04/20/2003

Lori Pistacchio and Lorenzo D'Amato

The Hyatt, Goat Island, Newport

2.21.03

Lori Pistacchio has spent the last couple of hours having her hair and makeup done by her best friend, Paty McDonald, in a suite at The Hyatt.

The two have known each other since they were teenagers in North Providence. Lori, now 39, dated Paty's brother at one time. "It's been quite a friendship -- boy, could we tell some stories!" says Paty. They disagree about Lori's hair as Paty smokes a cigarette. Lori says: "It's too pouffy. I never wear it like this. This is just too much."

Paty chimes in: "Have you ever seen a friendship like this? Is it Thelma and Louise or Lucy and Ethel?"

Paty and Lori share a long-standing private joke. "Notice how in the obits, if a couple isn't married, they always refer to the partner as 'the companion of.' Well, as of today," says Lori, "I am no longer the 'companion of' -- I am the 'Mrs'."

Yes, soon she will be Mrs. D'Amato.

Lori is a residential loan officer with Citizens Bank; Lorenzo D'Amato is a home builder -- Homes by Lorenzo (but no, they will not live in a Lorenzo home). They met in 1995, when they sold a house together. She was in the mortgage business in the 80's, went into real estate in the 90's, then back into the mortgage business in 2000.

D'Amato, 57, is originally from Naples, Italy. He came to the United States as a young boy. "When we went to Warwick Town Hall to get our marriage license, Lorenzo didn't have his birth certificate -- he can't find it." He also couldn't find all his immigration documents. "Just days before the wedding, he had to turn to the Italian consulate in Boston to help get him what he needs to prove that he's been living here -- raising a family, paying taxes, running a business -- all these years!"

It's a small wedding, with only about 60 guests -- 17 of them are children. Lorenzo has six children and five grandchildren; two of them are flower girls. Lori's sister and her ten-year-old daughter are the matron and maid of honor. Lorenzo's two sons are best men. The two families appear to have already merged nicely.

As the elevator descends to the Rose Island Room, Pistacchio, with tears in her eyes, says,"I love him so much. He's a good man, and a good father." Unbeknownst to Lorenzo, she has had the inside of his wedding band engraved with the words "At Last," the title of their favorite song.

Pistacchio quietly sings along with Etta James as the couple dances for the first time as husband and wife: At last, my love has come along. My lonely days are over, and life is like a song.... And here we are in heaven, for you are mine, at last.