Madrina is the Spanish word for a female sponsor who may help provide items or services for a quinceañera.
In quinceañera customs, madrinas can be trusted relatives, friends, or family sponsors who contribute toward elements of the event. Depending on local tradition, a madrina may help with the dress, cake, flowers, decorations, music, religious objects, or another significant expense. The plural is madrinas.
The role reflects the communal nature of many quinceañeras. Organizing the celebration can involve parents, godparents, extended family, and friends rather than one person alone. Exact duties are negotiated by each family and are not identical across countries.
Madrina should not be confused with dama, who is an attendant in the court of honor, or with chambelana, a female-form adaptation sometimes used for an attendant. A madrina’s defining function is sponsorship or support, not performance in the court.