While at many parties the general rule may be "the more the merrier," at a bachelor party, the last thing you want is give out an open invitation to everyone and their mothers. There isn't a set number of people that you should invite, but whether you decide on an intimate 5-person gathering or a 30-person bash, you'll want to ensure that all of the guests are trusted friends and relatives (read: people who won't spill all the gory details to the bride-to-be).
This doesn't necessarily mean that friends and relatives on the bride's side of the family are automatically out, nor that women should be excluded. At most bachelor parties, there is an unwritten code of silence among the attendees. If the groom has close female friends you feel can be trusted, go ahead and invite them. Or perhaps the bride's brother is a nice guy and you don't want him to feel left out. If you're confident he'll appreciate a good time and not let it get back to his sister, then let him come along. But there are certain pitfalls to avoid:
- Don't invite any of the groom's workmates unless you're prepared to invite all of them. If rumors get out that someone wasn't invited to the bachelor party, your friend could be in a messy situation.
- Make it clear that you don't want friends bringing other friends, thereby defeating the purpose of the affair.
- What about that one friend in the group who might not be trustworthy? Well, to avoid insulting him, you might want to emphasize how much the party costs, in the hopes of discouraging him.
SoYouWanna know more? Check out our full-length article SYW throw a bachelor party?
