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Weddings are a whirlwind of emotions, from pure elation at marrying your soulmate to the joy of being surrounded by loved ones and the inevitable sadness for those who can't be there to share in the celebration.

Tears are a common sight at these events, whether they're shed out of happiness or overwhelming emotion, and they're almost guaranteed to make an appearance at some point during the day.

The ceremony can often be a particularly tearful moment, especially when the bride and groom exchange their personal vows. However, the bridal party may not have tissues on hand due to holding bouquets, risking smudged makeup and tear-streaked faces.

But Annette, a multi-award-winning wedding photographer from Belfast who owns 4EverPhotos, has shared a clever trick she noticed while photographing a wedding earlier this year.

She observed a makeup artist tucking a cotton bud into the bride's bouquet as a precaution against any potential tears.

Annette explained: "While I was capturing the bridal prep, I spotted the makeup artist slipping cotton buds into the bouquet. Why? Because when those happy tears come (and they always do), tissues can smudge your makeup or miss those little corners of your eye.

"Cotton buds, on the other hand, can dab away tears without disturbing your look - and they're right there in your bouquet, ready when you need them. It's the little behind-the-scenes tricks like this that make wedding run much smoother."

The concept is that cotton buds are so compact they won't show up in photos and can be discreetly tucked into a jacket pocket or amongst the flowers. The hack has been circulated by numerous wedding professionals, with many praising it as "genius" and a "good idea."

However, others admitted they would require more than a cotton bud to stem their tears, sharing their own experiences and suggestions.

One person said: "Ohhh this is genius" A second added: "A cotton bud would have done nothing for me. I cried big fat ugly tears. I needed a full roll of toilet paper for my tears!".

A third penned: "Such a good tip. I'll need them as the bride." While another person said: "I bawled through my whole ceremony. I'd have needed a whole box of tissues shoved in my bust if I could do it again."