% Q0 O$ P9 g4 e% R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。 ) z' c. d0 E9 `2 a8 G+ z B# ?' f" Z6 [0 ~1 H+ Q/ | 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。0 k' W1 i& Q/ l+ l0 b; k# v8 @* R
* b, J! C0 v7 q$ q" M. Q
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。 t9 m' y& R3 K' x9 t! y' ^; a/ M9 t6 Q. H) R- D& M) Y
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。6 `* h* U: N4 a) f! Y& Y6 b
7 }5 _' |0 H* ]- ]. |# ?
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。 ' V9 _# b. c" {$ Q. A' P 2 Z+ t/ ^" \& Z, B/ @Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date ' B; J; v% N; P* W! G$ |* F+ Y2 q $ t- a' I# U) R9 @4 D. I# QCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.4 I' q. v. T# Q6 N3 c. p
2 O! b) g# L3 R: E
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. R9 u, S+ B8 n$ q % s: G: H0 F- X/ z"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.7 |! q# ` y3 u: p- B. y ~8 S
, V: T# n& L0 y pThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.; q* w9 P: ~( F3 w2 X u' J6 W
* u- ?, o) `# Z( o N- i" k; F
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 5 }" a! ]7 R. {0 [5 ], g+ j9 O1 c; Y& t# @9 c, ]
"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. . M3 M2 j, G. q7 B( S. U: j" V9 z( D6 B% E
"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." ?/ w+ D9 m( }; x K2 H
* N. D9 w- K# E& v$ \
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 p- n8 b8 ]+ H8 M. _ W( Z
O. W" ]0 d3 ?" c' A
But this year, July has joined the field.: u2 z* D6 l1 n. q Q4 W
6 G- a, f1 H1 m) U* P
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. ! f+ x$ Y( Y m( a2 l! {& n - s/ p ?1 e) I, Z"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 3 |' ^/ G7 T# g" \4 c2 I! @. U# f0 o6 K* S& g
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.9 ^3 t, \. R4 v( V& @2 N4 u$ q
# S, ~+ y2 p. F8 L7 X' C2 ?* {, W
"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. ! T* g/ e- _4 W " z2 ]" L( {9 x6 GFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.! m4 K" I, a- Z$ ]
\) P B9 Z- F- J. @4 M LA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. ! h( Z6 h3 R, o4 G: H5 r6 l! r9 `# v. n9 I% S' T9 K; A+ B6 `) o2 a; F
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.7 j5 |# c) A, E+ F8 ?( w
% J& H" ^0 b/ E: @"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 4 N; g! V2 t4 L9 b" c) S+ E. w# q9 p/ K; Z- E0 J
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 4 p% I( ?+ s& M $ C; T3 t9 [ ^: f! p T"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. , k- N5 A' I+ Q, S d& T) g9 G" f( F6 Y" r+ m
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.0 v$ w, L% k+ l& d4 g) @1 I: r2 B. M
6 _6 Z; o4 Q3 Z# B% }2 ZReceptionists 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. " k2 `( T: k, I1 `& s( z& c/ h- [! e: F
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. 5 c0 y' R5 F- ^) E5 M . ]6 `* V# } j, I"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.1 F* P% E6 u# Z% ^# f
# [* O0 t- H c a0 X; M
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."4 j+ m- D) K' X# e: p, y# }/ ?
3 z! E6 o% u# m6 v' OWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.' B7 S9 K( Q4 W+ u8 P
. O/ f; V. q7 d0 e% r"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. ' `4 w# `( b8 V N7 q. {* H6 n+ _! E+ I+ c- j
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.: n6 {( a( N: Q& x! D: t* U% }
. B4 Q% `8 ?) x8 Y9 h c0 G
"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."2 V$ }/ A7 }3 S, A) a: \
7 b: i6 t9 t( i0 k& Z* V& T s5 hBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.1 S) @ g v5 O. i2 i6 W* D+ e
# D2 Z. n) }! h, f4 f/ _# r% @' ~1 H
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. 1 o1 W: ?; H- ~' D+ P5 M. E/ m, J. U' }' {. |2 ?
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. J+ J- P5 B/ R4 s; L: [+ c t0 E. p/ v" b. u V- S0 o) X7 f
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 2 S( m; }! w4 R1 {" v5 e! K: m h* S , m1 q$ A5 y9 T5 c t( ]"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.& g j5 W y# a; f/ {
* V2 H% a+ q6 s. X# Z! V
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."5 O" W9 j7 u3 y
8 K, ?$ c3 U! l, N
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 99 http://5.35.249.64/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=fdeb4281152a139427acec01ed9f66e1&t=1757894938&sid=P7VNs5
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 99