Author: Wedding Belles

You know that gorgeous ring on your finger? We’re thinking it might need some friends in the form of a stylish manicure. No matter your style of gown, dozens of types of wedding nails will fit your fancy (and wedding dress style). From classic nails for the classic bride, unique nails for the unique bride, to girly nails for the feminine bride, we have nail (and wedding dress) inspo for you on your wedding day!

Before you start matching wedding nails to your engagement ring though, make sure to first match them up to your dream wedding dress by taking our Style Quiz and getting your perfect wedding gown at one of our Authorized Retailers.

If you want more bridal tips, tricks, and #MaggieInspiration for your big day, make sure to sign up for some exclusive text messages below!#MaggieInspiration

Classic Wedding Nails for The Classic Bride

Oh, the classic bride! When we think of this elegant, quintessential type of bride we are reminded of famous brides in history like Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, and Jackie Kennedy. With quality gowns of lace, satin, and crepe come quality nails as well.

What are classic nails though? They are typically designed with classic shapes, neutral colors, and nothing too flashy in terms of design (you don’t want to distract from that gorgeous diamond on your finger!).

PC: Genesis Imagery | PC: Chelson Tamares | PC: Tetiana Photography

If you’re looking for a classic manicure for your chic wedding dress, consider the following ideas:

• Classic Shapes: Have your manicure specialist shape your nails into almond, rounded, oval, or square shapes.: These wedding nails mimic the natural shape of your nail while adding a little bit of heightened elegance!
• Natural Colors: Consider natural shades in romantic, creamy white, rosy hues, and neutral grays, or nudes.
• Minimalist Designs: If you’re looking to add a little bit of flair to your classic nail, design your nails with a French nail, natural ombre, or a faint shimmer to accentuate that stunning ring.

With wedding nail ideas as classic and simple as these, you’re sure to need some wedding dress inspo to go along with them!

Consider these gowns to pair with any of these classy wedding nails:

PC: Max McQueen | PC: Tetiana Photography | PC: Genesis Imagery

• Fatima by Maggie Sottero: This tulle ballgown is made for princesses (and beautiful classic brides like you! Its gorgeous crepe bodice, deep V-neckline, and a detachable beaded belt would go perfectly with a classic nude manicure with a little bit of shimmer.
• Josie by Rebecca Ingram: Want to know the second-best accessory for Josie by Rebecca Ingram (after your gorgeous ring of course)? A French tip manicure! This fit-and-flare, Mikado gown with off-the-shoulder sleeves is beyond gorgeous and elegant. Just like your manicure would be!
• Kimora by Sottero and Midgley: There’s something about a satin ballgown with a little bit of beading that makes our hearts flutter a little bit. Kimora by Sottero and Midgley is the obvious choice for classic brides who don’t want to just feel elegant on their big day – but feel like royalty as well. We suggest a simple taupe or light pink manicure to pair with this luxe wedding dress.

Unique Wedding Nails For The Unique Bride

You only get married once, so make your bridal nails (and wedding dress!) as unique as can be. Match unique wedding nail ideas designed with bold colorways, funky designs, and interesting shapes with unique wedding dresses with boho laces, modern necklines, and ethereal shimmer.

PC: Sam Starn Elopements | PC: Budka Daminsuren | PC: Oswald Elsaboath

Consider these unique wedding nail designs for your distinctively “you” wedding dress:

• Unique Shapes: Unique nails can come in any shape and size, but to truly make a statement on your big day consider having them in a stiletto, edge, or flare shape. With all the attention on you and your nails, it’s best to make them stand out a bit!
• Nontraditional Colors: If you’re looking to incorporate some unique nails on your wedding day, the color palette is your oyster! Think bold black, iridescent sparkle, and really any color of the rainbow! Pro tip: consider matching your nail color to your bridal jewelry or florals to create a cohesive look.
• Edgy Nail Designs: As we said before, the world is your oyster when it comes to unique nails. Consider abstract lines, bold crystal work, eccentric designs, and even 3D embellishments to highlight your bridal look.

With bride wedding nails as unique as the ideas above, you’ll need a gown to go with them! Luckily for you, we have a large collection of individual, sophisticated, and distinctive designs to choose from.

Take a look at these gowns:

PC: Sam Starn Elopements | PC: Megan Taylor | PC: Alexis Christine Photography

• Zander by Sottero and Midgley: Zander is one of the most popular and unique wedding dresses in our Sottero & Midgley collection – and for good reason! Its black colorway, lace layers, subtle shimmer, and decadent sleeves have inspired unique brides for years (especially when it comes to their nails!). Pair this gown with a matching jet black manicure, shimmer rhinestones, or lacy designs.
• Kevyn by Sottero and Midgley: Kevyn is on the boho side of unique wedding dresses and that’s exactly why we love this gown! Let this high-neck, crepe wedding dress with its miles and miles of lace inspire your unique wedding nails. Incorporate bold colors like turquoise, orange, or purple into your manicure. For an added bit of fun and flair, include abstract designs, bold lines, or a unique French tip into your manicure.
• Carmen by Rebecca Ingram: There’s little we love more than a sexy illusion bodice with nature-inspired beading, elegant crepe, and a deep V-back – so you can see why we’re head-over-heels for Carmen by Maggie Sottero! Incorporate a little bit of nature into your wedding nails with bold florals, intricate vinery, or even crashing waves!

Girly Wedding Nails For The Girly Bride

Femininity knows no bounds when it comes to your wedding day look and that includes your nails! Swooping necklines, romantic designs, and gentle silhouettes are key aspects of your girly wedding day look – and they’re just as easy to incorporate into your girly bridal nails too!

PC: Allison Christine | PC: Ying Ge | PC: Rachel Laxton Photography

• Romantic Shapes: Brides who want a more feminine look for their wedding day will want to stick with almond, squoval, or ballerina nails to compliment the feminine shapes of the wedding dress!
• Girly Colors: Girly colors are really whatever you want them to be, but typically they’re shades of pink and purple – perfect for our brides who want to rock a blush colorway on their wedding dress! We also suggest adding a little bit of sparkle to really show off your feminine side.
• Feminine Designs: Hearts, flowers… The more designs for your bridal nails the better when it comes to feminine designs for your girly manicure. A staple in this bridal trend is also accentuating the ring finger with some additional design and flair. The more sparkles the better!

Aren’t girly nails darling?! It’s like Elle Woods said from Legally Blonde, “whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed.”

Try pairing these pretty in pink wedding nails with some of our feminine loving gowns:

PC: Rachel Laxton Photography | PC: C. York Photography | PC: Megan Rachel Photography

• Mallory Dawn by Maggie Sottero: We couldn’t ask for a more perfect wedding dress to go with a fresh girly-inspired manicure. The beautiful ivory colorway will not only highlight your skin tone, but it will also make your pink, purple, or French tip nails stand out throughout your ceremony.
• Raelynn by Rebecca Ingram: Let Raelynn by Rebecca Ingram inspire your wedding manicure! Match your nail polish color to the beautiful blush colorway of this gown, and the nail design to the floral lace embellishments that flow throughout the A-line skirt.
• Tuscany Royale by Maggie Sottero: Tuscany Royale is the definition of glamourous girly with its deep V-neckline, all-over sparkle, and Rococo lace. We suggest going all out when it comes to your nails. Pink, sparkle, designs, you name it.

Have you or a loved one had to postpone their wedding due to stay-at-home orders or COVID-19 restrictions? In today’s blog post, we’re helping you determine what to do with your wedding dress if you have postponed your wedding. We’ll give you the best tips and tricks on how to store your wedding dress from industry experts. Let’s dive in! 

Photo by Allison Francois

First and foremost, location, location, LOCATION. Pick a safe place to store your wedding dress and try your hardest not to move it. Make sure the area you choose is in a dark, cool area free from pests, mischievous fur babies and peeping fiancés. A guest bedroom’s interior closet is a perfect place to store a wedding gown. Avoid places like attics, basements or exterior wall closets because they are not always climate controlled.

You’ll definitely want to hang your wedding dress rather than box it up. By hanging your gown, you ensure that it will not be permanently creased. It also allows airflow around the gown – because, who wants a musty dress? Be sure to pay careful attention to gowns with delicate or illusion straps or sleeves to ensure that you are not having them bear the weight of the gown to prevent tears. You want to avoid having your wedding dress stretch in places where it will be hard to alter. You will also want to avoid hanging the gown close to light fixtures or ceiling fans. 

Make sure to store your gown in a cotton muslin gown bag. Cotton muslin bags are hands down the best way to store your gown and often, this is what your dress will come in when you pick it up from the store. If your gown is currently in a plastic gown bag, remove it ASAP and replace it with the proper storage bag. Muslin or a breathable fabric garment bag that is acid-free will not discolor your gown or cause creases. It keeps dust off your dress and allows air circulation. Try searching for “Breathable Fabric Bridal Gown Bag” on Amazon and you can find multiple suppliers from which to choose. Make sure when zipping up the bag, you’re extra careful to not catch any fabric in the zipper. 

We also recommend using a padded hanger. Toss out that plastic or wire hanger if you plan on storing your gown for several months. Narrow hangers can cause the shoulders of your wedding dress to warp over time or even stretch – this is especially true for gowns with sleeves and illusion necklines. Padded hangers come in both linen and cotton which are both naturally acid-free.

Repeat after us: Use ALL the hanger ribbons in your dress. This is an absolute must! Gowns are heavy! Especially ballgowns and wedding dresses made out of silk. Hanger ribbons are there to help distribute your dress’s weight evenly on the hanger. BUT what if you already had alterations and the ribbons were removed? Don’t worry – you can always add temporary hanger loops using cotton twill tape. You can even loop the hanger ribbons around the hanger multiple times to ensure that the weight of the gown is not on the actual gown’s straps, if possible. Again, please don’t rely on illusion fabrics and sleeves to hold the weight of your dress while you store it. 

It’s ok to take out your gown and examine it, but only periodically. Who are we kidding? Of course, we know you will check on your gown! We would too. But, try to resist the urge to try on the gown or remove it from the storage container. The dress should only be removed once you are ready to have your dress altered. The less contact the better. 

When you’re ready to wear your wedding dress, remember to examine your gown at least two weeks before your wedding. Make sure everything is just as it should be and there are no major flaws or stretching. Before your wedding, you will want to take your wedding gown out of the bag a week or two prior to your wear date, and hang it utilizing a padded hanger so that it has the opportunity to release wrinkles. If there are stubborn wrinkles that will not come out, please contact your alterations vendor or bridal boutiques on the best place to have your gown steamed. Pro tip: most bridal retailers will happily steam your wedding dress before your wedding free of charge. 

Finally, remember to take care of your veil and accessories! They can be stored in an acid-free box with archival tissue paper. Make sure to store them off the floor and away from pets and high traffic areas. You can keep them in the same closet with your dress or in a drawer. Just like with your wedding dress, you’ll want to make sure your veil is free of wrinkles before the big day.