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wedding nail ideas

Inspiring Wedding Nails for Your Bridal Look

Your bridal look isn’t complete without a bridal manicure. Here are some of the most gorgeous bridal nail ideas for your wedding!

manicure

There are many different types of bridal manicures to choose from when making a decision on what your bridal look will be. Many salons and spas will offer specific types of bridal nail designs or bridal manicures for women looking to get their nails done for their wedding. 

There are different types of manicures that brides may want to get. The first is the traditional bridal manicure which includes treating your hands, cuticles, and nails with care and painting the nails in whatever colors you want.  

The second choice is to get an acrylic or dip manicure. This is when the nail artist adds a longer tip to the nail to make the nail longer. Some brides choose this look if they want dramatic, long nails.

The last option is a gel manicure. A gel manicure typically lasts two to three weeks so it is a good option if you want your manicure to last. 

nail artist

Choosing your manicure that you will have for your wedding day is a hard decision. Depending if you want a certain type of nail art design, cuticle treatment, or hand treatment, the type of salon you go to may differ. 

Search for salons that specifically offer wedding manicures. These kinds of manicures are typically more luxurious and will make sure your nails look perfect since they are for your wedding. Don’t forget to account for the cost of your manicure in your budget.

Choose a nail artist who you know will make sure that your nails look absolutely perfect for your special day. Do some research on salons that specialize in bridal manicures to find someone well reviewed in your area. 

manicure choice

Follow these nail design ideas for brides to get the gorgeous mani of your wildest dreams!

1. Traditional French Manicure

french manicure

If you want a truly elegant wedding nail, opt for french nails. A traditional french manicure is classic and elegant and compliments any bridal gown

2. Simple White Nail Polish

white nail polish

For a classic wedding nail that is very simple, get white nails. Pick the best white polish that your salon offers and get a longer tip if you want a special touch. 

3. Bit Of Sparkle

For an absolutely gorgeous wedding nail, add a bit of sparkle. Add a glitter top coat on whichever color you like for a touch of sparkle on your gorgeous nails. 

4. Accent Nail 

Accents are a perfect way to add a special touch to your manicure. Pick one nail, maybe your ring finger if you want that to stand out, and paint it a different color than the rest. This adds a special touch to your nails and makes it unique. 

5. Gold Manicure

Gold is an absolutely stunning color for a manicure. Get a gorgeous gold color and get all of your nails painted this color. Or, if you want to just add a touch of gold, add a gold glitter top coat. 

6. Stunning Silver Manicure

A silver sparkle is a very bridal look for a manicure. A subtle sparkle look is perfect for any manicure and will add a glitzy touch to an average manicure. 

7. Floral Design

Florals are very common when it comes to weddings, so use this to your advantage and design your bridal nail look around it. There are many ideas for floral designs, and you can ask your nail artist what kind of design would best compliment your look. 

8. Pink Polish

pink polish

Pink is a beautiful choice for nails. Whether its a blush color, pale pink, or a brighter magenta, all shades of pink work perfectly with a bridal look and compliment most nail shapes. 

9. Neutral Nail

A nude nail look is perfect for the bride who doesn’t want a bright nail polish on their wedding day. Nude nails can be classy and place more of an emphasis on other parts of your bridal look, such as your ring!

10. Something Blue Nails

something blue nails

Add something blue to your wedding day, for example your nails! Blue nails may be a little extra for some brides, but a muted robin’s egg blue manicure is perfect for a unique bride. 

11. Natural Nails

natural nail

Rock your natural nails with no polish if you want to be truly authentic to yourself on your wedding day. No polish will make other parts of your bridal look stand out more, like your jewelry and your dress!

12. Crystal Accent Nail

If you want super glitzy wedding nails, opt for an acrylic manicure. On the nails, then get a crystal accent on one of the nails. Typically these types of manicures work better on acrylic styles. 

13. Elegant Coffin Nail Shape

Get an elegant coffin nail design on an acrylic style manicure. A coffin nail shape is typically a long acrylic tip that is placed on the nail that is slowly narrowed down as you get closer to the tip. This style is one of the most common shapes for manicures nowadays. 

14. Dot Accent Nail

One example of striking nail art is black nail art. A simple black dot nail accent is a way to add an eccentric touch while keeping it classy for your wedding day. 

15. Nail Decals

Nail decals are a type of nail art that sticks to the nail to create a design. Depending on what type of nail salon you go to, they will have different types of nail decals for you to choose from.

16. Chevron

A chevron design is perfect for bold brides who want something different on their wedding day. A chevron design is arrow shaped stripes lined up against each other in whichever color you want.

This style is perfect for a bold bride who wants a flashy design on their wedding day. 

17. Tiny Heart Design 

What better day to wear your heart on your nails then your wedding day! Show your love for your partner with tiny hearts on each nail. This is an adorable bridal manicure that you are going to want to show off!

18. Lace Manicure

If you just love lace, get it designed on your nails! This may be a more complex kind of nail design, so make sure you double check with your nail artist that they can achieve the look you are going for. 

19. Pearl Design

Use a plethora of pearls as your inspiration for a bridal manicure. Whether it is flat back pearls or classic pearls, design your pearl inspired manicure to be exactly the way you want it. 

20. Metallic Tips

For the unconventional bride, opt for a traditional french manicure but instead of a white tip, get a metallic tip. This look is sure to turn heads and looks pretty with other metallic accents in your wedding. 

21. Inverted Manicure

Get an inverted manicure if you want something different. This is when the cuticle area of your nails near the bottom is painted like an inverted french manicure. This can be done in any color you choose. 

22. Red Nail Polish

red nail polish

A super glamorous nail idea is to get a stunning red nail polish for your wedding. If you are going for a more old Hollywood look for your bridal style, this nail look is perfect! 

23. Rhinestones

Add gemstones to nails for a glitzy bridal look. Ask your nail artist to adorn your nails with rhinestones where they add tiny rhinestones one by one to your nails in whichever design you desire. 

24. Ombre Nails

Ombre nails are a super popular look. You can pick whichever color you would like and ask your nail artist to slowly fade the color out as you go closer to the tip or vice versa. 

25. Stripes With Nail

Adding some simple stripes to your nail manicure adds a special touch. Depending on what kind of dress you are wearing, a more minimalistic or a more bold design will look better. 

Things to Consider When Getting a Bridal Manicure

nail colors

Here are some things to consider when you decide to get your bridal manicure! 

Wedding Toe Nail Design

Your wedding nails don’t just have to be your fingernails! If you are wearing shoes that expose your toenails, indulge in a pedicure! This will make you look and feel your best for your wedding day. Stick with a classic color like white or get a color that matches your manicured nails for a polished look. 

Some salons will offer you a bridal package for your nails to be done with a pedicure. If this is the case, indulge in a spa afternoon where you can relax before your wedding and get pampered! 

Bridesmaid Manicures

bridesmaids manicures

Some bridesmaids will want to get their nails done for your wedding. Show them some pictures for what you would like them to get for some inspiration and so that they do not clash with your wedding theme. 

Another idea is to take your bridesmaids with you to get your nails done before the wedding. This way you can choose different designs and colors in person so that it is exactly what you want them to look like.

Some brides do not care what their bridesmaids nails look like, but for others it is a huge deal because they want specific photos that feature hands or want the bridesmaids to look polished. 

When to Get the Manicure

planning

You should try to get your wedding manicure with only a little bit of time before you get married. This is because nail polish tends to chip or get damaged if you do things with your hands, so the closest date that you can get your manicure to your wedding is best. 

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Caroline Kinsley

Caroline Kinsley is a recent graduate from the University of Delaware. With a degree in media communications, Caroline’s passions are marketing and journalism. Caroline has always loved the wedding planning process, being the daughter of an event planner. In addition to contributions to Yeah Weddings, Caroline Kinsley has published articles in Delaware Today Magazine, Her Campus, and YOUR Magazine.

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