Call me old-fashioned, but I hope you would agree that one should not pass up on an appropriate shidduch just because the other (male or female) side’s parents are not giving money to the couple?
How old ? go back a bit more, and it was always this way.
I heard a lecture from a MO Rabbi on a related subject, in the middle of which he discussed the rationale for the (supervised) socializing between the genders in his community. Recognizing the other perspective, he related how someone (I forget who) asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe about this point – the difficulty of dating by those who’ve had no previous contact. The Rebbe answered: And perhaps that extra difficulty and awkwardness is precisely what demonstrates the beauty of our system ?!
In other words – yes oomis, it will be less natural at first. And so ? Both parties know about this, should be prepared to expect it, should not be thrown off by it, and will get past that too. it is not a critique on the system, but a reflection of wonderful values.