Every year in late summer and early fall, peak wedding season rises up beautifully, leaving us breathless with excitement and awe at how the latest trends play out in gorgeous gardens, beautiful ballrooms and historic homes. We've all waited so long for weddings to enjoy more freedom of design (while keeping safety in mind), and couples and their planners are all-in for elaborate visions.

The Carats and Cake 2022 Wedding Survey shows that big weddings are back again, with a jaw-dropping 75% of couples planning to have 100+ guests. "We originally had a 200-person wedding in mind at a lavish ballroom, but at the time a few years ago, it seemed wiser to postpone," says Anna Khash, a bride-to-be with a fall wedding on the horizon. "We loved our dream venue and didn't want to miss out on that dramatic staircase and having all of our loved ones there with us."

The right venue was a big part of their dream and continues to be. And they are not alone; the Carats and Cake survey says that money is no object when it comes to a wedding's "home" and all that it brings. In fact, 79% of couples are going over budget for their wedding plans. The top splurge is the photographer at 24%, and just about tied for first priority is the wedding venue at 23%. Food (21%) and entertainment (17%) round out the top choices. And 29% of survey respondents say they plan to spend $50,000+ on the venue alone.

Jessica Bishop, founder of The Budget Savvy Bride, says that not every venue has to cost five figures to make an impression. While many established wedding halls and other traditional locales attract the eye, "Choosing a non-traditional wedding venue gives you a chance to create something truly unique and different," says Bishop.

Think aquariums, museums, arboretums with indoor ballroom space, estate homes, lavish yachts or casual oceanfront restaurants transformed with decor into a wedding scene wonderland. Think jazz clubs, theaters and upscale barn event spaces.

Carats and Cake's survey says that 49% of couples are using a combination of indoor and outdoor celebration spaces, making indoor wedding settings a comeback from outdoor-only trends of last year. Plus, nontraditional locations can be surprisingly inexpensive and less limited in what they allow.

"Depending on the location, you may have more freedom and fewer restrictions when it comes to decorations or the amount of time to set up and utilize the space," says Bishop. "Venues that aren't typically used for weddings can sometimes be more affordable since they may not come with all the bells and whistles of a professional wedding venue. That can work in your favor, as a raw space can provide a blank canvas that you can transform into your vision by bringing in all the elements you do want to include."

Some traditional spaces give you a five-hour window for your celebration, and often rush clients out at 5:01 p.m. to get ready for the next wedding sliding into the space for the evening hours. A nontraditional location may say, "Take all the time you need. We only book one event at a time." That adds up to more time and attention from the venue, and more things your way.

Wedding coordinators can show you lots of nontraditional venues that offer all you need (and that you can decorate to your heart's content). Having a pro on your team is wise since there are so many issues to think about that experienced planners are more likely to be familiar with; for example, a venue that doesn't host weddings often might need a separate caterer's tent and a generator, just in case.

At the end of the day, the venue should bring some joy for both the couple and the guests. "Our museum wedding thrilled our guests, since they didn't expect that they would see a real Monet when they turned a corner," beams recent bride Serah Clark. A nontraditional venue brings terrific surprises for guests and the freshness of a really unique and heartfelt day.