30 Gorgeous Wedding Guest Nail Ideas (2024)

By

• 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.

Diamond Accent Nails

Gemstones are a great way to add a little sparkle to your manicure, as long as they look delicate enough to suit the vibe of a wedding. “If you’re going for a glue-on gemstone, make sure you use something small and tasteful,” adds Boyce.

Spring Flowers

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.

Pastel Rainbow

Why pick one color when you can have five (or ten)? If you're looking to show off your vibrant style, give each nail its own personality with a rainbow gradient of colors. These pastel hues are great for traditional weddings, while saturated colors would work best for a colorful fiesta.

Short and Red

No matter what type of wedding you plan to attend, you can never go wrong with a class red mani. The best part? Even if it looks bad (like if you haphazardly applied OPI Red in the car while headed to your event), it's still good.

Tiny Hearts

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.

Neutral Tones

You can never go wrong with neutral tones, especially for a wedding. However, don’t get caught up in color-matching your skin—just choose a shade that complements it for a sophisticated and pared-back look.

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, or keep it simple and opt for a white and black design.

All Shimmer, All Day

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, which is a super trendy way to add a bit of shine to a classic mani.

Neutral Pink

If you’re attending a more formal affair, or if you're feeling a little stumped on manicure ideas, don’t stray from what works every time—a light, neutral pink. We know you already have a bottle of Essie’s Ballet Slippers, so go ahead and paint your nails with this classic hue.

Half and Half

We love how easy it is to achieve these vertical stripes of color at home. Simply paint the whole nail a solid base color, wait for it to dry, and then use tape as a guide to create a straight line up the middle of your nail.After that, apply your desired color to one half of your nail, and, voilà, you're done!

Pastel French Tips

French manicures have made a huge comeback and we couldn't be more excited. To jazz up this tried-and-true style, however, try multi-color tips in sweet pastel hues for an extra dose of personality.

Moody French

Black tips painted on at two steep angles are a rock-and-roll take on the classic French design. This style, in particular, is for the edgy guest looking to make a subtle, fashion-forward statement.

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.

White Swirls

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 style? Good news: you can buy it!

Peach

A simple peach manicure, on almond-shaped nails, is an elegant way to add just a touch of peppy color.We especially love it for spring and summer weddings held on the beach or outdoors.

Punky Black

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.

Mod Prints

60s mod nail art is a fun way to add a little groove to your outfit, especially if you’re wearing a solid color. It's important to note, though, that 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.

Solid Color Pop

A solid manicure is especially fun in an unexpected, vivid color like yellow, lime green, or periwinkle. And if you’re the kind of guest who’s always on the dance floor, this marigold hue will be the life of the party just like you.

Completely Bare

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

Diagonal Tips

Diagonal tips provide a touch of color at a cheeky, irreverent angle. You can try this style with just one hue, or pick several shades to really make it pop.

Lined in Glitter

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 some sparkle.

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, for a contemporary and wedding-appropriate look.

Baby Blues

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

Princess Pink

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

Fine Lines

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.