"I figured it would be something for our guests to enjoy," said Dixon, whose husband will leave this week for duty with the Army in Afghanistan. "I kind of always knew I wanted to do something charitable. When it comes to favors, it's hard to choose something that won't just sit in someone's house or get thrown away."  A growing number of couples are shifting the spotlight from their weddings to socially conscious causes, wedding planners and industry experts said.  Donations in lieu of wedding favors are gaining popularity. More people are setting up charitable registries via the internet. After all, one Montana bride rationalized, what is the use of a wedding favor during hard economic times?  "It's so easy to do," said Anja Winikka, senior editor at TheKnot.com, one of the most popular wedding planning destinations online. "You have so much attention, all the love of your friends and these gifts flowing in. It inspires some couples to give something back with all eyes on them."  There are no hard rules set for donating to charities for weddings, but some wedding etiquette experts recommend couples avoid putting donation requests on the invitation. Usually, wedding websites or social media can efficiently and appropriately advocate a specific cause. Introducing the organization on a wedding program can also spread the word, they said.  Weddings may be an ideal place to gather attention for a charity. There were about 2.2 million weddings in 2009, with each event averaging 128 guests, according to The Wedding Report Inc., a research company tracking the wedding industry.
The collection of wedding favors stuffed into Sarah Dixon's closet includes everything from customized peppermints to a cup holder shaped like a flip-flop.When her shining bridal moment arrived in