Beautifully painted and decorated nails are not for every bride, but perfect-looking nails on their wedding day certainly are! If you can get your nails into a really good condition in the months beforehand, you will find that the simplest nails that rely on careful shaping and color (rather than intricate designs) will look perfect.
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With some practice, you will find that you will be able to prepare your nails perfectly for your special day.
1. Sheer Pink Short Rounds
One of the simplest ways for your nails is to choose a sheer pink polish.
In the weeks beforehand, get your nails into good shape by filing each nail into a short, rounded shape. On the morning of your wedding, carefully apply two thin coats of sheer pink polish, drying the first coat well before applying the second. To ensure that your polish looks as perfect at the end of the day as it does at the beginning, apply a final layer of clear top coat, as this will ensure that the polish does not chip.
2. Solid Milky White Ovals
Oval-shaped nails accentuate the length of your fingers, and choosing a pretty milky white nail polish will mirror the color of your dress. Once again, get your nails in good shape in the months before your 'big day'. My mom had the most beautiful almond-shaped nails, but they were brittle.
She strengthened them by eating a cube of jelly every day! Eating plenty of protein and a calcium tablet every day will help too.
Gently file your nails regularly to get them into perfect oval shapes. On the day, apply several thin coats of milky white nail polish rather than one thick coat, and when the final coat is perfectly dry, finish with a thin layer of clear top coat for added protection.
3. One-Dot Nude Nails
Nude nail polish suits every wedding color scheme and every nail shape. Why not add some fun for your wedding day? Apply several thin coats of nude polish.
When they are absolutely dry, add a small white dot of polish in the center of the nail near the cuticle.
Use the rounded end of a pin or cocktail stick and apply just a tiny dot with a steady hand – or get some help. Once the design is set, cover each nail with a thin layer of top coat.
4. Single Gold Accent Nail
If you want to add some magic to your nails and prove you are really fashionable, why not add a soft gold nail polish to one finger to create an accent nail? Choose sheer beige as your main color and paint the gold polish on your ring finger.
Your choice of accent color can match the color of your wedding ring for a striking and coordinated look.
5. Thin White Side Lines
It can certainly be fun to create stylish nails at home, but you might just need your mom or friends for this design! Beautifully shaped. Your nails should be rounded or oval in shape, and the base color is sheer pink.
Once the pink has really dried, a very fine white line is painted down the side of each nail. To achieve good results, you will need a striping brush or nail tape – or both!
6. Blush Pink Solid Squares
Nails that are in good condition can look really good in a square shape, but it is best to gently round the edges with a file so that they do not snag on your dress or veil.
A good color choice for the polish is a blush pink opaque shade. Again, apply evenly in several thin coats and finish with a layer of top coat.
7. Clear Gloss Natural Nails
Glass nails can look really stylish and natural. The nails need to be well-shaped and healthy-looking. Apply the polish carefully and clean the edges of each nail to achieve a perfect finish.
8. White Ring-Finger Hearts
If you prefer not to paint your nails, get them looking good by applying cuticle oil and rich hand cream for about a month before your wedding.
Leave them looking natural for your wedding day, but add a tiny white heart in the center of your ring finger, just above the cuticle. It will look and feel romantic.
9. Champagne Shimmer Short Nails
The Champagne is going to flow as your family and friends celebrate your wedding, so why not choose a fine Champagne shimmer for your wedding nails? Keep your nails short and in a perfect rounded or oval shape, and the result will be one of understated beauty.
10. Soft Beige Oval Nails
Soft beige nails go perfectly with a colorful wedding palette, but it is important to get the perfect tone of beige! Spend time checking the color in good daylight against your skin color; some shades will look too yellow or grey. Two thin coats of polish will reveal its true color.
11. Two-Tone Diagonal Tips
When it comes to nail art, two-tone diagonal tips are the classic design. They feel modern, yet are delicate-looking, with the bonus that they make nails look longer. Each nail is painted with several coats of a pale pink shade, and this is followed by a diagonal white stripe.
Use nail tape to ensure perfect straight lines and remove the tape before the white polish fully dries. A thin metallic stripe between the two colors that matches the tone of your wedding ring adds the wow factor!
12. Pale Pink Half-Moons
A really pretty design for wedding nails is pale pink half moons. To achieve this beautiful look, nails must be well-shaped and the cuticles nicely trimmed.
The nails are painted with several thin layers of pale pink nail polish. Once they are really dry, small creamy half moons are painted on each cuticle. A round sticker guide will help keep all the half moons similar in size and shape.
13. One-Pearl Accent Nails
Beautifully shaped nails painted with sheer pale pink polish can be given a special feature with the application of a small flat nail pearl in the center of the cuticle on the ring finger. The pearls are usually made of resin or acrylic and are fixed to the nail using special glue. The pearls are available either as a half pearl with a flat back so that they sit flush against the nail, or as a small, fully rounded pearl.
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They are available in a range of sizes, too.
Alternatively, a rhinestone can be glued in the same place.
14. Soft White Micro Tips
This chic and minimalistic design is often described as a 'French manicure'. It first became fashionable in the 1970s and is as popular today as ever. It is actually an American creation, originally hailing from Los Angeles!
It was designed for actresses so that they didn't have to keep changing their nail polish along with their costumes! The term 'French Polish' refers to the French style, which is always chic!
Nails are best short and rounded. The nails are painted with several fine layers of clear, nude, or slightly pink polish. Once these are completely dry, a narrow white tip is painted on each nail with a fine brush.
This must be applied following the natural edge of each nail. A clear top coat afterward will protect the nails.
15. Pale Blue Accent Nail
A clever way to ensure the bride is wearing "something blue" to bring her good luck on her wedding day is for her to have a pale blue accent nail on her ring finger.
All of her nails are painted with several coats of milky white polish, and her ring finger is painted in pale blue. The shade of blue can be chosen to match the wedding flowers or bridesmaids' dresses.
16. Nude Nails With White Dots
Nude nails are a great choice for your wedding nails, as they are classically elegant without detracting from other features in the wedding photographs.
To add a little interest, why not apply a small white dot in the middle of each nail near the cuticle? A dotting tool designed for the job really helps. Best to take your time to ensure the dots are consistently spaced on each finger.
17. Ivory Diagonal Micro Tips
A modern variation on the classic French manicure is to paint a thin diagonal stripe on each nail. This technique helps define the shape of the nails. Paint the nails with several coats of nude or pale pink polish.
Once these are totally dry, apply a thin diagonal stripe on each nail.
Use a really fine brush and nail tape to ensure a beautifully fine line, and make sure all the lines are going in the same direction! Best to practice this a few times in the weeks before the wedding.
18. Clear Nails With Gold Stickers
Give your wedding nails a snazzy modern look by using gold stickers. Paint the nails with several coats of clear or pale pink gloss.
Once the nails are completely dry, apply a small gold circle sticker to each nail, or choose from stars, moons, etc. Once the stickers are all in place, apply a clear top coat of polish to keep them in place.
19. Pink Nails With One Fine Stripe
A clever trick to make wedding nails look longer is to add a fine single vertical line to each finger. Nails can be short and rounded in shape. Add several thin coats of solid pink polish and allow it to dry thoroughly.
Apply a really thin single line from the middle of each nail to the tip.
This style does require practice and is made easier using a fine brush and nail striping tape. Remove the tape carefully before the white polish completely dries.
20. Milky Accent Half-Moons
This is one of the latest looks for nails and can look stunning on perfect nails. Nails are painted with several coats of milky white polish, leaving the cuticle half-moons bare.
Use reinforcement stickers to keep all the curves even. When the polish is totally dry, apply a thin layer of clear polish to the whole nail.
21. Beige Matte Nails With Glossy Tips
This style is one of the variations of a classic French manicure. The good news is that it suits all shorter nail shapes. Nails are painted with several thin coats of matte beige polish, and when these are totally dry, glossy beige tips are applied to all the fingers.
Other colors can be used, such as peach, brown, bronze, and even candy colors.
There are endless possibilities, including a reverse French manicure where the base of the nail is painted with a thin curved line.
22. White Corner-Tip Natural Nails
Another beautiful nail idea that is discreet and elegant is the 'white corner tip' nail design. The base color is clear or pale rose pink, and instead of the full, fine white line along the nail tips, a small white corner tip is applied. Use tape to ensure that each corner tip is the same width.
23. Clear Nails With Tiny Dried Flowers
If you are looking for a nail design that is natural and eye-catching, and perhaps you have a rustic or wild flower theme for your wedding, adding a tiny dried flower on your ring finger is a perfect way to accentuate the theme.
Nails can be short and rounded with tidy edges. The base color is clear, pale pink, or beige. Apply several thin coats and allow to dry thoroughly.
Place a tiny miniature flower on your ring finger and fix it in place with nail glue. Apply a clear top coat to protect the flower and help prevent the nails from chipping. This design is perfect for a close-up photograph of your hand wearing your new wedding ring.
