One of the little details that can make a big difference on your wedding day is your nails. Yes, brides have plenty of other hefty tasks to complete to ensure their day goes amazing (to assist in other areas of the beauty department, we’ve also rounded up a variety of wedding hairstyles for long and short hair and makeup looks). But right now, we’re talking manicures. The big day calls for beautiful nail designs in elegant shapes to amplify the occasion for the bride-to-be.
Those who bear witness to these romantic affairs will appreciate every little lovely detail of the day, dashing manicure included. From pre-ceremony photos to the moment at the altar to the classic bouquet toss, there will be plenty of moments for the nails to shine.
Yes, wedding traditions have made us partial to classic styles such as simple nudes, French manicures, and soft crème colors, but some brides believe in going the non-traditional route. Manicurists have since taken this into consideration and have gone above and beyond with creative twists on both fake and natural nails.
To save you a bit of scrolling through #weddingnails, we asked a few of our favorite artists to share their favorite wedding day appliqués, how to make pretty abstract designs, and how they place crystals in solid lines so effortlessly. Here are 29 options to get you inspired.
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1. Almond French Manicure
For a non-gel option, we like the OPI shade Tenacious Spirit, a beige color with high shine, as the base for a French manicure look.
2. Pale Pink with Micro Crystals
Manicurist Stephanie Staunton doesn’t shy away from providing her clientele with a little bling. For this particular look, she used “real diamonds sourced from Hatton Garden in London for some extra special sparkle.” She also loves classic wedding nail styles, like an ombré with a twist of chrome, glitter, and jewels. To bling on a budget, there are crystal nail stickers from The Face Shop we’d recommend.
To maintain healthy nail beds for those crystal details, there’s also a simple trick to keep in mind. “The best nail hack is to use cuticle oil. It covers a multitude of sins and keeps your nails nice,” she insists. For proper nail prep at home, we’d suggest using a Best of Beauty-winning product, Naturally London’s Hydrating Cuticle Oil, for some nail nourishment and shine.
3. Natural Almond Shape With White Swirls
If you want to step just outside the box with your wedding nails, this fresh take on a neutral manicure is a glamorous option. We love how each nail isn’t exactly the same, which doesn’t take away from the nail style but instead provides a more abstract feel. It works particularly well paired with the lacy details of this bride’s dress.
4. Medium Ballerina Shape In All White
Nail artist Lily from Princess and the Polish opted to keep things crisp for this look. There are three things she keeps in mind when it comes to wedding nails: “Elegance, fun, and [making it] complementary of you and your dress or wedding day look,” she says. But she switches it up depending on what her clients fancy. “For my taste, in particular for wedding styles, shimmers, glitters, pastels, and negative space are the way to go. My favorite nail polish hack is wearing the Earth Therapeutic’s warming moisturizing gloves to bed after I layer on oils, lotion, and Aquaphor. You’ll never have prettier hands, cuticles, and nails,” she insists.
5. Stiletto French Manicure
Nail artist Bou from Nails by Bou also swears by the classic French manicure — with the stiletto twist, of course. “French tips are so elegant and timeless for a bride who will be looking back at her photos forever,” Bou says. “You want to go for something they will always be in love with.” We agree that sometimes all a bride needs is a simple polish and a signature nail shape. “A beautiful blush nude with the perfect white French tip can never go wrong,” Bou insists.
6. French Almond Peak With Pearls
Although Bou is partial to simple French designs, sprucing it up with details is a fun twist as well. “Adding pearls renders more glam to the beauty. I also find that the medium almond shape is the most flattering with this French tip and design,” she says.
7. Ombre French With Floral Appliqués
Sonia Sanchez spruced up a client’s nails by adding a handmade touch only a seasoned professional could achieve. “My client wanted her nails done for her wedding, so she picked an ombré design. She also wanted to try out 3D flowers made with acrylic powder,” Sanchez says. “She was amazed in seeing the different methods and techniques that can be accomplished with soft gel extension tips.”
Any custom appliques will probably need to be left to the pros, and while it’s possible to DIY an ombre design, Sanchez shares that customized polish also makes this look particularly special. “My favorite nail hack is being able to make my own custom color for an ombré design, which is made by choosing a color gel polish and diluting it with acetone, then pouring it into an airbrush machine.” To add length, Sanchez recommends using the Aprés Gel-X nail extension kit that looks deceivingly close to natural nails.
8. Naturally Rounded With White Lines
According to Krisztina van der Boom, founder of DryBy salon in London, less is more when it comes to wedding manicures. “This year sees the return of simple, stripped-back wedding styles,” she explains. “This design is a modern twist on the traditional French with side and reverse French lines in an asymmetrical, unexpected setting.” This is a great option for anyone seeking an understated mani that doesn’t look the same as everyone else’s. “The more casual the choice of placement of the white, the better. The base color can range from see-through pink to opaque nude to complement all skin tones,” says Boom, who recommends this style for all brides and their bridal parties.
9. Sparkly Blue and Natural
If you want to keep with a classic wedding tradition but aren’t feeling all these Frenches, make your manicure your something blue. We love this electrifying, sparkly cobalt that Lily from Princess and the Polish suggested. For this manicure, Lily started with UNT Ready for Take Off peel-off base coat, followed by Defy and Inspire Party On nail polish and Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. “This [Defy and Inspire] polish only needs two coats to be this opaque and the formula is stellar,” she says. “It applies smoothly, covers well, and is very sparkly!”
10. Squared French Manicure
Sometimes a soft, pretty pink is all it takes for a perfect wedding manicure. “Pink and white is a timeless color combination, perfect for any occasion but an absolute must for weddings. It screams sexy and sophisticated at the same damn time,” says nail technician Amanda Lee. She likes to start with long, stiletto tips, then cut and file them down to the wearer’s desired length and shape.
11. Marble With Gold Accents
For the brides who don’t shy away from going the extra mile with their nail designs, this marbled effect would be ideal. “This wedding look was created to give a little lace detail to the nail using alcohol ink for some depth and dimension. The gold leafing was added to give her a little pop,” says nail artist Danielle Thomas, who insists that it’s a fairly simple design to create despite looking quite detailed.
This look was Thomas’s idea: She was able to encourage her client to try an understated nail art rather than a simple color and polish. “As long as the bride feels beautiful and gets what they want, that’s what we are here for, but it is our job to guide them in the right direction.”
12. Snow White Press Ons
Ari Bines, a digital creator who often does her own manicures, suggests a great, low-lift option for anyone looking to go the DIY route on their wedding day: press-on nails. “One thing to definitely look for is to make sure you measure your nail size for the most accurate application. When I apply my press-ons, I never eyeball it,” she advises. “[If you] sit and take the time to measure each nail against your natural nail because they’re less likely to pop off.”
Loving this white set? You can buy these exact Clutch Nails at Target, or check out additional options like Time Slip imPRESS Press-On Manicure or Kiss 100 Full-Cover Nails (which provide a blank canvas on which you can get creative.)
13. Pale Pink French Manicure
You don’t need super long nails to pull off the classics: British nail artist Hollie Petrie believes that no matter what nail shape or length, a French manicure always looks clean and fresh. “For this particular look I created on my gorgeous bride-to-be, I used one of my favorite brands, The Pro Gel,” Petrie says. “For the base color, I used a pinky base named Cami which complemented her skin tone perfectly. Using a liner brush by the brand Glossify, I used the color named Alpine to give her the perfect French tip.”
Though Pro Gel’s shades are hard to access in the US, OPI’s Alpine Snow and Beauty Pie’s Le Milk are similar shades. “My final nail hack for this manicure would be to pick up a small amount of acetone onto a brush and gently glide around the smile line to sharpen the outline and clean up the end result,” Petrie tells Allure.
14. Pink, Squoval, and Sparkly
Another option for natural manicures is to spruce up a simple nail color with a touch of glitter. “I always think a classic nude is your go-to when you’re a bride. A creamy nude with that touch of sparkle makes them extra special for the big day,” says nail technician Sophie Shuttleworth. We agree that the soft pink color and sparkles are stunning. The brand Ella+Mia has the polish On Thin Ice, a silver glitter polish with a clear base that would a great choice for recreating this look.
15. Mountain Peak in Milky White
This look, also crafted by Shuttleworth, is shaped like mountain peaks, a great choice for brides, bridesmaids, and wedding guests alike. “A milky white is just so beautifully understated; less is more,” Shuttleworth says. The simpler the color, the more opportunity you have to play with nail shapes for that extra flare.
16. Periwinkle and Curved Shaped
This pretty periwinkle is another great blue-ish option for your wedding. Danielle crafted these lengthy oval nails using the dip manicure method. The process of dipping the nail in powder and sealing with a liquid polish dipped again makes for a long-lasting manicure — perfect for brides who are headed straight to their honeymoon after the ceremony. This particular color is the Ritzy Dips polish in Phlox.
17. Simply Sheer and Almond Shaped
Nail artist Els says this look is a popular style among her clients because most prefer to scale things back. “When your nails are naturally this beautiful, a gorgeous sheer pink and an almond shape creates a gorgeous manicure,” she reveals. As far as what’s most recommended, she thinks the simpler, the better. For this dreamy look, she used the shade Builder in a Bottle from The GelBottle.
18. Nude Almond With Lacy Tips
For a bride’s big day, nail artist Nicole Dowling recommends setting up a consultation so you can give your nail artist an overall view of the vibe you’re looking to achieve and they, in turn, can estimate how much time will be needed for the appointment. Some brides prefer the elegant natural look, and some like to embrace a little nail art or even a secret message — maybe their partner’s initials on their wedding manicures. “My favorite nail style for bridal nails would be classic or alternative French style [like above] in a natural pink and white,” says Dowling.
19. Florals In Coffin
Nail artist Toni Daniellee presents yet another unconventional wedding nail idea. “This is stamping nail art. The plate is from Maniology Nail Stamping’s M019, paired with iGel Beauty’s Cozy Cashmere, which is available in dip powder and gel polish form. I prefer the dip powder method for longevity,” says Daniellee. This unique method can save time and is still suitable for any occasion. The floral detailing adds a chic and elegant touch to the coffin shape.
20. Gold-Lined French Manicure
This isn’t your classic French, but the details are subtle enough to feel timeless. Manicurist Amber JH used The GelBottle’s Clear Builder in a Bottle and nail polish in Cashmere. The gold lining makes this manicure sparkle just enough to where it’s not distracting but still elevated. Not to mention this sleek almond shape really brings out the lining details in a gorgeous way.
21. Matte and Opaque
For her own wedding, nail artist Bari Elizabeth chose to craft a style that would complement the lace of her wedding dress without distracting from its blue color. “I chose this soft, matte look to complement the white lace of my dress and added the dots,” she dished to Allure. She also encourages brides to go for a solid color with a simple design. “My go-to wedding nail style is ‘less is more.’”
Elizabeth is also partial to cuticle oil for her clients. “Whenever I do a bride’s nails I always send them with a bottle of oil for the big day and strict instructions to apply it while they’re getting ready that morning along with applying hand lotion. It makes a world of difference when their photographer takes those memorable hand/ring photos.”
22. Pearls and Chrome
In 2022, Hailey Bieber’s glazed donut manicure catapulted chrome nails to the top of the trend charts. Adding chrome to a nude base color creates a pearly effect that’s perfect for a wedding day — especially with actual pearls as an accent.
23. Sparkly Marble
Let’s be clear: Just because you want short nails for your wedding day, doesn’t mean they have to be boring. You have a slew of options for nail art, like the above. The marble effect was created by using The Gel Bottle Blooming Gel, says Karen Leung, a nail artist based in Brooklyn.
24. Glossy and Neat
London-based Mateja Novakovic created this stripped-down style — which has a hint of texture that you’ll have to look closely to see. “The nails look nude and glossy until you notice the half-moon shape on the nails — known as a lunula — is actually matte,” Novakovic says.
25. Sleek Florals
This look by nail artist Tooran Hejazi is a twist on the classic French manicure. At the tips, where there would normally be a solid stripe of egg-shell white, Hejazi decided to hand-paint white flowers. For an added touch of glamour, Hejazi used a sparkling-gold polish for each flower’s center.
26. Round and Pearly
Like a wedding dress made of Mikado, this nail look is elegant with a hint of shine. Nail artist Rakia Easter-Yahya painted LeChat Nail Lacquer in Awakening onto this bride’s nails before topping it with chrome powder. She added fine-line white swirls on two accent nails as a finishing touch.
27. Au Natural and Metallic
For a bolder take on bridal nails, try an abstract, animal-print-adjacent design like this look by manicurist Maddy Allanson. To create the look, Allanson painted the nails pink-beige before pressing pieces of gold foil and torte-patterned nail foil by nail-care brand Hona onto full-cover tips.
28. French Chrome
“My go-to styles for wedding nails are French tips or designs that use white, pearlescent chrome,” says Jenniline Hansing. She combines the two looks here for a high-shine, classic manicure.
29. Earthy and Neutral
Whether you’re having a fall wedding or you’ve opted for greenery instead of flowers as part of your big day’s aesthetic, this mismatched, earthy look is perfect for you. Nail artist Sarah Hunns created these designs using nail stampers and a stamping pad, which is a way quicker option than painting each individual leaf by hand. Genius.
