Skipping the ceremony and only attending the reception

I'd decline the entire thing...no way I'd attend either after basically being told the price of admission

I'd just give a card, with $20, sign it, and put a note inside that said, "Sorry, it's a broke thing". But then, I can be a bitch sometimes.

I would decline. So much wrong with this. If people are coming to your wedding, spending money for hotels and accommodations, and expecting their guests to entertain theme selves for 6 fucking hours unhosted- and aside from all of that, if you told me how much to give- I just wouldn't fucking go. You can't expect your guests to entertain themselves in another city far away from home for that long unattended - and tell them they have to give a certain amount of money? That's just fucking unacceptable.

I would either decline the whole thing, or, if I was feeling particularly petty, skip the ceremony and go to the reception, gift the most hideous garden gnome I could find, eat as much as I could, and drink the open bar dry before leaving early. However, that assumes that they are having an open bar - I wouldn't be surprised to find that they have a cash bar as well.

I would decline. This is horrible on so many levels. The gap in between is way to long. I won't even talk about that horrible minimum per person bullshit.

Skip to ceremony and just go to the reception....the money thing is weird. Are you paying for your dinner?

My SO is full Italian with both sets of grandparents having signatures at Ellis Island and his whole family was confused when I asked this. So not a thing. Maybe their family thing, but definitely not an "Italian" thing if they are looking to speak for everyone else. I would peace the f out and leave $300 toward my own damn wedding and for sure not invite them, but I'm a bit harsh so there's that.

I'm Italian and have never heard of only accepting money and definitely not a minimum to accept. I would skip the ceremony and go to the reception.

IF I were not working that morning, I would go to the ceremony (for which they're not being charged by the person) and give them a nice card with no money. I would not pay $300 'admission' to attend the reception.

It would be 4 hours on the road to travel to/from each location!!!

Wow! Skip the ceremony! In this case it really is ok! In my culture we also only give money as a present and everybody knows it. But nobody would ever dare to say they expect a minimum. If people have no money they can attend any wedding without feeling bad.

I most likely wouldn't go to either. I can't stand when things are spaced out like that, and to give a minimum gift amount? GROSS

A 10A ceremony in one city, a 6P reception in another city and a mandatory cash gift, I would decline altogether.

OMG... I haven't read the whole thing yet but $150 pp? I'd give $75 as a check in a card, party it up at the reception if I liked her and wait for the hilarious response.

What are they going to do? Kick out anyone who didn't give enough? I cannot afford to give $300 as a gift. I expect someone to be grateful for whatever I give them. I usually give around $150 at least but I'd go LOW for this one.

Wait... I need to know how she made this minimum known!

$150 minimum???? I was gonna say skip it just based on the freaking HUGE (and rude!) distance between sites. Minimum???! REALLY?! Take the day and do something fun with your FH, and then send an etiquette book as a gift. Yikes.

If you give less, will she send you an invoice?