Experts Dish on Different Ways to Include Padrinos and Madrinas in Your Wedding

In traditional Latinx weddings, padrinos and madrinas support couples spiritually, emotionally and financially. Usually, couples and close relatives, friends or their own godparents—madrinas and padrinos—often pay for essentials like the cake, flowers, rings or attire. They can even take on more American wedding party roles like throwing the couple an engagement party or wedding shower. From honoring Indigenous roots to adding their own finishing touches to cakes, Latinx wedding experts share how to include madrinas and padrinos in your wedding.

In this article: Madrina Meaning | Padrino Meaning | Origin and History | How to Involve | FAQs

Madrina Meaning

Madrina means godmother in Spanish and sponsors certain aspects of a wedding. Similar to godparents in Christian religions, parents choose padrinos (godparents) for their child's baptism as a guiding influence. If anything were to happen to them, the godparents could continue the role throughout major life events including their first communion, quinceañera, confirmation and wedding.

Padrino Meaning

Padrino means godfather in Spanish and they sponsor certain aspects of a traditional Latinx wedding, along with madrinas.

Origin and History of Padrinos and Madrinas

Stemming from religious traditions like choosing godparents for baptisms and confirmations, madrinas and padrinos have been a part of Latinx culture for centuries. Couples choose as many madrinas and padrinos, or wedding godparents, as they'd like (more means less financial burdens) and it's considered a huge honor to be asked. "Padrinos come from Indigenous culture, where people come together to help one another celebrate," said Blanca Bobadilla, a 3rd grade Spanish dual immersion teacher at an LA elementary school. "It's a tradition with Indigenous roots. People from Oaxaca and Puebla, when there's a wedding, everybody contributes. If you have chickens, you give chickens. Nobody's expected to do anything, people just do it. When my parents built their house in Mexico, everyone came and helped put up the roof. It's an Indigenous belief that if we all work together, everything's going to be okay."

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How to Involve Your Padrinos and Madrinas in Your Wedding

Padrinos and madrinas are Latinx wedding sponsors that offer advice to the couple and contribute financially to a wedding by paying for items to be used in the ceremony like el lazo, las arras, rosary or bible.

Weddings are all about having fun, something that wedding host and emcee Mitchell DeGuzman knows all about, but acknowledging the special people in our lives who made it all possible is key. The LA-based actor and former radio personality has hosted more than 500 weddings, quinceañeras, sweet sixteens, Filipina debuts and birthday parties throughout his nine years as an emcee. Having lost his mother to cancer 13 years ago, he holds traditional wedding elements like padrinos and madrinas sacred. He recommends including them in grand entrances, dances or shouting them out during speeches.

"The biggest thing is making them feel special, especially if they sponsor or make a DIY," DeGuzman said. "I've seen padrinos and madrinas who own a taco catering business provide food free of charge while paying their workers."

1. At the Altar

Typically, the madrinas and padrinos' responsibility is to perform traditional Latinx church wedding rituals like draping a rope or rosary around the couple's shoulders as a symbol of unity for the lasso ceremony and providing 13 coins for las arras, a wedding coin ritual symbolizing prosperity. Historically, the coins represented a groom's promise to provide for the family, but today, couples equally commit to providing for their future. Madrinas and padrinos also do readings and light candles during the ceremony.

2. Sponsoring Traditional Elements

Bobadilla, a Mexico-born Chicana raised in East LA and her husband, Isidro Nuñez, who's Mexican, were very intentional about choosing madrinas and padrinos to perform wedding traditions they consider sacred. Made up of about 14 family members, their godparents stood by them at the altar, performed the lasso and arras ceremonies, presented their anillos (rings), provided cojines (wedding kneeling pillows) and offered bouquets to the bride and La Virgen de Guadalupe. "We covered the expenses," Bobadilla said. "Typically, they cover the expenses, but we didn't want to burden them financially."

3. Alternative Ideas

"It's nice seeing madrinas y padrinos included in other special moments besides the lazo, candle lighting and rosary," said Amanda Moreno Erdoğan, owner of Los Angeles-based cottage bakery A Treat Life. "I've had them sponsor wedding cakes, which is a huge burden lifted off the couple, incorporating the lace style from the madrina's own wedding dress into the cake details."

Erdoğan said other simple yet sweet gestures madrinas and padrinos can do is include a type of flower they had at their own wedding on the cake, sponsor the cake-cutting knife and stand or use the ones they did for their wedding.

"These days anything goes," Erdoğan said. "Any way to include the special people in our lives that we've chosen to guide us through this big step really adds those personal touches on the big day that the couple will remember forever."

4. Taking a Place of Honor

DeGuzman has emceed weddings where the bride's mother passed away and the madrina stepped up to the role of mother of the bride. Instead of throwing out her bouquet to all the single ladies, the bride threw it to her madrina. In the age of TikTok and Instagram, DeGuzman said newer generations are forgetting to honor loved ones. "It's all about throwing a party with the best DJ, open bar and getting lit, which I love and is my specialty," said the yoga-practicing hype wedding emcee. "But how can you ground the reception and incorporate traditional elements?"

Madrinas and padrinos offer a lot of support at traditional Latinx weddings, so it's important for couples to thank them. Kind words, special tokens of appreciation and even dances go a long way.

Frequently Asked Questions About Padrinos and Madrinas

Who should you choose to be your padrino and madrina? What is expected of padrinos and madrinas? We have your answers.

How Are Padrinos and Madrinas Chosen?

Padrinos and madrinas are usually couples chosen by the to-be-weds that they admire and look up to.

How Many Padrinos and Madrinas for a Wedding?

Couples choose as many madrinas and padrinos as they'd like (more means less financial burdens) and it's considered a huge honor to be asked.

How to Ask Padrinos and Madrinas to Be in Your Wedding?

Couples ask padrinos and madrinas to sponsor certain aspects of their wedding in person or on the phone.

What Do Padrinos and Madrinas Pay for in a Wedding?

A lot goes into figuring out a wedding budget. When it comes to padrinos and madrinas, they can pay for traditional items like el lazo, las arras, rosary, candles, flowers or bible, or they can pay for things like an engagement party, wedding shower, the cake, dress or even food.