[国际新闻] 7/7/07结婚充满乐趣

日月光

全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录5.35.249.64# ?7 W; x1 R" M" F% e
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今年7月7日可能是全年的最旺结婚日子，至少在美国如此。由于当天适逢周六，更加带旺在当天举行婚礼的热潮。美国一个代客筹办婚礼的网站指出，它已收到三万一千多宗生意预订。而新人行婚礼的热门地点拉斯韦加斯，各教堂已作好一切准备，迎接这个好日子。
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　　由于美国人看好这个全年结婚吉日，当地的婚礼主办公司、酒店业人士及旅行社，均收到破纪录的预订服务，再加上当天是星期六，各有关业界正各出奇谋，务求满足客人的需要。专门代客筹办婚礼的网站theknot.com说，接到三万一千多宗计划在7月7日行婚礼的生意，现正处理约一万两千宗。这是近年来最多人选择共谐连理的日子。
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　　来自麻省的24岁准新娘亨德里克森形容，成为7/7/07新娘子充满乐趣，希望未来丈夫对这个特别的结婚周年日子永世难忘。她道出不少准新人的心声说：三个七的日子是幸运日，简直是完美的配搭。在赌城拉斯韦加斯，当地一向是准新人选择行礼的热门地点，7.7.7效应更带旺在当天结婚的热潮。整个赌城的教堂计划在当天延长服务时间，以应付结婚人潮。5.35.249.64+ B  ~: M4 P. f4 W

  u7 ~3 A' {4 ^' x" u$ t　　其中一间行礼的热门教堂Graceland，已对预订人潮应接不暇，当天的开放时间将由早上8时至午夜，每隔15钟便举行一次婚礼。拉斯韦加斯的会议展览及游客中心指出，对赌城来说，7.7.7是充满幸运的数字，因此很多人选择在这个富有纪念性的日子到赌城结婚。; Z$ u& n, n$ Y7 n; A2 l1 {, Y& z$ j
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　　赌城的酒店在当天为新人准备特别的菜单庆祝，例如Ritz-Carlton酒店，特别推出幸运三条七套餐，售价分777或7707美元两种。Ritz-Carlton说，现时每周平均接到两至六个电话，查询当天在酒店结婚的事宜，迄今已接到至少两宗婚宴预订。
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8 c4 J5 `7 i1 A& ?/ ?# n8 x0 l5.35.249.64Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date
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Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.
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If so, the "Desperate Housewives" actress and the NBA player are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg -- or seven-layer cake -- according to Susan Hepperle, general manager at Town & Country Caterers in Lansdowne.# p! F' m% s3 ]% Z3 v7 y' C5 f
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"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.
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% g4 b7 w6 [6 j+ |8 B) \& NThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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" w, |: H" X8 y: `人在德国 社区One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.5.35.249.649 e+ |  f: \& z0 k9 V/ |' a

. @3 W! {& r& u+ u; p  q3 n"We've had call, after call, after call, after call, just looking for this date," said Hepperle, who long ago booked the maximum four receptions Town & Country can handle in one day.8 ]- R. a3 J* @/ G) ?3 F
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"All I'm hearing is that triple sevens is a lucky number," she said. "One guy actually said it's a roll of the dice with getting married."
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According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.8 n. W7 b' r5 `+ @8 ^9 A

  v' i  w4 r$ ~) _人在德国 社区But this year, July has joined the field.人在德国 社区0 T" Z3 U& _. l6 v# J1 ]1 K
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.- H2 O9 k* L$ s6 L/ H
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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8 H' e0 E4 e/ wAlthough her bakery specializes in wedding cakes and stays busy all year, often with more than 50 orders in a single weekend, Williams knows that July 7 is special this year.人在德国 社区# W. @: V, s; c7 ^' {
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"I've heard from brides that it's supposed to be some kind of magic day, 7-7-7; it's supposed to be good luck," she said, noting that many of her clients said they had trouble finding an available reception site.人在德国 社区* I( g+ y& v; _6 K# w6 H

- o- \: H: ?& k" ~/ v5.35.249.64For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.5.35.249.64' P% H' s& q2 W+ J3 W" W# v

/ W$ Q0 H2 U8 _. F5.35.249.64With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.* w, H  K6 i1 j' o6 z5 O
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"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.  v" m6 U5 h3 q

" o* c4 a; {! |! p- I. I9 j7 ~7 ^) X5.35.249.64A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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) [' |/ t8 h" z1 r  I9 E/ A"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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) N/ {; F# W5 Y+ BFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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) ]& L2 z( ^/ O6 F8 O; q2 \3 aReceptionists and clergy at more than a dozen Protestant and Catholic churches in Catonsville and greater Arbutus reported no demand for July 7. The date was still open and available on their calendars as of last week.5 h- [5 W9 v5 _( y0 {) @

  c/ G  w' f1 \Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.
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"That would be a cool time to get married, but nobody has come here yet," said Paul Delivuk, who manages the store's tuxedo rentals.
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9 e1 ^: V8 n% h" V人在德国 社区He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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" L% t! T" E9 {- a5.35.249.64Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.+ L. k  _1 h8 e9 y
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.- e0 S2 ^. Z' p& q: V/ A

7 Z3 f0 {  K8 |At Arbutus Library, where manager Gail Ross' 1960s wedding gown is on display with a collection of books, magazines and CDs on wedding planning and etiquette, July 7 is magic.
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"That's a big Harry Potter date," Ross said, referring to J.K. Rowling's popular series about a boy with magical powers. "That's Harry's birthday."
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4 k5 p& A% j) oBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.# k2 ^4 `. C  D

- ]; \* ]6 T, k5.35.249.64Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.
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6 c8 k# i$ i8 y人在德国 社区Ross and her husband, Bruce, chose Aug. 24, 1969, for their wedding because their Randallstown synagogue was free that day, and both families were available to attend.$ W# {. ~7 {# o# N0 Y- Z. o6 ~7 R
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.- N5 l, [  e2 ]% k! c/ ^, A. m
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."人在德国 社区$ m  z- |* w! t3 s0 k/ a& w
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