49 wedding nail ideas for every bride, from Frenchies to dinky details
We love a gorgeous mani at the best of times, but when it comes to your Big Day? Whew. We take wedding nails seriously. After all, that fourth finger on your left hand is going to be getting some serious attention. Alongside the extra sparkle – courtesy of your shiny new wedding ring – beautifully polished nails can make you feel truly special and finish everything off.
But before you go for a default milky pink or classic Frenchie (both of which we love and are here for), there are lots of other ways you can wear your bridal nails. Depending on your style and your aesthetic for the day, you might want something low-key, but polished to subtly complement your ensemble without drawing attention away from the show-stoppers: the dress, the veil etc.
You might want to use your wedding nails as a way to weave in tiny details that are meaningful to you and your other half – perhaps your initials, a flash of something blue or little symbols or motifs that feel personal (such as evil eyes for protection, floral patterns or dinky hearts).
You may want to use your wedding nails as an opportunity to be extra. You're only supposed to get married once, right? So you may as well go big. For this we love scattered gemstones and pearls or, loud, bold, bright nail art for brides who are the exact opposite of shy and retiring.
You could even make like the celebs (whose manicurists were kind enough to reveal the exact shades used for their wedding mani). JLo's nail artist Tom Bachik created a sheer pink French for her wedding nails, but on closer inspection, he weaved in intimate moments for a “minimal but meaningful” mani. Tom revealed he painted on “petite flowers to accent nails and a singular hummingbird (special to her) only on her ring finger," adding: "the artwork was kept subtle and barely noticeable except to those who knew.”
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Meanwhile Sofia Richie's manicurist, Georgia Rae, dropped the details of the new Mrs Grainge's wedding nails. “I created two manicure looks, one for the rehearsal dinner [using the sheer white OPI Funny Bunny] and one for the ceremony [the soft pink Sweet Candy Breath by Biosculpture],” she revealed.
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Planning to go DIY? Unless you're a nail art pro, we'd recommend skipping anything too complicated to save stress. There's a few classic colours that bridal nail artists get asked for time and again. Essie Ballet Slippers is a pretty milky pink that you can build up to a solid colour, or for something more sheer, Essie Allure, creates an almost-white with-a-hint-of-pink (and it's rumoured to be what Kate Middleton wore on her big day). OPI Put It In Neutral is the perfect balance between beige and baby pink, while OPI's Bubble Bath is a sheer pink that looks beautiful across a range of skin tones. CND's shellac in Romantique is a firm favourite for its milky finish, and also comes in an at-home polish. Meanwhile OPI's Love Is In The Bare (a sheer pink) and Funny Bunny (a sheer white) have both become popular over the past couple of years, either alone, or layered for a more bespoke colour.
As for nail art, we've put together the ultimate gallery of designs to suit every bride, from the delicate and dainty, to the bold and badass.
Here's 49 of our favourite wedding nails to try…
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The glazed donut nails made famous by Hailey Bieber are, yes, a huge trend, but they're also timeless and a pretty twist on a classic to make simple milky pink nails feel extra glam, thanks to the chrome top coat.
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We love repeating details from your outfit and this sheer shimmery polish creates a veil-like effect over nails which is very wedding appropriate. Stick to just that, or make it modern with swirl flourishes.
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We can't under-estimate the classics and a beautifully executed milky pink mani will never not look dreamy.
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We're in love with this subtle, accent nail art design of the bride and groom's initials in celebratory gold foil.
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You can co-ordinate back to details in your outfit, like the teensy pearls scattered down your veil or dress with these pretty pearl nails. Or if you're going for a super simple dress and veil, you can add layer and texture in your mani.
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This delicate layer of sparkle on a bare base is pretty and understated.
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Frenchies, but make 'em fierce with this on-trend pointed stiletto shape which – bonus – elongate fingers and look very graceful indeed.
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If you can't have crystal-scattered nails on your wedding day, when can you?
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Just because they're bridal nails, doesn't mean they can't be fun. We love this cute, bold, bright heart nail design that stylist, Zeena Shah, chose for her wedding day.
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Pearlescent
These pretty pearlescent nails catch the light beautifully thanks to the silky shimmer.
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A teensy heart or ‘I do’ inscribed on your ring finger feels like a special personal touch.
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How cute are these teensy confetti flowers?
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Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Struggling to work out where to introduce the ‘blue’? Your nails are a great shout. And you can opt for any shade from subtle baby blue to bold cobalt.
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Want to incorporate blue into your mani more subtly? These baby blue Frenchies are beautiful.
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Stick with the blue theme, but make it modern with a chrome finish.
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These are fun and elegant at the same time and would look beautiful at any time of year (but they'd look especially magical for a winter wedding).
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For the lols bride who doesn't take things to seriously we love this “no” nail. Or, you could always add “yes” to your ring finger?
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We love this colour combo with a glazed finish.
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JLo's manicurist, Tom Bachik, let slip the nail art he created for Jen's big wedding ceremony to Ben Affleck in front of friends and family. The white on white colour palette meant, from a distance, it simply looked like Jennifer had opted for a classic milky pink shade for her nails. “The artwork was kept subtle and barely noticeable [except] to those who knew,” he explained. Tom used a tiny detail brush to add petite flowers to accent the nails “ and a singular hummingbird (special to her) only on her ring finger,” he said.
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This pretty, pearly, chrome glazed donut mani is modern and elegant.
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Remix a traditional French nail with this soft, pretty ombre rendition.
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What better way to celebrate than by popping open the champagne early with a champagne chrome mani.
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We love this cut-out heart detail – cut-out, because you've given yours to your other half. Awwww.
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The same as above, just with a pure white polish and almond-shaped nails.
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Combine two of the most sought-after trends right now, glazed nails and French tips for one very trendy but subtle statement.
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Pearly nails
Pearls are a classic bridal detail, whether they're scattered down your veil, dripping from your ears or reflected in your nails.
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Hearts and sparkles
Equal parts romantic and fun, this mani is all about celebrating love.
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Soft, subtle sparkle
Want to add a fun twist to your mani, but keep it subtle? This low-key sparkle mani is beautiful.
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A twist on the classic French manicure, this takes the two colours, but remixes it in a modern way. It's subtle and statement at the same time.
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Silver tips
Want to give short nails a dinky glow-up? This dainty silver sparkle Frenchie is so cute.
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Mirror your bouquet with a matching floral mani.
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Red and pearls
If you want to introduce romantic red to your mani, this design is beautiful, plus the cut-out heart and dinky pearl details add extra interest.
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It's a classic for a reason. You can't go wrong with an almond-shaped French. It looks incredible today, and it will look incredible in twenty years time when you look back at the pictures.
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Want to blend classic bridal style with something a bit more fun? The foil Frenchies are super cute.
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Your nails should make a statement about you, and if you're energised by fun, bold, bright, beautiful colours like lipstick pink, make that a part of your day.
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To symbolise new beginnings, passion and prosperity.
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You're something blue, but super, duper subtle.
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Mirror your wedding band with a Frenchie in the metal to match.
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Gemstone heart
For the bride that wants a little extra sparkle, this gemstone heart design is cute.
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You could have a silver or gold band across your nail to mirror your wedding band, or mix it up with a vertical hit of glitz instead.
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Soft flowers
Mimic the details of your bouquet across your nails.