similarly, your views shouldn't be determined (or doubted) simply by the way you wear your body.

Depending on what you think is suitable for you. Although there are still a lot of issue concerning that since some of your guests might not understand.

Meh- It's just armpit hair, I seriously doubt you'll look back at pictures of your bare pits and wish that they had been hairy, plus it will always grow back! People are a lot less likely to notice your shaved arm pits over hairy ones anyway.

Ditto on everyone's supportive comments. Do what will make you feel the most comfortable that day (and maybe in the future?)
If you decide to go bare, and you decide to wax: buy some witch hazel at the drugstore and use it for a few days afterward. It is a mild astringent and will keep the moisture and oil from clogging your follicles while it grows out again. Makes for a much more pleasant experience overall.

To me, it's all about grooming. I know it's not the rad answer (AND PLEASE DON'T ALL QUEUE UP TO HAVE A GO AT ME!) but I remove body hair for the same reasons I wash my hair and cut my nails. It's not out of gender pressure, anti-feminism, fashion or the like – it's about feeling groomed and clean. If we say that leaving our pit hair to grow and be as nature intended, then nature intended us to have long hair and smell of natural body odour. But I also know this is a personal choice and as a fellow woman, feminist and someone who believes in being true to ones self – it's your call and anyone who is a true person would not judge you for it either way. I just wanted to proffer an alternative view that is pro-removal without it meaning sacrificing personal female strength and principles.

I shave for the same reason Gemma shaves. I like the process of grooming, especially before a special occasion. Showering, washing my hair, putting on lotion, and even, yes, shaving my pits, legs, (andface) was a nice ritual before the chaos of the next day. It also gave me an excuse to get away from everyone for a while.

If you do decide to wax, I'd recommend doing it about five days before your wedding. Your first time will leave you kinda sore. This will allow time for your skin to calm down but not time for the hair to start regrowing. If you have time and are inclined, you might even have it done a couple of times before since hair grows at different rates. That way you can get a couple of crops of hair yanked.

And I'd really recommend having it done professionally first. I've done my own (everything below the neck) for a several years but only after a few years of having a pro do it.

One thing to bear in mind is that your day is, at the heart of it, entirely about you and your significant other. Weddings do involve compromise and some couples really alter things to make other people happy, but the mantra on OBB (and one that I wholeheartedly agree with) seems to be that your wedding is YOURS and no-one else's.

What have you comprimised on so far? Is shaving within the same sort of realm of significance as other things you've changed/got rid of, or does it matter more to you? Do you love having hairy armpits? Does your partner love them? If so, keep the hair and sod everyone else's opinion on the matter.

do what makes you feel right! some people want to appear at their weddings the same as they are every day because "that's who they are," others want to do something out fo the ordinary for them because it's a special occasion and think the day should be a little different than any other day. the decision is about you, not your mom. to me, i wouldn't invest this decision with extra weight. when you do something outside of the norm it seems like all decisions have to become poltical ones–but they don't have to be.

I tried shaving once again several years after I quit my senior year of high school, and I thought it would be fun, and sexy. Turns out it made me feel very awkward. Haven't done it since and didn't do it for the wedding. Here's a link to the only picture that shows the pit hair! Scandalous
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41135729@N04/page2/

I usually wax my underarms and I chose waxing over shaving hands down.

Benefits of waxing: results last longer, hair grows in softer AND thinner, hurts less and less the more you get it done, and only really hurts the first time or if you shave in between waxing sessions.

In theory you could keep the pit hair and, after the pictures are done, Photoshop those areas if you don't like how they looked in the pictures.

(I know that's not the main concern here, but it just popped into my head and I figured there was no harm in sharing)

I shaved my armpits for my wedding this last Saturday (hadn't in about five years) in exchange for my mother paying for the band I really wanted. My husband shaved his armpits in solidarity with me, so that made less bad! That said, I never plan on shaving anything again!

My SIL wore strapless and did not shave legs or armpits. It didn't bother her or my brother, so I guess it was a fine choice, but it definitely bothered my mom, haha.

I'm a shaver. Always have been, so I much prefer the clean look, feel and smell of no underarm hair (even if you bathe and use deodorant, remember that hair carries odors and you will be smellier than normal on your wedding day from activity and nerves). I'd prefer not to cause my guests to wrinkle their noses when I go to hug them on my special day. But that's just me, and I'm a devout everyday shaver. Also, my FH has a distinct preference for clean shaven and it's always in my best interests to give him what he wants there.

And just so you don't think I'm some random nutjob feeding you old wives tales and random rumours: I'm a licenced (albeit non-practicing) esthetician who used to specialize in waxing. *wink and a gun*