[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
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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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- P  {5 A: \' E1 E; r　　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。3 W0 b6 {. `/ e& D9 A5 u/ [
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　　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。
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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。7 \3 Q# w4 J4 A1 M$ A& H; K

" t; H$ V8 v' a2 ]5.35.249.64Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date
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8 _5 o7 J3 W# g$ `" z* S4 ~6 \5.35.249.64Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.6 _8 |4 H, u2 @& \

- S3 d; b7 e- y& R人在德国 社区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.
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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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- k4 F6 X) i% y' B0 P5.35.249.64That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.8 E5 [  p- o0 P$ H0 H
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.5.35.249.649 ~  C1 g6 D  z% F

! i4 [; w' K6 I$ g& K  f"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.
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2 w3 X2 f! r# w- I"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."5.35.249.64) W& k) S+ g- U: f4 R
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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.9 A' p( [+ `+ G/ E
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But this year, July has joined the field.# i7 N, g/ z# T% E. a  g

9 [0 m* z2 Z% `2 I# Z, \2 p; QIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.人在德国 社区% y! E: G; a, D8 V

- N7 ?. g1 s3 S! Z6 w# h  g. H- K& V人在德国 社区"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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8 k2 L$ ^8 Q+ U) f. Q' zAlthough 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." f  t0 V  {! t) m; h  T
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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( n# V: i# W7 d* s4 v0 y

# z0 ^& C0 V4 |8 T) gFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.5.35.249.64' `( a! c# }7 |- i2 _+ E+ S2 T

% I3 `1 a" z( @" {! i* P: W8 EA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.! b" z$ D& [0 S) N

0 `% `; E  m' ?0 b: |, B: J& {With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.% I* G; h9 i: s) M, z

4 \! T- b' Z3 W; |' B7 ?% g6 R人在德国 社区"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.  p- a  A" B- Z4 }
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.8 t5 J6 t) x( c/ Y/ ^2 l

+ ^& X5 f+ Q+ H- |8 Y1 B: S) V" cFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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Receptionists 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.; Y; a8 T4 K+ ?, O+ S9 T# s% Z

3 t5 s" _' w# y1 f1 Z( F& }人在德国 社区Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.5.35.249.64/ A0 z+ h% X$ a8 n, M0 F* w' S
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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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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."" f5 A7 C, q* y/ b2 c
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.9 l6 r, K) _" w! w6 ^
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.& p8 [: P) A% F& v& ]3 `
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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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7 ]5 O# B( v4 D* |5 v2 ?5.35.249.64"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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, T; {; Z0 Z7 w# A' E7 O* QBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.人在德国 社区- V% ?5 w: @/ K6 e* |) Q
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Library 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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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.5.35.249.64  `6 S+ Y% \, j) C5 [7 ?2 v* J
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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.% i  s$ [% ~9 B& B
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."人在德国 社区1 \0 G# d& T: ~+ Y5 W2 z
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