$ g/ I' Z# D. X" z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。 2 H' e; h) q g6 ]. L) Z& [: u# w$ V/ f' _4 M1 ~, N. A
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。1 `; n8 e3 ^( {6 e9 M
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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。! \8 x2 d- }" \# o* ^
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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。 9 f) g5 \7 A0 k1 X, s/ S( n' [) Y; a( [, _; [
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。, E- ^# O9 k1 p; m c
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date 9 _2 b4 B) D: F6 N# C' q % ~) B2 F# Y* [( f. b1 }/ j, f! C1 LCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.9 V! D! Y% b4 z3 g4 P# f# G
2 w/ d5 `2 G7 N6 w/ zIf 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.6 k' v, U4 T2 H( d
" b3 s1 ` L& Z& X# C, }' s" C* d"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. " H' Y: C' h5 ]$ n( U( s4 h+ t( j/ D. G% J
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. " Y5 s* k' o9 e) E" V) n , S1 g% ]6 y& ]: X y' p5 M6 TOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. - s! |' y( B- I( N6 k 4 w) ~* ~# v) }- p3 m7 x6 ^6 d"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. 7 _, S! p: K; o# d: _ " q$ I3 D+ |) D# c7 f4 m8 U- b0 B"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." ' H- h- r- l+ I5 W$ n/ C9 e1 M: j! f$ ?& h& e1 s
According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. 0 k0 v, t. x- \7 T5 ^1 F9 R& _. }: ~- ]
But this year, July has joined the field. + J# a* w# l/ o. k4 a7 H* ]9 J' ]; Z
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. ) D6 @7 j) [ s" N# r9 X% d% Z0 l n3 O v; M$ I5 k4 V2 y
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 6 i8 M8 R( d; h" n& ~+ k, j! c( K5 @; e
Although 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.! m' R. b3 R( p4 l. U9 [" K* ~
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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. # `% I! K' B q) a& @3 `; Y! V$ C) Y: f* z Y/ n6 u% P
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.& o4 M( D, Y0 c1 Q* U$ }% o: a9 g
; X- e! d% Y3 P/ z( R6 OA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.1 {! g1 G6 j' y4 }3 M
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. 4 K; V. C9 N1 A& c0 ^. @# F9 V0 Y0 l! Q" ]9 v/ r9 H
"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$ ~% I: B: ~
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.0 y G' ]' y; t& R4 L
, _4 x+ s5 ~. |6 r% W"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. R1 ^; \/ Q V4 _0 B
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. / M$ b8 P5 T$ }$ Z/ t+ g9 ~; [6 J( P3 C' L, i
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., @" v- H3 }! p5 j( k8 ?1 D7 r) `1 L
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Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. * A5 S5 D/ \! L: P% m# d$ U- f6 C6 @- `+ O4 [5 x
"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. 8 U% k% \, F5 ^: \: \. i1 j! Q0 Q6 F J! ^
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."# u! g" |: P/ [0 O n# w+ n' M% G
4 f% \; H6 n) d* b# B$ g8 d; ]/ wWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.% `4 I8 m' B3 ]
& P/ K/ [& {/ r! f& C"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. ) q1 W* m- l# P ( l. [) t8 E. C( [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. - {3 Q4 s, J. u' V1 R9 P 8 o# o v X* w"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." " d" l' K& {/ n2 m; G' p& n5 T7 ^* ~ . v' s; [2 A& _% v+ f( y0 EBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.9 w, Z* m6 w& R- R- V0 n
! w/ T# g1 l% W* vLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.$ r& i0 m. i% o" F$ }
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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. ( _4 b9 D+ R6 a1 b. W 5 |: \, S, G+ B( l. `Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ' n, u5 K/ J- l) k; l 9 ?$ @/ c" ]; S3 Q- w"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.( m& I b U; V
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care.". @' |+ k: N+ G! J. @
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图片附件: [Gail Ross, the manager of the Arbutus Library, stands next to the wedding gown she wore in 1969 ...] ACF1680.jpg (2007-3-16 10:37, 23.24 KB) / 下载次数 101 http://5.35.249.64/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=dd363fde03d752cec0cd027beb72ee26&t=1773743989&sid=WHVlwP
图片附件: [Gail Ross, the manager of the Arbutus Library, stands next to the wedding gown she wore in 1969 ...] ACF1680.jpg (2007-3-16 10:37, 23.24 KB) / 下载次数 101