On your wedding day, it’s natural to want to feel extra special, and the way you choose to do your nails is a significant part of that. Your left ring finger will be on display, so it’s important to choose nails that match your personal style and the overall aesthetic of the day. You can choose to keep it simple and elegant or add subtle details that complement your dress and other accessories without stealing the spotlight from them.
Alternatively, you may want to use your wedding day as an opportunity to be extra-extravagant, as many people only get married once. This is not the time for being understated. For a bolder look, you can opt for scattered gemstones and pearls, or bright and loud nail art for brides who are not shy.
If you plan to do your own nails, it’s best to avoid complicated designs to avoid added stress. There are a few classic colors that are popular among bridal nail artists. Essie Ballet Slippers is a milky pink that can be applied as a solid color or a sheer layer, Essie Allure is an almost-white with a hint of pink, and it is rumored to be the color Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day. OPI Put It In Neutral is a perfect balance between beige and baby pink, and OPI’s Bubble Bath is a sheer pink that looks good on a variety of skin tones. CND’s shellac in Romantique is a favorite for its milky finish, and it is also available in a home polish version.
For those who want to add some nail art to their bridal look, we have compiled a collection of designs that cater to every bride’s taste, from delicate and elegant to bold and badass.
Here are our favorite and unique wedding nails to consider for every bride…
Love Hearts Nails for Wedding
ove hearts nail design is a popular nail art style that typically involves painting small or large hearts on the nails using different colors and techniques.
The design can be simple or intricate and can be paired with other nail art elements such as glitter, rhinestones, or stripes. Some popular variations include ombre hearts, watercolor hearts, and heart-shaped French tips. This design can be done with acrylic paint, nail polish, or even nail stickers.
Chrome Crush
Chrome Crush is a popular trend in nail art and is often used to create a futuristic or edgy look. It can be applied with a brush, sponge or chrome powders, gels, and foils.
Nail polish with a chrome finish will enhance the shine of your wedding ring. For a lustrous pearl-like appearance, consider a pale pink or off-white opaque color.
Chrome Crush is a type of nail polish finish that creates a metallic, mirror-like shine. It is often used in nail art designs and can be applied over other colors to create a multidimensional effect. Some chrome polishes are made with real metal particles, while others use a special film to create the reflective finish.
Some Sparkle
A “Sparkle” nail design is a type of nail art that incorporates glitter or shimmery elements to create a sparkling effect on the nails.
The design can also be customized to match a theme or event, such as adding red glitter to create a Valentine’s Day look or using silver glitter for New Years Eve party.
Glazed Donut Nails
The “glazed donut” nails, popularized by Hailey Bieber, are not only a current trend but also a timeless design, it adds a luxurious twist to classic milky pink nails by applying chrome top coat.
Glazed Donut nails are a popular trend in the nail art world, made famous by Hailey Bieber. They add a touch of luxury to classic milky pink nails by applying a chrome top coat. This design is not only trendy but also timeless and can make simple nails look extra glamorous.
Stiletto Frenchies
Stiletto Frenchies is a type of nail design that combines the stiletto shape with the classic French manicure. The nails are filed into a sharp, pointed shape, and the tip is painted with a white or neutral color to create the French tip look. This design is edgy and modern take on the traditional French manicure.
Frenchies, but with an edgy twist – the pointed stiletto shape is currently trendy and it elongates the fingers while giving a very elegant look.
Negative space gold tips
Negative space gold tips is a type of nail art design that features a gold tip on a clear or pale colored nail. The design creates a negative space effect where the gold tip stands out against the background color.
It’s a modern and elegant design that adds a touch of luxury to the nails. It can be paired with other colors or patterns to create a unique look.
Negative space gold tips create a perfect balance of elegance and luxury while keeping the overall look sophisticated.
Snow & Sparkle Design – Wedding in Winter
This design can be a great way to add a touch of winter magic to your nails if wedding is happening, perfect for the holidays or a winter-themed party.
White nails are a chic and timeless choice for your wedding day. To add a touch of sparkle and dimension, consider incorporating glitter moons that complement the glitter on your ring finger.
The design can be paired with a range of different styles from minimalistic to more intricate, depending on the desired look.
Rich Red Nails On Wedding
This design is perfect for those who want to make a bold statement with their nails, and it’s a great option for any occasion, from a night out to a formal event. To represent fresh starts, enthusiasm, and success.
The deep red color can also be paired with a range of different styles, from minimalistic to more intricate, depending on the desired look.
Classic Almond French Nail
A “Classic Almond French” nail design is a traditional and elegant nail art style that features a French manicure with an almond-shaped tip. The design typically consists of a pale pink or nude base coat on the nails, with the tips painted in a stark white color.
The almond shape of the tip is created by filing the nails into a rounded shape, with a slightly pointed tip. This design is considered to be a timeless and classic look that can be worn for any occasion, from a formal event to a day at the office.
It can also be paired with different color schemes, glitter, or other embellishments to create a unique look.
White Swirl Veil
White Swirl Veil is a nail art design that incorporates the appearance of a white veil with swirling patterns. The design is often achieved by using a white nail polish as the base and adding swirls with a brush or by using decals. It can be a subtle and elegant addition to bridal nails.
We recommend incorporating elements from your outfit into your nails and this sheer shimmery polish creates a veil-like appearance which is very fitting for a wedding. You can keep it simple or add swirling details for a modern touch.
Stiletto Frenchies
Stiletto Frenchies is a type of nail design that combines the stiletto shape with the classic French manicure. The nails are filed into a sharp, pointed shape, and the tip is painted with a white or neutral color to create the French tip look. This design is edgy and modern take on the traditional French manicure.
Frenchies, but with an edgy twist – the pointed stiletto shape is currently trendy and it elongates the fingers while giving a very elegant look.
Wedding Scattered Crystals
Scattered Crystals is a type of nail art design where small crystals or rhinestones are randomly placed on the nails. This design adds a touch of sparkle and glamour to the nails, making it a popular choice for special occasions like weddings.
It can be applied with a variety of colors, sizes and shapes of crystals depending on the preference of the person. If you’re not going to have crystal-scattered nails on your wedding day, when will you?
Something Blue Nails for Wedding
Introduce the “blue” element in your wedding by incorporating it into your nails. You can choose from a variety of shades, such as light baby blue or a more striking cobalt blue.
This is a way to fulfill the traditional saying “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
Cutesy hearts
Just because it’s for a wedding, doesn’t mean the nails have to be serious, this cute, bold and bright heart nail design is a fun choice and perfect for a bride who wants to make a statement. It was chosen by stylist Zeena Shah for her own wedding day.
Cutesy hearts is a fun and playful nail design that is perfect for brides who want to make a statement. It features hearts, which can be in different sizes, colors and shapes depending on the preference of the person. It was popularized by stylist Zeena Shah who used it for her own wedding day.
Dinky Details
Dinky details, a small and delicate design such as a tiny heart or “I do” inscribed on the ring finger adds a special and personal touch to the overall look.
Almond French Manicure
A popular choice for a classic look is the French manicure, which is the preferred style of manicurist Karina Maribel for her bridal clients.
She suggests a “modern, simple French tip or a light, sheer, all-over color” for wedding nails and recommends using OPI gel polishes for their elegance and range of sheer colors. She also suggests layering the polishes and glitters for unique color combinations.
For those who prefer a non-gel option, the OPI shade Tenacious Spirit, a high-shine beige color, is a great option to achieve a French manicure look.
Medium Ballerina Shape
Lily, a nail artist from Princess and the Polish, aims for a crisp look when doing wedding nails. She keeps in mind elegance, fun, and complementing the client’s dress or overall wedding look.
However, she also considers her clients’ preferences and incorporates different styles such as shimmers, glitters, pastels, and negative space. She also recommends using Earth Therapeutic’s warming moisturizing gloves after applying oils, lotion, and Aquaphor for the best results on hands, cuticles, and nails.
French Almond Peak With Pearls
French Almond Peak with Pearls is a type of nail design that combines the classic French manicure with an almond shape for the nails, and adding pearls as a decorative element.
This creates a sophisticated and elegant look that is perfect for special occasions such as weddings, proms, or other formal events. It is a popular choice among many women who want to add a touch of elegance to their appearance.
Lily, a nail artist from Princess and the Polish, aims for a crisp look when doing wedding nails. She keeps in mind elegance, fun, and complementing the client’s dress or overall wedding look.
However, she also considers her clients’ preferences and incorporates different styles such as shimmers, glitters, pastels, and negative space. She also recommends using Earth Therapeutic’s warming moisturizing gloves after applying oils, lotion, and Aquaphor for the best results on hands, cuticles, and nails.
Matte and Opaque
As a nail artist, Bari Elizabeth crafted a soft, matte look for her own wedding that complemented the white lace of her dress and added dots without distracting from its blue color. She advises brides to opt for a simple design in a solid color, and recommends using cuticle oil and hand lotion for optimal results in photographs.
Gold-Lined French Manicure
Manicurist Amber JH created a modern take on the classic French manicure using The GelBottle’s Clear Builder in a Bottle and Cashmere nail polish. The gold lining adds just enough sparkle to elevate the design without being distracting, and the sleek almond shape highlights the details beautifully. It is subtle enough to feel timeless.
Almond Nude with Delicate Lace Edging
To ensure the perfect nails on a bride’s special day, nail artist Nicole Dowling suggests scheduling a consultation to discuss the desired overall look and to estimate the time required for the appointment.
Some brides opt for an elegant natural look, while others may want to incorporate nail art or personal touches such as secret messages like their partner’s initials on their wedding manicure. Dowling’s preferred bridal nail style is a classic or alternative French style in natural pink and white.
Elegantly Transparent and Almond-shaped
Nail artist Els reveals that this style is a favorite among her clients as they tend to prefer a more understated look. She says that when nails are naturally beautiful, a sheer pink shade and almond shape creates a stunning manicure.
Els advises that simpler is often better and used the shade Builder in a Bottle from The GelBottle to achieve this dreamy look.
Curved shaped with a Periwinkle color
Danielle created these elongated oval nails using the dip manicure method, which involves dipping the nails in powder and sealing with a liquid polish, resulting in a long-lasting manicure. This periwinkle color is perfect for brides and is called Ritzy Dips polish in Phlox. It’s a great blue-ish option for your wedding and honeymoon.
Mountain Peak in Milky White
Shuttleworth created this design featuring mountain peak shaped nails, making it suitable for brides, bridesmaids, and wedding guests alike.
The nail artist suggests that a milky white color is a beautifully understated choice and that “less is more.” A simpler color allows for more opportunities to experiment with different nail shapes for added flair.
Pink, Squoval, and Sparkly
Nail technician Sophie Shuttleworth suggests adding a touch of glitter to a simple nail color for a natural but special look.
A classic nude color with a hint of sparkle is perfect for brides. The soft pink color and sparkles are beautiful and the Ella+Mia polish On Thin Ice, a silver glitter polish with a clear base, would be great for recreating this squoval shaped nails.
Pale Pink French Manicure
Hollie Petrie, a British nail artist, believes that regardless of the length or shape of nails, a French manicure always appears clean and fresh. For this particular bridal look, Petrie utilized The Pro Gel brand, a pinky base color named Cami that matched the client’s skin tone and a liner brush by Glossify brand, to achieve the perfect French tip.
While it may be difficult to find Pro Gel shades in the US, OPI’s Alpine Snow and Beauty Pie’s Le Milk are similar alternatives. To achieve a sharper outline and cleaner final result for this manicure, Petrie recommends using a small amount of acetone on a brush to clean up the smile line.
Snow White Press Ons
Ari Bines, a digital creator who frequently does her own manicures, recommends press-on nails as a convenient option for those looking to DIY their wedding day nails. She advises to measure each nail against natural nails for a precise and secure application, instead of just eyeballing it.
If you like the white set, you can purchase Clutch Nails at Target or browse other options such as Time Slip imPRESS Press-On Manicure or Kiss 100 Full-Cover Nails that give a blank canvas for creativity.
Marble With Gold Accents
Nail artist Danielle Thomas suggests a marbled effect with a touch of lace detail for brides who want to add some extra elegance to their nails. Using alcohol ink for depth and dimension, the design is completed with a subtle addition of gold leafing.
Despite its intricate appearance, Thomas assures that the design is easy to create and that her goal is to guide her clients towards a look that makes them feel beautiful.
Squared French Manicure
A wedding manicure can be simple yet beautiful with a soft pink color, according to nail technician Amanda Lee. She suggests using the timeless combination of pink and white, which she believes exudes both sexiness and sophistication.
To achieve the desired look, Lee starts by applying long stiletto tips, which are then filed down to the desired length and shape.
