What kind of nails should I get for a wedding?

As a guest, you have a lot of freedom when selecting a manicure. As long as they aren’t too flashy and pull focus from the bride, you can experiment with nail art, color, or simply stick with neutrals.

Can you wear white nails as a wedding guest?

White nails at a wedding aren't breaking any rules. Your nails are a small enough accent that the bride’s white dress will still be the star of the show.

When should you get your nails done before a wedding?

The ideal time would be no more than two or three days before the wedding. Regular polish may chip quickly, and while dip and gel manicures last longer, they do grow out and leave a gap at your cuticle.

30 Best Wedding Guest Nail Ideas of 2022

multicolor nail design — Courtesy of Brittney Boyce/@nails_of_la

Choosing a manicure as a wedding guest is a delicate balance. On the one hand, you’re not the bride, so you can get a little more funky, colorful, and fashion-forward. On the other hand, you may not want to pull focus on yourself with a fully blinged-out set of long tips.

Meet the Expert

Brittany Boyce is a celebrity nail artist and founder of Nails of LA.
Anastasia Totty is a nail artist, and an educator/ambassador for LeChat Nails.

“You don’t want to take attention away from the bride,” says celebrity nail artist Brittney Boyce. “It’s not the best time for a super flashy manicure with tons of 3D art like spikes or chains.” But even though spikes are off the table, that doesn’t mean you don’t have plenty of other options.

Think about where you’re going, what type of wedding it is, and what you’re wearing—then match that vibe. A New Year’s Eve wedding is great for sparkle, metallics, and shine. A countryside wedding might be a wonderful time to lean into the floral nail art trend you’ve been seeing all over Instagram. And for a traditional Catholic Mass, well, a simple neutral manicure might do the trick.

Ahead, we’ve collected all the wedding guest nail inspiration you’ll need for every type of wedding.

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Metallic Decals

A nude base with metallic decals is a subtle, but super modern, way to make a statement. Pro tip: keep the decals 2D as Boyce did here.

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Diamond Accent Nails

nail design with an accent sparkle — Volodymyr Nadtochii / Getty Image

Gemstones are a great way to add a little sparkle to your manicure, so long as it stays delicate. “If you’re going for a glue-on gemstone, make sure you use something small and tasteful,” says Boyce.

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Spring Flowers

floral nail design — Courtesy of Anastasia Totty/@anastasia.totty

Nail artist Anastasia Totty loves a floral design for springtime outdoor weddings. “Pick a lovely neutral tone for the base that complements your skin. You can also add a little bit of glitter for dimension," she notes.

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Tiny Hearts

heart design on nail — Courtesy of Anastasia Totty/@anastasia.totty

What better way to celebrate a wedding than to dedicate your manicure to true love? A classic French dappled in tiny red hearts is the perfect cheeky tribute.

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Neutral Tones

neutral tone nails — Courtesy of Nails by Nia/@la_nianails

You just can’t go wrong with neutral tones. Don’t get caught up in color-matching your skin—just choose a shade that complements it.

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Modern Art

These overlapping geometric shapes are like a Piet Mondrian work of art for your hands. Try it with a color combo that matches your outfit.

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All Shimmer All Day

shimmery nails — Courtesy of Brittney Boyce/@nails_of_la

If you’re doing your own nails and don’t have the steadiest hands, a solid color with a shimmery overlay is the perfect way to make a statement without needing art lessons. Alternatively, Boyce recommends a sheer chrome overlay—a super trendy way to add a bit of shine.

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Pastel Rainbow

Why pick one color when you can have five (or ten)? Give each nail its own personality with a rainbow gradient of colors. These pastel hues are great for a more traditional wedding, but if you're attending a colorful fiesta, this style works just as well with saturated colors.

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Neutral Pink

If you’re attending a more formal affair or are feeling a little stumped on manicure inspo, don’t stray from what works every time—a light, neutral pink. We know you already have a bottle of Essie’s Ballet Slippers.

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Half and Half

We love how easy it is to achieve these vertical stripes of color at home. Paint the whole nail a solid base color (neutral or not), wait for it to dry, then use tape as a guide to create a straight line up the middle of your nail.

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Pastel French Tips

pastel french tip nails — Courtesy of Brittney Boyce/@nails_of_la

French manicures have made a huge comeback. To jazz up this tried-and-true style, try multi-color tips in sweet pastel hues.

Boyce advises that a basic French manicure can become much more modern with a shade that matches your outfit.

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Moody French

moody tip french nails — Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

Black tips painted on at two steep angles are a rock-and-roll take on the classic French manicure, and can suit just about any type of wedding.

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All White

The only time we’d recommend wearing white to a wedding is on your nails. It’s clean, it’s neutral, and it's subtle enough that it won’t break any rules.

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White Swirls

swivel nail design — Courtesy of Brittney Boyce/@nails_of_la

Neutral with a little bit of whimsy, this swirly white and nude manicure is a great way to dip your fingers into nail art. Want this exact manicure? Good news: you can buy it!

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Short and Red

short red nails — Amanda Edwards / Getty Images

A short, red manicure is like pizza. Even if it's bad (like if you sloshed on OPI Red in the car on the way to the wedding), it's still good.

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Peach

A simple peach manicure on almond-shaped nails is an elegant way to add just a touch of peppy color.

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Punky Black

short black nails — John Shearer / Getty Images

A nighttime wedding or black tie affair would be the perfect occasion for black nails. We’ll never say no to a glossy finish, but black looks particularly chic with a matte top coat.

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Mod Prints

art deco nails — Amanda Edwards / Getty Images

60s mod nail art is a fun way to add a little groove to your outfit, especially if you’re wearing a solid color. So get out your nail art kit...just kidding! This level of detail is best left to nail wraps, press-ons, or a nail artist with a ton of time to hang out with you.

Nail wraps or press-ons are a great way to do nail art if you don’t have time to go to the salon.

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Iridescent Pink

If you could swatch the color of a bubble bath, this would be it.

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Solid Color Pop

orange nails — Jeremy Moeller / Getty Images

A solid manicure is especially fun in an unexpected, vivid color like marigold, lime green, or periwinkle.

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Completely Bare

plain nails — Anna Webber / Getty Images

Not all manicures come with paint. Sometimes having clean, healthy nails is the chicest way to go. Exfoliate, trim, hit your nails with a nourishing cuticle oil, finish with a great moisturizer, and let those hands breathe.

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80s Dance Floor

80s nails — COURTESY OF BRITTNEY BOYCE/@NAILS_OF_LA

If you’re the kind of guest that’s always on the dance floor, this pastel, 80s-inspired abstract design will be the life of the party just like you.

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Diagonal Tips

diagonal tip design — COURTESY OF BRITTNEY BOYCE/@NAILS_OF_LA

Just a touch of color at a cheeky, irreverent angle. Try this with all one color, or pick several to alternate.

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Confetti Glitter

A wedding is a party after all. Start with a clear (and even black) base coat and layer on chunky, neon glitter like ORLY’s Party Animal.

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Lined in Glitter

glitter nails — COURTESY OF BRITTNEY BOYCE/@NAILS_OF_LA

If all-out glitter confetti feels a little bold for your taste, a simple line around the border of your nails is a cool, minimalist way to add sparkle.

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Baby Blues

baby blue nails — COURTESY OF ANASTASIA TOTTY/@ANASTASIA.TOTTY

Every wedding needs something blue, so text the bride and tell her you’ve got it covered (just kidding, leave her alone). This powdery blue is just light enough that it’s almost neutral, and would be a great fit for a coastal wedding.

Totty recommends medium or short nail lengths as a wedding guest. Anything too long and you’ll risk upstaging the bride. But if you love your long acrylics and want to keep them for the wedding, stick to a neutral color palette.

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Solid Gold

rose gold metallic nails — Courtesy of Nails by Nia/@la_nianails

Gold nails are the perfect choice for a glam, Hollywood-inspired wedding. If bright gold isn’t your metal of choice, try a metallic polish in rose gold, silver, or bronze.

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Pressed Flowers

pressed flower nail design — Courtesy of Nails by Nia/@la_nianails

You don’t need to be a part of the wedding to carry flowers. These tiny pressed florals are a great accent for any celebratory manicure.

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Princess Pink

pink manicure — Kseniya Ovchinnikova / Getty Images

Think bubble gum, cotton candy, and unicorns. Put that on your nails and you’ve got a sweetly irresistible manicure. Subtle enough for a wedding guest, but sugary enough to put a smile on everyone’s face.

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Fine Lines

minimalist nail design — COURTESY OF BRITTNEY BOYCE/@NAILS_OF_LA

Fine, minimalist lines are a great, modern way to add a little interest to a sheer manicure. Black and white will always work, but since the lines are so delicate any color will also do.

FAQ

What kind of nails should I get for a wedding?

As a guest, you have a lot of freedom when selecting a manicure. As long as they aren’t too flashy and pull focus from the bride, you can experiment with nail art, color, or simply stick with neutrals.
Can you wear white nails as a wedding guest?

White nails at a wedding aren't breaking any rules. Your nails are a small enough accent that the bride’s white dress will still be the star of the show.
When should you get your nails done before a wedding?

The ideal time would be no more than two or three days before the wedding. Regular polish may chip quickly, and while dip and gel manicures last longer, they do grow out and leave a gap at your cuticle.