I have a soft spot for flea markets. After all, that's where I found my wedding dress.

In my early 20s, I spent a leisurely Sunday at a flea market and shopped until I was down to my last $5. As I made one last tour around the place, I spotted an old trunk at the corner of a booth. When I opened it, I found it full of vintage cotton dresses, bonnets and other pieces. The dealer said I could have the trunk and everything in it for $50. I could have cried.

When I showed her my five-dollar bill, she took pity on me and said I could have any item out of the trunk for $5. I dug through it until I found a beautiful Edwardian dress made of soft "lawn" ( a fine woven cotton material). The dress was in excellent condition, but years in the trunk had aged it to the color of weak tea.

I took the dress home and put it away with the other pieces of vintage clothing in my collection, to work on when I had the time.

Several years later, when I was shopping for a wedding dress and couldn't find anything that really looked like me, I remembered the flea market dress and pulled it out for a closer look. It was simple but beautifully made.

I washed it, hung it up to dry and let the sun bleach it back to its original white. When I finally tried it on, it fit like it had been made for me.

As I dressed for my wedding, I wondered what other occasions the dress had seen and what its original owner would think of my wearing it that day.

I enjoy visiting flea markets in other parts of the country because each one has a different feel. Most antique shops and malls reflect whatever is popular or selling well in the current collectible market. Many dealers are able to travel in search of items, sometimes overseas, and online purchases stir the

mix of collectibles.

With the exception of markets like the sale at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and a few other upscale shows, flea markets tend to reflect the region. In rural areas, you can pick up interesting farm tools and primitives. In big cities, the markets have a more urban feel.

I love the story of my $5 wedding gown. It sums up everything I like the most about the serendipity of flea market shopping. Not every trip brings home a treasure like that, but you never know what you might find.

Tips for flea market shopping

This weekend, the flea market associated with the Lewis and Clark Traders gun show will be at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. It isn't a large market, but right now it's the only show in town. The market runs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4.

When I go to the flea market, I bring along my shopping cart, the kind your grandmother used to carry her groceries home from the store. I put in a few extra grocery bags, plastic and paper, to wrap breakable items. Having the cart beats lugging items around the show and cuts down on trips to the car.

Be sure you bring cash. Most dealers will accept checks, and a few might even take your credit card, but cash is best. I usually bring a handful of quarters, a hold-over from the days when I could actually buy something for a quarter, to make change.

If you are shopping for something in particular, bring measurements and any other information you may need. Flea market shopping is "no return" shopping, so buyer beware.

Bring the pickup or a car with enough cargo space to carry your finds, and ropes and blankets to secure larger items.

Bargaining for items is part of the flea market experience, but trying to get something for a steal insults the dealer and wastes your time. I usually ask what the best price is and we go from there. If I am buying more than one item, I ask for a "lot" price. But if a price is fair, I pay it.

Some people like to be the first one in the market and line up early; others like to sweep in at closing and scoop up bargains. I just get there when I can. In more than 30 years of trolling flea markets, with the exception of one-of-a-kind art and handmade objects, there is very little I haven't run across at least twice.