By Erin Frank

Brides often hear “Search your local thrift stores for great, affordable finds for your wedding decor!” Wise advice indeed—you’ll often find vases for a steal, silver trays, or simple, touching items to accent a tabletop. But as a frequent visitor of a rather grubby Goodwill on Haight Street in San Francisco, I can attest that pawing through piles of stuff can often yield more trash than treasure and have you reaching for the Purell. Make your second-hand foraging more fun with a day trip to Petaluma, CA. There you’ll find clean, carefully curated collections at any number of great thrift and antique stores. Before you get started, make time for brunch at Della Fattoria. Their breads are outstanding, and the creamy polenta? Heaven. Then head to some of my favorites shops:

Summer Cottage Antiques

Summer Cottage Antiques brings together 30 dealers in one store. That’s 30 people out there finding what’s great, then placing it there for you to buy. I’ve had dreams about items I’ve passed up at this place, so on a recent trip I grabbed what I wanted to avoid regret later.  Head to SCA if you’re looking for glassware, anything shabby chic, chandeliers, mason jars, and more. They have a few colors of some gorgeous German glass glitter too.

Chelsea Antiques

Chelsea Antiques is where Pottery Barn, Renovation Hardware, and all of those great home decor stores go for inspiration. Or at least that’s how it looks. It’s full of stunning furniture and bric-a-brac that’s catalog-, restaurant-, and designer home-ready. Wedding-friendly items include vintage bottles, wooden crates, antique globes, old typewriters, and much more. Prices can be steep. This is one to visit for inspiration, and maybe to pick up a single show-stopper item.

White Rose Antiques

A glassware haven. I was on the hunt for cake stands, which I didn’t find, but I was astounded by the number of gorgeous vases, cups, goblets, pitchers, bowls and more I found here. If you’re looking for glass, this is the place for you.

Alphabet Soup Thrift Store

I love this Alphabet Soup because it’s small.  You pop in and almost immediately know whether it has something you’re looking for or not. I’ve picked up milk glass vases and silver tea service items for a pittance here.

Sacks Hospice of Petaluma

Okay, Sacks lacks a bit of the gloss and order of some of the other stores, but it’s cheap, cheap, cheap. I’ve snagged silver chafing dishes with the glass insert intact for a few dollars, and several glass dishes or vases for less than a dollar.

Note: Several of the stores are not open on Sundays, so check ahead and plan accordingly.

Summer Cottage Antiques
153 Kentucky Street
707-776-2873
www.summercottageantiques.com

Chelsea Antiques
148 Petaluma Boulevard North
(707) 763-7686

White Rose Antiques
523 Petaluma Boulevard South
707-763-7371

Alphabet Soup Thrift Store
213 Western Avenue
(707) 776-4620

Sacks Hospice of Petaluma
128 Liberty Street
(707) 765-2228