30 Unique Ideas for White Wedding Nails
White wedding nails are both timeless and trendy, and for good reason: The clean and classic look pairs beautifully with white wedding gowns. That's not to say this look is about blending in—quite the opposite. There are countless ways to enhance a simple white manicure and make it a reflection of your style, personality and especially your big-day aesthetic. The internet is a treasure trove of inspiration; here, we've curated 30 of our favorite on-trend styles to inspire brides. You'll also find top nail tips—pun intended—from the creators, plus lots of exact-shade suggestions to achieve the perfect white, off-white, pale pink or nude you're aiming for.
1. Sheer Glazed Doughnut Nails
Blame Hailey Bieber, but glazed doughnut nails are here to stay—and we love this super sheer take on the trend. Upgrade the everyday look for your wedding with some major bling and a slightly longer tip than usual (opt for gel nail extensions to achieve the look if your natural nails can't quite grow to this length).
2. An Edgy French Manicure
Long nails are definitely trending, but if you're not a fan (and for practical reasons, we understand!) opt for a unique mani to set your shorties apart on your wedding day. An edgy twist on the classic French manicure, these black and white wedding nails are great for a modern affair—maybe one hosted at a contemporary art museum or trendy industrial venue.
3. White Glitter Wedding Nails
It's tough to see in the still photo (check this Reel for a closer look), but these white French tip wedding nails are accented with textural glitter. The style is perfect for outdoor weddings, where natural sunlight will make your mani truly sparkle; request it for garden affairs or even an intimate backyard wedding. (Color tip: The base here was created with Young Nails acrylic powder in the color Rosebud.)
4. Short White Nails
Short white wedding nails are a timeless choice, but our favorite part about them? The minimalistic look creates a clean canvas for rings—and we say, more is more. This particular mani was created using Adesse New York's Gel Effect nail polish in Pure White, which gives the appearance of a gel manicure without the harmful effects of a UV or LED nail lamp (and bonus, the brand's products are nontoxic and made with organic ingredients.)
5. Lace Nails
It's the subtle details that truly tie a wedding together. Case in point: a white wedding manicure inspired by the lace of your bridal gown. Beware, this style is not for the faint of heart. Creator Ashely Gregory Hackett—who wore these nails for her own wedding—divulges that each nail took 45 minutes to paint (that's seven and a half hours total, by our count). She started with soft gel enhancements and used two aptly named hues for the base: CND's White Wedding and Bouquet.
6. An Accent Pattern
Looking for something similar, but lack the patience? Try a lace-inspired pattern on just one nail per hand (might we suggest the ring finger?) and swath the rest of the tips in classic white. The accent finger could also be inspired by your florals or the floral appliqués of your gown.
7. Black and White Wedding Nails
Evil-eye-inspired nails add an element of whimsy to your wedding day, and this fun mani has exactly that, with pops of gold for a sophisticated edge. Pro tip: If black and white doesn't fit the vibe, customize this to your color palette. Try white and blue wedding nails for a destination Greek affair, or burgundy and white wedding nails for a winery wedding.
8. Milky Swirled Nails
Milky white swirls—here created by layering neutral and white hues by OPI—are having a moment, and they're the perfect design for white wedding nails. Pro tip: Opt for gel nail extensions to length your tips enough to be shaped into the trending almond shape.
9. A Pearl French Manicure
An updated take on the always-classic French manicure, this mani also weaves in a trend pulled straight from bridal fashion: pearls! It was created by the artists at Beverly Hills salon Notox Nails. "We used a neutral base color like DND Picnic for Two or Presto Gel 170, and then added a deep white French with Aprés French White," says owner Alexis Sugasawara. They applied ultra-delicate pearl detailing to finish the look.
10. Jewel Accents
A milky white mani always looks better when accented with jewels—both on and off the nails! Here, two super subtle stick-on gems accentuate the pointer finger, and a thick gold Aureum Collective band serves as the perfect accessory.
11. Embellished Acrylics
Calling all girly girls: White and silver wedding nails simply don't get more feminine than this. From the Chanel inspiration to the hearts and bows motif to the high shine and pearl detailing, this acrylic set has all the things. Pair the look with a sleek sheath to let your hands really do the talking.
12. A High-Shine French Manicure
A modern alternative to more dated white glitter wedding nails is bringing in the sparkle through super high shine—and here, modern chrome meets classic French. It's ideal for brides wanting the best of both worlds, and would give an extra princessy pop to an embellished ballgown.
13. A Pink & White Floral Mani
A pink-and-white palette is both timeless and on-trend for weddings, so why not carry it over to your nail art? These pink and white wedding nails add a pop of color. Psst, ask your nail artist to customize the floral element to reflect your wedding flowers.
14. A Mix & Match Mani
There are countless options when it comes to white wedding nail designs, so we say, why not mix it up? This look combines two—a classic nude French manicure and milky white swirls—into one chic mani. Plus, it's proof that you need not be swayed by the almond nail trend: If squared tips work better for you, embrace it! These acrylics look clean and fresh with squared edges.
15. Diamond Accent Nails
Diamonds are a girl's best friend—and there are more ways than one to wear them on your finger. Give the ring finger even more of a sparkling accent on your wedding day with diamond stickers applied onto pure white nails.
16. Nail Jewelry
These white acrylic nails for weddings are a scene-stealer, with multiple eye-catching moments. The milky white swirled nails are ultra on-trend, but it's the middle accent finger that grabbed our attention: A ring embellishment gives the nail a pierced appearance. If you're a more-is-more bride when it comes to jewelry, here's just one more way to wear it.
17. A Bedazzled Ring Finger
White French tip wedding nails get an upgrade in this stunning style, which features a curved arch of embellishment on the ring finger. We love this look for a fairy-tale wedding: The bedazzled half-moon would beautifully mirror a glittering bridal tiara. (Just be careful not to knock the gemstones when your partner slips your wedding band on during the ceremony!)
18. Whimsical White Wedding Nail Designs
The Dallas-based creator behind these white wedding nails started by creating a nail set with dipping powder, then used gel to craft each design. By starting with a top coat, then painting on top and adding and curing clear powder, she gave each nail a three-dimensional look. We love this look for winter weddings—the whimsical patterns bring to mind snowflakes and cable knit sweaters—but brides could take this inspiration and customize the patterns to reflect just about any element of their dress or decor.
19. Long Acrylic Pearl Nails
One of the major advantages of white acrylic nails for weddings is the ability to add length—so if you're going for long, this look is for you. Here, the artist used V Beauty Pure in Perfect Nude to achieve the ideal base color, and accented both base and white tips with three-dimensional dotted pearls, the perfect bridal accent.
20. Chrome White Nails
If simple white wedding nails are what you're after, you can still take it up a notch—in this case, by going chrome. The minimalistic, metallic style works equally well for long or short nails, and was created here by combining OPI Funny Bunny with the brand's chrome Tin Man Can powder (psst, this powder can be applied to both gel and regular nail polish).
21. A Stamped Design
Milky white wedding nails get a twist with this subtle stamped style, which, artist Jenya Minikhanova shares, took nearly two and a half hours to achieve. The look, applied here on natural nails strengthened with opaque white gel, features a stamped pattern on the ring fingers. We love the white-on-white design for something minimal but still unique.
22. Gilded Edges
Nail artist Alexandra Teleki created this perfect white mani—which we love for an old-world wedding with gilded details—by separating the colors of a classic French with stamped gold foil. For the base, she used builder gels by The Gel Bottle Inc in a nude hue dubbed 19 BIAB, and coated the tips in the same brand's Daisy white. The finishing touch, of course? A top coat with extreme shine.
23. Iridescent Shine
An almost iridescent high-shine top coat is the star of the show in this chrome French manicure. The amped-up nude-and-white look would be the perfect shiny foil to a wedding filled with colorful decor and vibrant florals—and maybe even a floral or pastel wedding gown.
24. Bedazzled White Nails
These tapered square gel nails are rendered in the purest of pure whites—with a pretty punch at the cuticle line. Rhinestones and pearl accents were meticulously applied in size order, with the largest in the middle of each nail bed and getting smaller as they arch out. It takes some patience in application time—but the end result is worth the wait.
25. Pearl-Accented Nails
Pearl white wedding nails are having a moment, and this subtle take is perfect for classic brides looking for a little extra pop in their white wedding manicure. The look is easy to achieve: Start with a French manicure—on natural, acrylic or gel or dip extended nails—and have your technician apply stick-on pearl accents. Pair it with a delicate pearl-dotted veil, or a pair of pearl-embellished Jimmy Choos.
26. Geometric White Wedding Nails
Pretty in pink—and a little punk. On your wedding day, play up your personality by adding a pattern with meaning to you (like this one we envision was inspired by skater style). The geometric pattern plays perfectly into modern wedding decor, and adds a hint of playful fun to white wedding nails. Psst, we also love the slight pink tint—rather than classic nude—in the base.
27. An Iridescent Accent
White wedding nails aren't just for the big day—there's also the shower mani and bachelorette nails to think about! We love this clean and classic look for a bachelorette trip because of its pretty party twist: An arch of iridescent rhinestones further draws attention to the rock. Opt for an ultra-opaque white hue here to act as a canvas for the bedazzled element to really pop.
28. Freeform White Lines
This gel extension wedding manicure features wavy white lines against a light gray-nude base. It's a fun take on trending nail art, and one where perfection isn't required—the freeform squiggles are ideal for laid-back brides looking to add a playful element to their big-day beauty. We especially love this look for beach weddings, where the vibe is chill and the nail-art lines reflect the waves of the sea.
29. Off-White Chrome Nails
This white wedding nail design hits all the trends: glazed doughnut nails, almond-shaped nails and chrome nails (creator Alexandra Teleki dubs the look "vanilla chrome"). It's a great manicure option if you're hoping for something minimalistic that still pops in photos—you've got to get that ring shot, after all!
30. Classic White Nails for Wedding
You simply can't go wrong with clean and classic off-white wedding nails (it's how this humble writer wore her nails for her wedding day!). This look is all about healthy natural nails, so be sure to care for your nails leading up to the wedding (Adding a collagen supplement to one glass of water per day, and using cuticle oil at night can both give natural nails a boost). Pro tips: Ask your manicurist to file the tips in a rounded square—and to achieve a color similar to this, top one coat OPI Funny Bunny with two coats Bubble Bath.