Political Wedding?

The Q: Tis' the season for political everything, right?  Well, here's my question and I hope you can provide me with the etiquette (if it exists!) on this one. My best friend is getting married in late October and I am her Maid of Honor.  She is a friend of mine from Junior High school and we have stayed friends for all these years!  We've been through it all together and we truly are the closest of friends.  The one glitch has always been our political beliefs.  I don't feel like I need to go into who believes what here but my friend is EXTREMELY political. This is all neither here nor there except that she is so embroiled in the current presidential election that she has decided to ask guests to contribute to her candidates campaign instead of buying gifts.  To me, this idea is CRAZY.  I've heard of asking guests to contribute to various causes instead of buying gifts but this is not the same thing.  She hasn't sent out the official invitations yet (save-the-dates have gone out) so nobody knows about this preposterous plan but me and her fiance.  While she does have some friends from work who would hop right on board with this plan, there are many of her older friends from school who would be outraged. I'm one of them!  I love her to pieces but I don't know what to do.  How do I tell her what a disasterous plan this is?

The A: Well, first of all, I have to tell you that I'm concerned about the timing of her mailing out her invites- she's cutting it a little close. But, that obviously is not why you are writing.

Your instincts are correct- this is NOT appropriate. It used to be common knowledge that politics and religion were two topics that weren't meant for polite conversation and I would say that is no more true than at a wedding. There are few people who are bigger political junkies than us gals here at Always a Blogsmaid, but weddings aren't the place for politics, Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room is. Not only should your friend not bring up politics at her wedding, it is downright unreasonable and offensive to ask for guests to support your political views simply because she is getting married. And a donation certainly speaks as a sign of support. She clearly is passionate about her politics and perhaps doesn't realize that other people may not take kindly to her request. You, as MOH, sadly have the duty of telling her. Try not to tell her about how you feel, but let her know that people may be very offended. Talk to the groom as well. Explain to her that it isn't just a political thing. We've seen guests take offense to donation requests or donations in lieu of favors made to organizations they didn't agree with! So you can imagine the response to a political request. Anyway, tread carefully and don't forget to vote!