Stunning Wedding Manicure Inspo Perfect For Short Nails

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With how many cameras are on the ring the day of one's wedding, a bride's manicure is a central part of her overall look. That said, not every bride wants long nails for the occasion. And that's completely fine. After all, there are health benefits to keeping your nails short and rounded, so it makes sense why some brides may want to keep things simple.The big day should be an expression of self, and a celebration of all of the things that make you as the bride, and you as a couple, who you really are. So if long nails are not your thing, know that a gorgeous bridal manicure is still achievable. 

We've already gone over the perfect nail looks if you're expecting an engagement ring. Now it's time to take that manicure to the next level. There are the classic bridal nails, like French manicures, but we're expanding our curation to more unexpected and playful designs to flaunt on your fingers for your special day. There are simple choices with nods to wedding traditions, and even ornate patterns that will make any bride happy, regardless of nail length. 

The good-luck wedding charm goes: "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue." A bride is meant to incorporate each of these elements into her bridal look, and the "something blue" can be more of a challenge, since brides typically wear white. A bridal manicure that keeps nails short but incorporates small hints of cornflower blue and white flowers is a lovely way to achieve this. Besides, garden-inspired manicures have been trending for a while thanks to Zendaya (who is newly engaged herself), and the floral tradition is not going anywhere anytime soon. 

Things don't need to be matchy-matchy just because it's your wedding day. Express your vivacious personality with a blend of earthy opal tones through a bold, chrome manicure. Best of all, your nails can stay comfortably short because the drama doesn't come from length. A playful mashup of shiny hues allows you to look unique. It's an unexpected choice, which makes it all the more interesting. Adding some dimension and texture to the nails only enhances their mesmerizing charm. 

While you might be carrying a bouquet down the aisle, you can also incorporate flowers and greenery into your nails. A verdant, botanical manicure is a stunning way to make your short nails extra special, and delicate floral detailing is too precious to pass up. A few French tips here and there gives a nod to the traditional bridal manicure, without repeating it exactly. Better yet, if you have special, symbolic flowers in your bouquet, like daisies, you can ask your manicurist to incorporate them as nail art to keep with that special tone. A bridal manicure should be significant to you, and meaningful flowers in your manicure is a touching way to do this. 

Even if you want to stick to a traditional, white wedding dress, opting for more subtle gestures, like an unexpected manicure, is a perfect way to bring in one's unique style to your look. Since a wedding is essentially about building a life with someone else, a soft green manicure, with clean, short nails, can work as a symbol of growing together as a couple. If the jewelry tones of the day are silver, some small, metallic detailing on your nails ties in the wedding bands and other rings and earrings. 

Short nails can be just as girly as long ones if you go for the right color palette. A combination of soft pinks looks feminine and dainty. The French manicure is arguably the classic wedding manicure, so bring in a few white tips, while playing with the genre, and mixing up nail designs. Some solid nails stand out next to delicate nail art, and the overall effect is clean, pretty, and simple. 

A delicate, gold manicure is a beautiful way to keep things bridal while still staying comfortable with short nails. A mix of nail art, including glittery French tips, and diamonds near the cuticle, incorporate some welcome bling. One of the sweetest ways to personalize this is to add your initials as a couple in shimmery gold; it's even lovelier when these appear on the ring finger. It's a thoughtful way of making your bridal manicure beautiful and unique to you.

Send a message with your bridal manicure. After painting a bright white base on the nails, such as OPI Polish in Alpine Snow add some writing with Makartt Black Gel Nail Liner to playfully point to the theme of the day. It'll look great in photos and guests will love it as they admire your ring. Silver polish, like Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Holo-Glow in Euphoric, is a perfect metallic tone to add some bling to the mix; switch it up by alternating every other nail to create a glamorous pattern. It'll look fabulous next to your engagement ring.