Beyond the metallic painted oval nut of an oak tree,  nestled on thrifted chinaware, atop a handcrafted farmhouse table, in front of a bookcase encapsulating a beguiling library of Old-World spines, there’s a charming couple somewhere within the warehouse. Meet the duo behind The Copper Acorn, for they hold the key to the holy grail of vintage furniture rentals. And that key unlocks an emporium of treasures. Husband and wife Joel and Sarah Benham had the backyard warehouse designed and built two years ago when they took on The Copper Acorn as a passion project for all things handcrafted and vintage. The Benhams may even consider their own relationship vintage—going steady since the 8th grade, the young entrepreneurs are closing in on almost two decades together already with a shared love for throwing and attending parties. The business provides event staging with a coveted collection of vintage furniture, venerable decor and rustic furnishings—transforming a wedding, or party, into a nostalgic, ethereal scene of old-fashioned enchantment. 

Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

PHOTO BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.

Like a true hunter and gatherer, Sarah scavenges items from “literally anywhere and everywhere,” she quips of foraged provisions from Goodwill, Craigslist ads and yard sales. “I’m always adding and continuously on the hunt, especially for goblets and unique sofas. Some of my favorite pieces are our settee Goldie and red sofa Harriet,” she points out. And if she can’t source it, handyman hubby Joel creates it—having built a beautiful willow wood bar and a cedar wood arbor, salvaged out of barn doors for a bride’s specific vision. Between the two of them, The Copper Acorn takes all things wonderfully romantic and transforms an event venue into a wistful setting, outfitted into a time period way back when. 

Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

PHOTO BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.

To set the complete scene for a ceremony and reception, couples or wedding planners can come shop the warehouse to create a list of wanted items from the eclectic inventory of terrarium glass lanterns, vintage picture frames, Gothic mirrors, Persian rugs, floral garland, decorative throw pillows, embossed drinkware, ornate charger plates, a copper cake stand, patina pitchers and diamond cut vases. Beyond adding a card box and tables numbers for the reception, countless shabby-chic props fill every nook and cranny—from hanging macramé, Old World globes and vintage luggage trunks, to whiskey barrels, birdcages, antlers and antique typewriters. Meanwhile, stacks on stacks of seating brim floor-to-ceiling, with rows of upholstered loveseats, bolted pouf ottomans, peacock chairs, Victorian style chaise lounges and velvet sofas. After creating a “Wish List,” either walking the warehouse or shopping online, everything is coordinated for day-of delivery to the venue, which Joel and Sarah together pack, transport and load in their trailer. 

And if clients don’t see or find what they’re looking for, Sarah will find it by the wedding date. “I actually just bought all rose-gold flatware for a bride that wanted it,” she says. “If they want it, I’ll get it.” Including brass candlestick holders. “I had another bride that needed 200 and I was like, ‘Okay, give me three months and I’ll make it happen.’” Having about 100 already, she went on the hunt to every thrift store she could find, picking up candlesticks here and there till she bagged 200. For the symmetry-minded perfectionists that need everything to match precisely, The Copper Acorn may not be their style per se, but for the avant-garde bohemians, it’s a revelatory trove of spellbinding goods. “The more mismatched,” Sarah says, “the better.”