26 engagement nails to try with celebrity inspiration

Engagement nails are often minimalist–think French manicures or neutral shades–which makes sense in the era of Instagram announcement posts, with your ring finger hand on full display, says celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik, whose clientele includes Jennifer Lopez and Selena Gomez. But it’s your special day (or, the run-up to your special day), so we say the rules are yours to make.

Nail artist Brittney Boyce counts Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Fox and Kim Kardashian as regular clients, and she reports seeing more experimentation with colour and design. The best engagement nail, she says, is the one you love. “This all just comes down to personal style,” she says. For some, that’s a short natural nail. For others, it’s the Swarovski-encrusted nails JLo recently wore (scroll on for the inspiration, of course).

So whether you’ve already found your forever person or are still using those crystals to attract him, her, or them into your life, it’s never too early to start brainstorming. Below are 27 engagement nail ideas to get those glam creative juices flowing. You’ll need this for when you book that nail salon appointment.

Nice and nude