Mix feelings about padrinos/sponsors

Since it is a cultural thing, can you explain what exactly a padrino does?

Ok here's it is In traditional Latino communities, couples are commonly bombarded with requests from relatives to assist financially with the wedding plans. Although the idea is that the community helps pay for the most expensive items, some couples choose to assign the least costly parts so as not to overburden their loved ones.

Puerto Rican here. My mom is already asking who I want my padrinos to be and that traditionally they buy the cake. We had a few talks where I said that I would not be telling anyone to get me anything. We'll have the padrinos be our witnesses since we're planning on not having BM or GM but it's still to early for us to choose. Although I know it will most likely be an older family member we love and respect.

I have only seen this done for sweet 15's(sorry, I can't spell the correct word tonight) usually sponsors will take care of certain aspects like cake, flowers, gifts to God parents, food and DJ. my mom was always the cake sponsor when she was involved. Usually they get recognition on the program.

I've never seen it done for a wedding and I don't see anyway of asking or following your mom's advice. Just keep in mind, anyone involved in paying gets a say because it's their money and you could quickly lose control of your ideal wedding

Brittany makes a good point about losing control of the wedding planning. Also, are family members offering money, or is your mother planning on recruiting them?

Even before we got engaged, I already knew I didn't want padrinos for things like the cake etc.

We are having a Catholic wedding. The only padrinos we're having are the lasso rosary and the coins (arras in Spanish). ETA: spelling

I feel like padrino's for a wedding are more for support at the church than financially.

The point of padrino's is really to be the example of their marriage and pass on that guidance not monetary things.

To me it's tacky to have several sponsors and have to give them ALL a spot on my invite because they contributed.

Yes exactly I feel like is tacky

It's totally up to you, I'm Latina also and I know in our culture your padrinos don't get a say just because they paid it's slightly different. We have some padrinos because they literally did bombard us with wanting to help so we took it and they don't expect a say they don't even bother to ask about plans they just asked us to order the cake and once we told them where we ordered they took care of it. It's just how it's done in our Mexican family but everyone's is different. The only recognition I've seen is thank you notes and that's all idk how others do it.

ETA: we paid for venue and catering ourselves were not about to have them do those huge expenses either

Can you just say, "No thank you.."?

If you choose to allow some sponsorships, it is customary to include your Padrinos names' on the invitations.

It's a cultural thing. In hispanic/latino culture, there is a huge emphasis on community and helping one another. If someone is getting married within a family it's almost automatic that people ask to help in some sort of way. Whether it be an aunt buying the cake, or a monetary contribution. It's just how it's always been. Granted, I'm from NM and we are a lot less formal in the way we do weddings, not for lack of etiquette but due to cultural tradition.

I'm Mexican and so is my FH . We are paying for the wedding ourselves but since we announced our engagement my mom , my brother, my aunt and his parents have offered to help financially. We will kindly accept any help our family offers but will definitely never ask someone to do so.

We used mipadrino.com to organize our padrinos online and they allowed us to accept funds online. Super easy!!

I am currently planning a quinceañera(Sweet 15) for my daughter, but I also know that there are usually padrinos/sponsors for weddings in Latino culture. Its all up to you. Just make sure to make 2 budgets...one including the padrinos and one not including them. During my experience helping my mom my sisters and my parties and also with my current situation, its super common for some padrinos to offer and then last minute back out. The idea of padrinos isn't tacky to me, its just not common/different from American culture

View Quoted Comment I agree with this!

Our Latino cultural Its evident we have Padrinos an Padrinas. Not because we want them to sponsor us but because When an If Their is a rocky situation or a hardship Those are the Mature Adults we have chosen to seek counseling or advice. We choose One that has been A very Good example In their own Marriage an could guide us if needed... My Fiance an I are Paying for our Wedding however One of our Padrinas wants to Bless us with our cake. Financially we are Great...However If any one if our Family wants to be a part I am welcoming them because I want both Our Families to feel the Love we have for Our Familias. Families have lost alot of traditions an Great Values Im a fourth Generation Mexican-American Yet I hold on to My Cultral an Respect of My Parents Up bringing (Both my Parents are Gone) My Father Died When I was Young But I never Will forget The Traditional Of Familia he shared as a child Or The Awesonness of my Mothers Love an how she enlighten me in her skills in the kirchen...So With that I welcome Both sides of Our Families to Unite an Be By our sides as Two become One...Becausr my Soul has Found Whom It Loves.... Remember when You Marry Your entering unto a Additional Family His Family... I pray You are Blessed as I am.