全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 E8 s; f) a+ [! @! S: Z
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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。 u H4 D d/ u2 {+ |9 y
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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。0 i1 F- v, [8 h% E8 j
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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。 K: y; z: ?/ h. w! p 5 B4 W) R1 n# }4 p2 H$ }* x 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。 # C7 C' B- W7 p* k+ d# O& q. c: ]: o, {
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。 * ]( ~$ T( y% {4 a S; N. Z: C8 f0 G, Q& Q
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date % g' [7 w# K$ Z- f- U, [7 m" B 6 W4 f4 _- C; K; n; gCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. ) C. O& s$ Y: O1 ^. Y8 v2 r; I0 g" o
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. % M* m5 n* E1 R: b" D/ s- g" M9 u2 C- O9 g, K2 I# S+ T
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. 8 o+ t1 Z3 W, a+ J: k/ C. i' t9 U/ {" J# w
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 7 v- @+ B# J; }( I. J* T$ N0 }0 _! \& k
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 3 Y y& q$ N5 x# l& I$ N b& `9 N9 N% e; 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.7 v6 F6 B. ?* R# |+ o
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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." $ b$ |% f$ K2 Z9 {( a+ l2 k0 S- m# k4 H3 z2 l2 b
According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. G5 t0 R! j+ y9 r' o
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But this year, July has joined the field.# Z- D6 c& n1 r' z: |
' f) J( n3 j) SIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.& v7 y+ M# M8 {! o
; }5 T; f# W9 J+ t/ J"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.& ]8 Z! {; G4 P3 b4 [2 ~7 h
! B, T* x2 R+ S6 N8 k" IAlthough 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.: x2 q% c4 Y- m8 m8 L# a$ R
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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. - [( H% W! X5 a0 q; z7 n8 A 1 L, u$ k4 e% \+ ]0 t+ uFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.: z" b6 L' I" W+ C, m1 Y% J% ]
, |+ H6 Q3 p; B& ^4 p3 N4 ~A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.& c. F% D |, G/ |* U: `& y
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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.& b2 ^8 J: p9 w8 X3 H+ F
4 m9 g3 H" n4 L7 ]"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. : y: D1 l9 G5 e6 {' z- d # }+ f5 I( j. FA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 5 K( R" v/ m, f% L) l5 {) n( w/ P5 V# r% ]( n
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said." C# A5 ?7 n- [# q9 @/ l. C
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. 5 S2 v6 u3 ]# o) B! n; {) E& R6 C# b1 ~: ?% u2 g
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.6 {: x0 |+ \! M3 P6 A
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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. # n+ K0 {' |" }5 C- P2 e # z& M8 }5 C' a% N: Y4 ~5 s"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 d& ~' y8 s0 Q$ n) n1 m3 b3 \
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 3 m$ n; f- V& h7 H* l+ r7 v 6 N2 [ q T' I& i0 s JWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. 1 p- a; }3 F$ u: E5 ^3 o+ j, g" o$ Q
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. 8 e- {: [+ }% L 6 @' F: q- Q- B, {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.( I9 J7 j& V2 q& s, I
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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."" Y z7 q( }- p
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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 e; b, f: ?7 B5 h( J( _3 P1 M t$ H& A# | {9 w) 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.$ I, q% s- x+ \% G2 k
( N' \( I% R! {6 h' QRoss 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. : y x& C4 \8 V) @8 g( h* Q5 B8 f$ M4 J8 k/ e& {/ G9 j+ Q
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said./ T9 Y, |5 `& D% s4 i0 y
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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. . C3 V5 @6 U" ?! T( @0 P: i ; A9 h- X2 I( i2 X9 a: w' i% _"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."% l, t1 a" P4 t4 P
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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 108 http://5.35.249.64/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=60e8105a3d22645c072b3ec21cd43062&t=1786228628&sid=q5GE5V
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 108