Honest opinions please

I was talking to my mother the other day about favors for my wedding, and I told her that FH and I were interested in doing a donation rather than a favor. Now I know a lot of you girls are doing this (this is actually where I got that idea from) and I thought it was a great idea! My mother did not like that idea because she said that everyone looks for the favor and she thinks that people will talk about it in a bad way. She said that she thought it was a great idea, but she did not want people to think or talk negative about me or my wedding. I was planning on donating $10 a person ($2,000). I could not imagine how my $5-10 favor per couple could be more important than donating to a good cause. I am probably going to do the donation anyway, but I just wanted to see what you girls thought. I wanted to know if you girls thought that people really would think that I was being cheap and trying to get off on not giving a favor (oh yeah I forgot to mention that my mom thinks that some people would think that I really am not donating the money, meanwhile I do the breast cancer walk-a-thon every year and I would have a picture up at the reception of me at the walk-a-thon showing people that I was there and I really did donate). To the other brides that did, or are planning on doing a donations, did you give something else as well? TIA