By Katie Curley
NEWBURYPORT — The mysterious sound of bells and bagpipes could be heard along the waterfront yesterday afternoon as a crowd of friends, family and complete strangers gathered along the boardwalk and stared out to sea.
Along the boardwalk's railing, the Jubilate Ringers of Lowell, clad in their own boating attire, clasped polished silver bells to ring in a bride and groom.
Friends and family dressed in formal and resort wear whispered eagerly, while passers-by wondered what all the commotion was about.
"It's a wedding" and "I can see them" could be heard as a small houseboat named "The Tree House," came slowly into port. The event was the 3 p.m. wedding of Millie Rich and Guy Distasio of Melrose, after 29 years of dating.
The public wedding on a sparkling Thursday afternoon was meant to be — it is the same date Rich's parents wed back in 1933.
"They have been docking here for the past summers and wanted to get married here," said one friend of the couple.
Harbormaster Ralph Steele said a handful of couples get married at the docks throughout the warm months each year.
"I've seen the couple docked here before," Steele said. "We actually have two more weddings this weekend. Those people are going to need their rain gear."
As the boat was tied to the dock, a priest emerged from the cabin and set up a microphone. Flower girls, one in red, another in blue, tossed red and yellow flower petals above their heads as they climbed from below.
"We would like to welcome friends, family and those wandering by," the priest announced.
A jazz pianist and owner of Distasio Piano Lab in Lynn, Distasio, dressed in a ship captain's shirt, made his way to the makeshift altar on the bow of the boat while friends yelled out jokes telling him to run away.
"The captain of the ship outranks the clergy," one guest yelled amid laughter.
Minutes later, emerging out of the cabin in a long, red summer dress with a white shawl, Rich, the president and CEO of Melrose Symphony Orchestra, made her way to the altar, carrying a bouquet of yellow and red roses.
After opening remarks, Robert Frost's poem "Master Speed" was read before the couple exchanged rings, both of which were family heirlooms.
After the ceremony, Distasio took the microphone to thank his guests.
"To all my friends, family and boating family, thank you," he said.
A receiving line down the boat ramp onto the dock and through the boat from bow to stern capped off the ceremony.
"We are so grateful they had a beautiful day," said Dr. Ken Distasio of Florida, cousin of the groom, standing alongside his parents Janet and Joe. "They have been waiting 29 years."
