A wedding is guaranteed to bring three things: joy, a lifetime of memories, and a whole bunch of expensive bills. Out of all the things you wind up spending money on, one of the most wasteful is usually the bouquet.

You could spend hundreds of dollars on this handful of flowers, and most of the time they're thrown away right after the ceremony.

If you want to make the most of your wedding bouquet there are lots of clever ways to preserve it. Whether you want to keep things simple or go the extra mile, one of these ideas will be perfect for you.

The tried and true way to keep your bouquet is to press the flowers. This method is really simple: you just lay the flowers inside a book (with some paper towel to protect the pages).

Stack some heavier books on top, and in a few weeks you can arrange your flat bouquet however you like. You can simply lay them in a frame, or try some of these beautiful crafts.

If you want to keep your flowers whole, there are a few methods to preserve your bouquet. The simplest is to dry out your bouquet with silica gel. This keeps them from wilting, especially if they're stored under a cloche or in a shadow box.

For a more expensive method, you can pay someone to dry-freeze the bouquet, which guarantees it will keep its shape for years to come.

If you really want to make an impression, there are some more complex crafts you can try.

For something your family will use every day, you can press your flowers into a plate. It's more functional than keeping them in a box, but it's also really stunning.

Of if you want a real show-stopper, buy some liquid resin and a paperweight mold (you can find both at most craft stores). You can easily turn your flowers into a clear ball that will look amazing anywhere in your home.

Share these ideas so everyone can preserve their bouquets!