While you’re busy picking out your wedding dress, veil, and shoes, don’t forget one important detail: your nails! If you’re wondering how to get the best wedding nails, we have the most helpful tips you’ll be happy to have read before your wedding day arrives. We’ll tell you how to get wedding nails that last, look great, and are photograph-worthy. We’ll tell you how to do your own DIY wedding manicure, tips on scheduling acrylic wedding nails, or where to get long-lasting wedding nail wraps that are quite popular right now (in the latest styles + trends!) Let’s get started!

As an avid nail polish-er myself, I know a thing or two about at-home manicures. I polish my nails every week, or at least, I try to. I wish it was every two weeks, but I can’t seem to get a polish that really stays put longer than that unless I use a solid top coat, especially with all the kids’ baths and summer swimming I do. Water (especially chlorinated water) is a fresh manicure’s worst enemy! In this post, we’ll tell you how to get the best wedding nails possible and keep them looking great all day long. We’ll also tell you how soon to get your nails done before your wedding, should you get fake nails for your wedding, the number-one wedding nails trend right now, and how to get the best bridal manicure at home.

As I look down at my chipped nails, I’m thinking… I really need to heed some of this advice myself! ;) Enjoy!

HOW SOON BEFORE YOUR WEDDING SHOULD YOU GET A MANICURE?

DIY Wedding Nails

This is a big question that brides often ask: how soon before my wedding should I get a manicure? As a rule of thumb, you should get your nails done one to two days before the wedding. Schedule your nail manicure at a time when you can relax, i.e. last-minute DIY projects are completed so you don’t mess up your nails. If you’re doing your own wedding nails, bring along the same polish in your wedding bag, just in case you need a touch-up on the morning of the wedding.

Acrylic Wedding Nails

If you’re getting acrylic nails done, you can get them done four days ahead of time up to a week. I’m hesitant to say a week ahead of time since you don’t want one of the nails to come loose right before-hand. If you get them done well, your wedding nails should last and look great for at least two to three weeks, so they’ll look amazing for your honeymoon, too! Bring along a small tube of this acrylic nail glue in your wedding bag, just in case you need to re-attach a nail if it breaks.

Wedding Nail Wraps

If you’re doing wedding nail wraps, apply them one day beforehand. Make sure you buy TWO packs of the same nail wraps so you have a backup set, just in case you need to re-apply one. And bring along your hairdryer in your wedding tote bag for applying it.

Here is how to get the best nails for wedding day / bridal shower / bachelorette party / etc. These are most helpful nail tips I swear by myself!

1. Paint Your Own Nails.

My non-professional, at-home manicure results are pretty good at best. If you’re a pro or very good at your own manicures, you can do your own nails for your wedding. However, here are a few tips to keep in mind. In addition to removing all polish, washing your hands, and giving your nails a good cut and cuticle trim, here is what to do next to get the best bridal manicure ever.

– Use a base coat.

I know, I know, it seems like an “extra” or unnecessary step, but a proper base coat is one of the secret weapons to achieving the best wedding nails. It gives you a solid foundation for your manicure right from the beginning.

– Two coats of polish.

This will give your wedding nails extra shine and lock in color. And make sure you’re using top-quality nail polish. I’ve had great luck with Essie; the polish really lasts a long time vs. other brands I’ve tried. For wedding nail polish, their “ballet slippers” color shown here is a popular choice.

Or “Tuck It In My Tux” which is a pure white bridal nail polish color.

For bridesmaid nails, or even as part of your bridesmaid proposals, this “Handmade of Honor” wedding nail polish is a cute one!

– Use a high-quality top coat to keep your nails looking their best and to prevent chipping. This one is inexpensive and works great.

Here’s an easy shoppable list:

2. Hire a professional to do your wedding nails.

Ah, getting pampered: is there anything better than getting your nails done at a salon? I love getting a pedicure and find it very relaxing. You might really savor a little relaxation a few days before the wedding, staying as stress-free as possible. I got my wedding nails done with my amazing Maid of Honor, my sister! — and it was so much fun! It is something you need to get done for photos, but also makes for fun memories leading up to the big day (Don’t forget your toes, too! Schedule a pedicure so your feet look great on the wedding day and on the beach at your honeymoon!)

This is your own personal decision! Fake nails or acrylic wedding nails are a great alternative to your own, especially if yours are short and you want a long, elegant manicure for your wedding day. However, if you’re not very familiar with getting nails done, you might find them uncomfortable and almost impossible to get anything done wearing them. I know whenever I’ve had acrylic nails, I felt like, huh? How does anyone do anything with these on! It’s definitely a bit of a learning curve. :) If you’re used to wearing them, do it! The other thing that may pose a problem is nail sensitivity to the acrylic glue. I’ve had this myself and my cuticles really hurt, thankfully not on my wedding day. I wanted them removed immediately. The sensitivity wears off but it’s not fun. If you want your acrylic nails done, but you’re concerned whether you’ll like it, go ahead and schedule a “test-run” manicure months ahead of time to try it out. There’s always a good time to do an engagement ring photo and perfectly-polished nails are a must-have for it!

3. Do wedding nail wraps.

Ok, next to getting them done professionally, wedding nail wraps are my FAVORITE thing right now and they make incredibly unique wedding nails. A wrap is a fantastic in-between option from diy wedding nails vs. professional acrylic wedding nails. These nail wraps are applied with a sticky adhesive backing, placed on a nail, smoothed out, trimmed, and filed. You use a hairdryer to “set” the nail wrap since it is heat-activated. Some people apply a top coat to keep it in place (but that’s not necessarily required.)

These nail wraps are long-lasting and look professional at a huge hefty discount, priced on average around $9! You can buy them at SoGloss and they come with instructions on how to apply them. Here are some wedding nail wraps that are sellin’ like hot-cakes. I love the “lace” bridal nail wrap shown first:

From swiss dot to chevron nail wraps, you’ll find many wedding nail options in the shop.

You DO NOT have to go with a traditional cream, white, ivory, soft blush, or champagne bridal manicure if you don’t want to! You can have your nails painted any color, although lighter shades do look best in photos. If you want to show off your rad personal style, that’s totally up to you! We encourage individuality around here. :)

Here are some fun non-traditional wedding nail options.

This mint might be my favorite! It’s a subtle something blue that counts. :)

Lastly, while this isn’t a nail wrap (instead it is long-lasting stickers that are applied on top of your nail polish), these floral wedding nails look AMAZING! They’re only $4 from Tattoorary.

And there you have it: three tips for getting the best wedding manicure! How will YOU do your wedding nails? Are you planning to do it yourself, get acrylic nails / go to a nail salon, or try wedding nail wraps? We hope this article gave you plenty of ideas and answered questions on how to get the best wedding nails. If we missed anything or if you have something to add, let us know in the comment box below!

Happy Manicuring!

xo
Emma

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