7 Wedding Nail Colors That Made My Mood Board

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Collage: Briana Rengifo; Source images: (L to R) Sigourney Nuñez, Alexa Liberatore, Ellie Tee.

Flowers, check. Photographer, check. Dress, check. My to-do list for the big day looked complete, so why did I feel like I was missing something? During the final (stressful) planning days, it dawned on me that I hadn’t considered what my wedding nails would look like. My mind started racing trying to figure out what exactly I wanted, but before I could settle on a design, I knew I had to start with a color.

If you’re an indecisive bride like me and have no idea how to go about picking a wedding nail color, Detroit-based nail artist Cyndia Robinson has helpful advice: Start by considering your skin tone and look at what best complements it. She explains that deeper and brighter colors tend to flatter darker skin tones (noted!) while subtle hues with pink undertones complement fairer complexions.

Nail artists also encourage us brides to think of our dresses and overall theme. Have an accent color in your decor? It would make for a great base for a bridal nail look.

Of course, you can get whatever manicure you darn well please on your wedding day, but there are quintessential bridal colors people tend to fall back on—like ivory, eggshell, or “something blue”—to fit the age-old tradition. However, nail artists also point out that brighter shades like red are becoming popular among brides who want their nails to be a bold accessory to their wedding look. Whatever your vibe, here are some expert-approved wedding nail colors to consider.

Milky White

Opting for solid white nails may make your manicure blend in with your gown (if you’re wearing white, that is) so nail artists often recommend a milky white instead. New York City-based nail artists Trenna Seney and Robinson both like Funny Bunny from OPI for this look. “As a bride, you don’t want a super opaque white that looks like white-out white,” says Seney. “Funny Bunny is a soft alternative.” For a longer-lasting gel option, try Baby’s Breath by Aprés, which goes on sheer with just one coat, but lets you build up to your preferred opacity.

Nail Lacquer in Funny Bunny

$12.00, Amazon

Gel Couleur in Baby’s Breath

$15.00, Beyond Polish

Nude Pink

“If you don’t want to take [attention] away from the rings, I suggest a nude pink,” says New York City-based nail artist Elle Gerstein. Nude isn’t universal, of course, so Robinson suggests considering your undertone when looking for your perfect match. Those with “golden, red, or rich brown undertones will want a pink with warmth, like peachy, caramel, or terracotta-infused nudes,” says Robinson. If you have cooler undertones with blue or deep red, opt for mauve, rose, or berry pinks. Those with neutral undertones will want to lean toward soft browns and muted pinks.

If that all sounds confusing, Robinson recommends using the "foundation test for nails." “Hold the polish next to your fingertips and the inside of your wrist, and if it blends and enhances your skin instead of looking chalky or too stark, it’s a good match,” says Robinson.

All the nail artists we spoke to agree that if you choose to wear nude pink polish for your wedding manicure, the finish should be sheer. “A sheer, glossy pink blends effortlessly, making it feel like an extension of your skin,” says Robinson. Gerstein recommends Mineral Fusion On Pointe, a milky nude pink, for light to medium skin tones (she’s used this shade on Blake Lively). Robinson loves Essie Lady Like, a muted, mauve pink for deep to dark skin tones.

Seney’s bridal nude pink polish of choice is OPI Put It In Neutral, a lighter nude pink. “This natural nude is perfect on its own but also great to pair with a French tip,” says Seney.

Plus, if you’re jet-setting right after your nuptials, Montreal-based nail artist Alexa Liberatore notes that this shade will “grow out nicely into the honeymoon,”— you’ll need a gel polish for this, though, so we recommend Beetles Naked Rose, a sheer, nude pink with a jelly finish that works on a variety of skin tones.

Nail Polish in On Pointe

$8.00, Amazon

Nail Lacquer in Lady Like

$10.00, Ulta Beauty

Nail Lacquer in Put it in Neutral

$12.00, Amazon

Beetles Gel Nail Polish in Naked Rose

$10.00, Amazon

Blush Mauve

If you want to try a not-so-nude color for this momentous manicure but are hesitant about going too bright, Los Angeles-based nail artist Sigourney Nuñez suggests going for a blush mauve. “For just the slightest, soft touch of color, a blushy, almost-lavender color is gorgeous,” she says, recommending the milky Not Sorbet from Pleasing. Robinson loves BoysenBerry Candy from Kokoist, a light mauve shade with a sheer finish.

Polish in Not Sorbet

$18.00, Pleasing

Color Gel in BoysenBerry Candy

$11.00, Kokoist

Pearly Chrome

The pearly shade imparts the same romance and shine as a dress made from mikado. You can wear it as an allover color or as French tips the way London-based nail artist Ellie Tee did here. (I’m thinking of going for a similar mani for my big day.)

Tee created this regal manicure using Beetles Gel Polish in Pearl. The pearl French tip with the subtle gold arch (which perfectly complements the bride’s gold ring) screams old money in all the right ways. If you’d rather use a regular polish, Juli Russell, a nail artist based in Portland, Oregon, recommends OPI Happy Anniversary Nail Lacquer to achieve this look.

Gel Nail Polish in Pearl

$8.00, Amazon

Nail Lacquer in Happy Anniversary

$12.00, Amazon

Silver Glitter

Nail artists say shimmery silver finishes are a major wedding nail trend for 2025, which makes sense, given our never-ending obsession with chrome. A silver polish adds an element of bling to your hands, which will already be shining brightly from your glistening rock.

Douse all 10 digits in a silver metallic polish like Orly Shine On Crazy Diamond or loose silver glitter polish like ILNP Tinsel. If an all-over shiny silver manicure seems intimidating, Gerstein says the shade also “works great for an accent nail design like glitter fades and line work details such as French tips.”

Nail Lacquer in Shine On Crazy Diamond

$11.00, Orly

Nail Polish in Tinsel

$12.00, Amazon

Baby Blue

Haven’t decided on what your “something blue” should be? Consider making it your manicure. Light blue can be subtle enough to not compete with your dress. Add chrome shimmer the way Anna (a.k.a. @melanated.mani) did above for an accent to your bridal beauty look.

Anna used Stone Cold Fox from Death Valley Nails to create this cool almond-shaped manicure. For a non-iridescent option, we love JinSoon Bliss, a light violet-toned blue, while Russell recommends ASP Blue Moon Gel Polish if you want a gel. “This color is playful, bold, and totally unforgettable,” says Russell.

Polish in Stone Cold Fox

$16.00, Death Valley Nails

Nail Polish in Bliss

$18.00, Jinsoon

Gel Polish in Blue Moon

$11.00, Sally Beauty

Classic Red

If you consider yourself a glamorous bride, red could be your perfect wedding nail color. “Brides are often afraid to wear a nail color that isn’t nude,” says New York City-based nail artist Miss Pop, who says matching red nails to a red lip makes for a wedding day beauty combo you’ll never regret.

For a red wedding manicure, you’ll want to go as classic as possible with a blue-toned shade like Chanel Le Vernis 147 or Côte Candy Apple Red. Both have slightly glossy finishes for an ultra-polished look.

Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color in 147 Incendiaire

$33.00, Nordstrom

Nail Polish in Secret Society

$18.00, Côte

Discover more wedding beauty tips:

• These Natural Wedding Makeup Trends Will be Everywhere in 2025

• 19 Wedding Nail Ideas That Look Stunning In Photos

• 11 Tips for Picking a Wedding Hairstyle You’ll Love Forever

Now, watch Mikey Madison break down her ‘Anora’ beauty transformation:

Originally Appeared on Allure