Who Should You Really Invite to Your Bachelorette Party?

A bachelorette party is the ultimate girls' night out or weekend away, and it's something you and your best friends have been thinking about for months. But picking who gets to help you say goodbye to your life as a single woman can be tricky. Shouldn't this be a time when you're surrounded by all of your friends? The short answer: Nope! Unless you want to, of course.

No matter what you choose to do for your bachelorette-a night out on the town, an adventurous destination celebration, or a spa staycation centered around R&R-you'll want to make sure you're surrounded by the people you're closest to. Bridesmaids are an obvious invite, but who else gets to join you for this celebratory event? The choice is entirely yours. If you have a group of close friends or family members that aren't in the bridal party but that you'd love to spend some time with, make the ask. But don't feel forced to invite your college buddy who you share a drink with now and again-she won't be hurt if she doesn't make this guest list. On the other hand, your former roommate, who you call weekly and have deep conversations with, should probably get an invite.

There are some instances where you should invite someone who you may not be incredibly close with yet. Any future sisters-in-law and close female friends of the groom should be considered. Your bachelorette party could be a time for you two to bond, and she'll remember that she was-or wasn't-invited for years to come. With that said, you don't want to overdo the guest list too much either. The number of bachelorette attendees can get out of hand quickly, and you'll want to be able to spend quality time with everyone there.

Before you do any inviting, think long and hard about who you'd be upset not to celebrate with. Just like for your wedding, crafting a guest list is tough, but there should be a pretty clear distinction between top-tier friendships and those that are more surface level. If you're nervous about someone getting upset they weren't invited, don't be. At the end of the day, this is a time to be shared with only the most important people in your life, and those who care about you will understand that.

So whether your closest friend group is made up of five women or 15, put together a bachelorette party guest list that reflects these key relationships. At the end of the day, you should invite anyone you want to celebrate with, no matter what the numbers look like to an outsider.