Wedding Nails: 7 Manicures To Book In For Or Try Out Yourself

Never underestimate the power of a good manicure on your wedding day. Your nails are in sharp focus from the off. There's the exchanging of the rings for a start. Every guest's eyes will be drawn to your hands at that moment, and your photographer is likely to zoom in for a closely cropped shot too. Fast forward to your reception and you'll mill around speaking to your nearest and dearest, every so often raising a refreshing glass of something bubbly to your lips. Your nails? Nearly at eye level. And, of course, if you're jetting off on your honeymoon soon after your big day, it makes sense to have your holiday manicure in hand already. So, with all that in mind, what look do you go for?

What are the best nail polishes for wedding nails?

Most opt for a nude or a glossy pale pink, but there are other options on the table. Nail pro and manicurist to the stars - think Addison Rae - Iram Shelton favours a French manicure. 'It's the most versatile nail design, it suits all nail lengths, shapes and skin tones,' she says, 'it can also be tailored to you, which I think is special.' Booking in with your local salon? Iram recommends opting for Bio Sculpture in Rose for the base, and Whitney for the tip.

And if you've spent years developing your DIY manicure skills and would rather do it yourself, Iram recommends using either Chanel's Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Ballerina, £25, or OPI's Nail Envy in Bubble Bath, £21.10, as your base, and Gucci Vernis à Ongles in Winterset Snow, £24, for the tip, 'it's super pigmented, so one coat on the tip is enough,' she says.

How should you care for your hands and nails ahead of a wedding?

'My morning ritual, no matter whether I'm a guest, a bridesmaid, or the bride, would be to first exfoliate my hands,' says Iram, 'this is to freshen up my skin and make them soft. My go-to scrub at the moment is Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow, £37, it smells divine and leaves your skin hydrated.'

'I'd always then use hand cream and cuticle oil,' says Iram, 'my go-to hand cream right now is Byredo Mojave Ghost Hand Cream, £31. It soaks into skin without leaving a greasy residue, meaning you won't have to worry about transfer onto your beautiful outfit, and it's quite small, making it perfect to carry around with you for top-ups on the day.'

'My go-to nail serum is the Dior Beauty Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive Nail & Cuticle Serum, £22,' she says, 'it comes in a tube with a brush on the end, which makes application fuss-free.'

On the hunt for nail manicure inspiration? Browse some of Iram's most iconic looks below:

Wedding Manicure Inspiration From Nail Pro Iram Shelton

Main image credit: Instagram @iramshelton