Natural Nails? tacky?

ab2826 · March 2010

Has anyone just gone with natural nails for their wedding day? My nails are long and very strong, they look nice, and we are on a smaller budget, trying to do everything cheap as possible. I was thinking that if I just had natural nails, it would be cheaper. Especially since if I get my nails done, I would also probably take my bridesmaids with me (7 BMs, 1 flower girl)- with a manicure and pedicure that bill will add up very quickly. Not to sound like a cheapo, but unfortunately, I don't have a lot of money and I just don't feel that having a french manicure is totally imperative. is this tacky?
The night before we are all staying in a hotel together so i thought it would be fun to do a spa night, and we could give ourselves manicures with clear polish and natural toe polish maybe?
any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!!

jillianwilkins · March 2010

That's what I'm doing too.

AmoroAgain · March 2010

I actuallly think that fake nails are tacky. They're so obviously fake and they just look gross. I did natural nails, no problemo.

Question though, why would you HAVE to take your BM's with you to get a manicure? Unless you're requiring them to have their nails done, it doesn't make sense and is unnecessary.

ab2826 · March 2010

well i know i wouldn't have to take my BM with me, i guess i would just feel odd getting my nails done and them not getting theirs... But you're right, i probably could just go alone.
Thanks for the response

ab2826 · March 2010

Amoro, when you say you did natural nails, did you still get manicure or just leave them without polish? I definitely don't want fake nails, i just don't know if it would be okay to go without a french manicure or any kind of manicure for that matter.

jenn.daniel · March 2010

I'm going to do my own nails too. I think fake nails are tacky.

lalap69 · March 2010

I think the idea of everyone doing their nails in the hotel room before the wedding is cute - maybe just extend an open invitation to all the girls to see if they'd want to join you. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with natural nails. I would probably put a coat of peachy-clear nail polish on and leave it at that, but even if you don't do that, you said you have nice healthy nails so I'm sure it will look just fine!

stefani103 · March 2010

I never get a manicure, so I'm going to pamper myself for this one. My sister recommended a nice, inexpensive place. I'm going the day before the wedding with my other sister/one of my MOHs (she is paying for hers) since that night is her prom. I'll do a clear or peach. I'm NOT a fan of fake nails at all (fake anything kinda weirds me out). But my other sister/MOH will probably have them.

PLUS I wanted something nice for pictures but easy for the honeymoon. We're doing a cruise and some of our excursions are quite physical.

For you, do what makes you happy and you are comfortable with. Also, do what is YOU. Like with hair and make-up, you just want to be the best YOU on your wedding day.

ipwtfa91 · March 2010

I have found fake nails I LOVE. In my opinion, the only tacky ones are the obviously fake ones, ridiculously long ones, are nasty over-decorated ones. However, my nails chip if they grow longer then about 5 days, so I clip them often and when I want nicer looking nails acrylics are just the best option for me. If natural works for you, do that!

Jessie888 · March 2010

I think having your nails natural is a great idea! I am not going to call fake nails "tacky", because on some people they look very nice.

I prefer to leave my nails the way they are! I am going to get a manicure though and maybe just have a clear coat or a very light shade. I plan on taking my mom, fmil, and bridesmaids with me. I think it will be a nice relaxing moment!

AmoroAgain · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-beauty_natural-nails-tacky?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:358Discussion:f48a585c-252b-4b4f-92d0-2ee2539f3afcPost:ecfb4926-27a8-4b6e-be18-4112b5503e74">Re: Natural Nails? tacky?</a>:
[QUOTE]Amoro, when you say you did natural nails, did you still get manicure or just leave them without polish? I definitely don't want fake nails, i just don't know if it would be okay to go without a french manicure or any kind of manicure for that matter.
Posted by ab2826[/QUOTE]

Sorry AB! I treated myself to a nice mani and pedi the day before the wedding. Mani, I just had them reshape my nails and pain them a natural, pink color.

pooh8402 · March 2010

why would natural nails ever look tacky?

sarahelisabethbr10 · March 2010

I've never, ever gotten a manicure, and I love pedicures. So I'll probably get both. But if you don't want to spend the money, and you have nice natural nails, definitely go for it!

golden1215 · March 2010

I agree that, at least in my area, fake nails went out of style after middle school.

I'm def doing a mani/pedi on my own real names!

Also, fake nails ruin your own real nails underneath... if you have nice ones to start with, why ruin your own???

laimabean · March 2010

I agree with everyone else, never been a fan of fake nails, Im just gonna do the french manicure with my natural nails, I think thats the prettiest look anyway, especially if you have beautiful, long nails

krissydawn16 · March 2010

It took me about a year during college to realize that I had taken my nice healthy nails and filed them down to nothing when I was getting my acrylics filled every two weeks. I got them taken off and started taking Biotin (a vitamin to help nails hair and skin). They are beautiful and healthy now! I will never go back to acrylics. People ask me all the time "Are those your real nails?!: I'm just going to get them shaped before the wedding.

BecW2be · March 2010

I love natural nails and natural polish, so that's what I did. I am not a fan of french manicures or fake nails, but you do what best fits your style. It sounds like you have beautiful nails, and a soft, clear polish will look great!

cukimerrydoll · March 2010

One of my BMs is doing everyones nails. She loves to!
And since we have all the colors, it's basically free.

futuremrsrichardhall · March 2010

Natural nails are big in my area! Not tacky at all!! Plus all getting together and doing your nails together will be more fun than going to a salon anyways.

Ishaba11 · March 2010

I do enjoy getting acrylics because then I know they wont break as easily. but I also have very nice nails when they do grow. So as long as I dont break any before my wedding I will plan on just getting a regular manicure.

whitneykaye87 · March 2010

I'm not a fan of fake nails either. I'll be getting a manicure and pedicure with some light pink polish (or French, I haven't decided) and inviting my BP to come along. I'm definitely not requiring it, but I'm going to just ask if they want to join me, like I would any other time I might be getting a manicure, so I'm not planning on paying for anyone but myself.

CA2MT4EveR · March 2010

I have decent nails and have never once had fake nails. A few years back a bride insisted we all (BM's) had acrylics. I told her I didn't want them, but she insisted. I went to get a manicure and had my nails painted french and no one ever knew. I don't think they necessarily looked fake, though no one noticed they weren't. People aren't really looking much at your hands.

stdsxk13 · March 2010

I have acrylic overlay on my nails. My nalis are long, but due to the work I do, they were always chipping or breaking. And my biting them when my nerves are bad didn't help. I love them!! However I agree with the other ladies, keep your natural nail. Be yourself on your wedding day, apply the same rule as you would to your make-up. You wouldn't want to overdue your make-up, so don't overdue the nails. Keep YOUR style!

JMejia1972 · March 2010

I agree with other posters that you should stick with your normal style. If you never wear acrylics there is no reason to get them put on just for that ONE day. If you go with natural nails definitely choose an OPI or Essie color as their colors are awesome and many perfect "wedding day" colors. Definitely spring for the $15-$20 mani it will be well worth it. I have had acrylics on and off 4 or 5 times and each time I take them off it's a 3-4 month growing out process. In my opinion.... acrylics are not worth. Natural doesn't mean bare and undone, definitely light/soft polish will be gorgeous.

deedeedoo · March 2010

i havent gotten fake nails since prom! [which was 9 years ago!!] they really ruined my nails!! my real nails usually grow out pretty nice... and red is my color! my fingers and toes are ALWAYS red [as is my lipstick and hair]. so for the big day i will either do my own red nails.... or go in and get my nails shaped and have them do my red!

ks3pink · March 2010

I don't know why people think fake nails are tacky. What's tacky is having pictures, all done up in a big dress and a broken nail. Now if your nails don't break, and polish doesn't chip you're good but that's not a chance I'm willing to take. If I could afford it my nails would stay done with either gel or acrylic. I don't understand that they have gone out of style. Gel is a good alternative to acrylics as it does less damage. I have seen tacky-looking fake nails so I do know what you are saying but those are usually only that way because the people at the salon who did them did not take their time or they were bought off a shelf. But everyone has their own opinions.

2dBride · March 2010

We got ours done, but really just as a relaxation/bonding thing the day before. Mine were a color that was barely detectable, but just evened them out a bit. You could just leave yours natural, or get one of those polishing blocks at CVS that gives your nails a smooth surface and a bit of a shine, or apply a neutral color yourself.

SarahRuthG · March 2010

I am probably going to get acrylics for my wedding. I've had them before and love the way they look and how they last. (yes they ruin your real nails but mine are thin anyway and polish literally chips off within hours of painting and I dont want chipped polish in my wedding pics!)

As for the tacky factor of fakes - consider someplace that air brushes the french tips on. They come out much lighter and very natural looking verses hand painting the tips. As long as the fakes aren't very long most people think they are natural nails - at lease in my experience. I had many people ask me if they were real or not and where I go to get them done because they looked so natural. I only took them off 3 months ago to give my nails a nice long break before putting them back on. I'm am totally afraid of some strange fungus or infection you can get by leaving them on too long and what would be worse then chipped polish for my wedding?! A missing nail!!!! EWWYYYY!

If you are going to go with your natural nails - great! If they are pretty and if you are happy with them then thats all that matters. You might want to consider an "american manicure". Just like a french but the white tip is very translucent so they dont stand out as much - just like an airbrushing. I have had that done a few times - and because of the lightness of them they dont really show any little chips and wear marks on the tips.

Now the important question: what color toes??!?!! Anyone doing light tiffany blue for their something blue? I'm thinking of it but I dont want to look like I have zombie feet or something! LOL!

Ishaba11 · March 2010

I love the blue polish idea! unless your dress is short how often are people going to see your feet anyways. I think it's a really great idea.

caseylynne21 · March 2010

I think that natural nails look very nice and if you are able to grow them out then do it! plus it will save you money....if your girls want to have them done they can do it...but i dont think that you can really require them to do it if you arent paying

summer1107 · March 2010

When I got married I wore acrylic nails but they were not very long and were white tips only. I did not get them really long and fake looking and I think my hands looked really good. I have small chubby hands so the artificial nails usually make my hands look a bit more adult.

My friend was married less than a month ago (February 13th) and I was one of her MOH. I went with her along with the other MOH and we just got manis and pedis with white tips and to my surprise they did not look bad at all. However, I did have to grow my nails a little first so that it looked presentable.

I say go for the natural look. There is nothing wrong with that at all.

Natural Nails? tacky?

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