In some religions, parents select godparents for new babies in the family. They typically choose friends or family members who will help guide their child's religious path throughout her life. After a lifetime of loving and mentoring a goddaughter, a godmother may help prepare her for a beautiful wedding and healthy marriage. Wedding planning involves plenty of quality time for a bride and the people closest to her, and this special relationship may play an important role in a bride's special day.
Financial Support
Traditionally, the parents of the bride finance the expenses of a wedding and reception. Godparents often help goddaughters financially by donating money for her major life events, such as college tuition or weddings. The godmother can fund the entire wedding or share the cost with the bride's parents, depending on her financial status. In place of supplying money, a godmother may also help the bride with planning and organizing the wedding.
Mentorship
A godmother mentors her goddaughter from birth in an effort to strengthen her relationship with God. As a bride prepares for her wedding day, she needs moral support and guidance from a role model with experience in matrimony. A godmother will talk with her goddaughter about the religious significance of marriage and give her advice on honoring marriage vows for a lifetime. A bride can confide in her godmother any concerns or anxieties about the wedding.
Bestowing of Gifts
During the wedding ceremony, a godmother will present the bride with gifts significant to the spiritual relationship between them. According to religious tradition, the godmother may bestow her goddaughter with a Bible and a rosary or other religious keepsake such as a cross necklace. The rosary may be used in a traditional Roman Catholic wedding ceremony or the bride may wear the necklace. A godmother may highlight passages in the Bible pertaining to marriage and include a handwritten note on the inside front cover.
Mexican Wedding
In traditional Mexican weddings, godmothers have very detailed roles. They also mentor and financially support the bride, but have specific monetary responsibilities for the cake, flowers, ceremony and wedding dress. The traditional Mexican bride also has additional godmothers, or "madrinas," for various wedding assignments. These tasks include carrying the toast glass, attending to the prayer book, kneeling pillow, guestbook and rosary, supplying guests with wedding memorabilia and advising a bride throughout her marriage.
