全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 6 U: R4 D8 ^) o" _+ [( i( s1 K! p7 S I/ ^# r7 }* F/ I
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。 3 R7 |5 }0 n) b& z! S4 Y# d2 W. C& ^- ^/ m( P
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。6 } B4 l! `# B) P8 W7 I
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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。: M( u E: T/ l* }
: x' z; q# v w# i 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。 . j+ [+ t0 {' ^* q$ N- y" j 0 X, v2 w+ V7 \' v# p- n, p 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。% s" F) X$ z% Z8 C; W
: c4 R- {. Q8 P6 j( k% OGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date 7 D: J# k9 U, L; b! v! Y' x. ]6 O. M3 q* t2 ~9 V% A+ k
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. . J) b! h2 k* Q1 R* V8 D0 ^" y O u j9 q/ l0 v
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." b5 z9 J3 N3 }! Y1 H. ^+ ~
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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. * J% w( o& a8 z( u4 b% J f9 n ! C( j0 H# P2 q( rThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 6 q7 f6 i0 T% L& M & v3 A, b: E. C1 vOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 7 b7 g+ \4 F0 A: L9 h. c * Q* w' W2 M2 n) y& z+ ?& c( Y7 R1 _"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.& Q. e. O1 O$ N; w, R
" E& M q R6 r( 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."$ q9 E: N0 ^: x7 u- E
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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. 3 R P7 c, r$ s0 N( m6 K0 Z $ d, ^. B+ [" B, L9 V5 q0 ^But this year, July has joined the field.7 k% z0 z1 n: c0 X- ~0 ^ s3 ~
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.( Y1 G9 z: a$ k3 W
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. * q4 f6 ]4 @& m8 f % @9 u# n# g6 ] @! d, YAlthough 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. P; J5 j# g" y % N! A F$ l4 F" ~"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. ! {" e* c* N I* H" k3 P0 {& i/ [. B5 s, u: b9 N/ N% y) \
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. - b& G3 R9 R' T7 o / R# d8 L! A/ n) r6 mA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.7 ~9 y# @0 }) I. R+ k' m, j
& g O% b; ^0 N. G) Z% i* P m' wWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.9 t5 v7 @+ _6 E j, H0 R
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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.4 j" }: g5 F1 ^+ Y5 ?0 {
1 G K5 x# b. bA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.8 |7 p" x7 L' k; G0 n& Z2 J
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.0 t) f p4 x/ j7 S$ R
! B$ r+ w& ~) [3 W8 W* Z7 h+ nFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. 7 [2 `3 {1 O" c. r. t, p+ Z7 y/ ?) L4 p* c5 s) T
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.2 j- e a- Y+ U1 p! \
1 B5 P& _% n& m+ q1 x; x8 o1 H" RSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.! }( P& g" y: t# ^, R! J
9 D# O. `" G0 \4 X, B4 {"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.7 `) P7 G9 D- {0 L
/ @' C) U+ ^( M/ x; ^$ jHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 1 p+ T. @2 o. P 2 J9 s: i- C) Q0 jWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.1 W/ j ^9 m& L/ W2 B% Y; C5 Z
& v* n6 n! S& h' w2 c"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.8 h! {" r" d; {
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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. " M6 E# |) v2 D" ~7 n. t 7 o9 y6 U. E) @( k& P"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." ! l3 n4 h5 p; o; S& p4 ^ + V) ~$ g7 ~- k! r0 I7 G _1 [Book 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site. 4 S( h7 {- ~0 Y0 J4 }7 @$ @9 Q8 W" L, n4 m \; z4 g; I* A
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. . e5 d7 S6 F9 y4 [- I% V% p6 C# A' P; m) O' N
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. D6 W+ T" t; X
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 8 z' S& I! K! p* U% ]& Z1 e1 c5 w4 @' O$ C' o
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.0 Z6 H( k1 g+ W% v( f7 v' F$ p
2 H$ r* `! \4 g1 N. D8 `% n" m"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 3 ?& ^, F$ G1 P8 c" X, u& ]7 I' U0 l7 o" c9 k( n/ l8 U
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 100 http://5.35.249.64/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=ae0550670e2ec0c0a3ba4aaa68df3078&t=1762809855&sid=zgW458
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 100