Going to the Chapel... Er, the Bank

According to Cost of Wedding, the average U.S. couple spends $20K on their wedding. But if you live in Washington, D.C. that average is closer to $45K. Beverly Hills: $95,000. Any way you look at it, no matter what city you live in, these days, creating that dream wedding with all the fixings is a pricey endeavor. Some websites have developed solutions...

Now wedding guests can donate to a couple's "cause" rather than just sending along a few place settings from the gift registry. Plenty of pairs are setting themselves up on websites that allow interested parties to contribute to their honeymoon fund, nest egg, or help them cover their matrimonial costs. But are the cash donations flooding in? Some people think of this flat-out solicitation for dough akin to requesting your guests pay for their meal at the reception.

But for the sake of couples who are trying to start out ahead rather than in debt, such donations can go a long way to reducing the stress and strain that money inevitably puts on a relationship. With that in mind...

→ ... if your invite to someone's wedding included a suggestion for you to donate cash to their wedding fund, would you be offended or indifferent?