If your spouse-to-be is bummed about missing out on the bridal shower festivities, why not include them? A wedding shower, sometimes referred to as a jack and jill party, is a co-ed party before the wedding that celebrates the couple at which guests of any gender are encouraged to attend.

Traditionally, showers are held to give the bride gifts for her new home. However, these days, a majority of couples have built their shared homes prior to getting engaged. Per a 2017 study published in Population and Development Review, 70% of married couples in the U.S. lived together before their wedding day. Therefore, a wedding shower is a great way to celebrate both partners without the pressure of bombarding them with kitchenware. Instead, most guests at a wedding shower will give money towards the couple's honeymoon expenses or a home fund.

Having a joint wedding shower is also a great way to incorporate both partners' families. As event planner Sumeta Satija tells The Knot, "We have seen a trend over the recent years of an engagement party being hosted by one set of parents and a wedding shower being hosted by the other, especially if the families live in different states or countries." We love the idea of splitting up the hosting duties, giving both sides of the family more chances to celebrate the happy couple!