, X6 }# A- h/ E h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。 9 D0 W( ~- Z/ |6 j) q) O: D* E8 H$ M8 c/ N% n4 X/ W
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。 . E# f6 ]4 z* x8 B+ w9 G# O; Q- |: `- Y, m; B- x- \! T
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。% x, I [- O+ t* R# q2 Q
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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。$ r2 [6 e, j& C
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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。1 T6 y* S% s( e% A: }& u3 `! L
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date) q9 e& y& q2 m% A5 {" n- C
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Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.4 z" W7 }' I4 e2 K& m) j3 P
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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.- R, V) ]# s0 q: `0 q/ i
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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./ ~; O* E1 s; c/ T6 I1 F. D) Z
' _; j) a4 X6 j- P! [That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 6 @7 b3 W; B, o6 ] 9 x, d: @9 u+ n. w$ X% m/ NOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. - h! V$ Q5 B* Q$ Q2 P+ _# T2 {1 _) g M
"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.; m. y: p0 U8 \+ J; z
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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." 9 }, k2 G: N2 N: X6 ]# N , a g9 g; z9 W0 z: Q( w2 i! R/ pAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. ) S$ q7 X* h. t$ A3 a1 p! t, \: ^! t q: ?! n Y8 |2 F3 F
But this year, July has joined the field. ; f5 s/ E9 G- d0 I0 c% j7 ^/ D' S7 f6 t8 j0 ^
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 7 I+ f0 b: W4 E. I, f # u) C0 n! o! ^- k' Q* ~ }"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 9 v/ x4 y& p+ s5 T / n& C9 C* c; e7 R) x0 Q- W2 D" sAlthough 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. 7 Y- ]! R* t! H/ a! R( d! h7 ~! _, N3 D& J, ^
"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." {0 r }2 a" C, p
8 B0 m1 ]/ x/ e) n4 W4 p! @. TFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.. J! p# d3 i6 V! L; P( W! T3 Y
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.4 e$ r) x9 h' |. Q5 C; _" m( H' c
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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. # t' h: p- q2 h' C: f , d4 h& w+ v% q4 y+ `1 C0 N"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.0 I: B/ x% h, B: i2 a$ F6 m
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. % X; ~+ l, I+ W; y% h F * u4 h J8 B# k6 B+ c1 v"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.. J0 Q, J# F, V& ^; p# Q- B
( H6 M6 j8 o) }. C3 `For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. 3 |' Q) E7 n& \# F# v h8 v3 X) L" y5 t' K9 o, p+ k
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. 0 O+ |8 f p. `% v! u) b ' x1 _9 K0 _: DSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.4 m8 X* l* T& o$ [
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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. , t$ T' r3 f" U! @( r $ @/ w( B U' |, o' iHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."! g) Q2 n- M1 k/ S/ U+ W" R
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. , k4 k: U% d5 u8 B" { F0 F6 K& i9 Y1 m4 @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.( z$ d/ V; L: N) N, d, Y
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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."+ ~1 h0 F {+ n
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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.9 s( d- }" U* @% [
; f& Y- Q2 a$ u; a6 C0 ?: pLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.9 ^& ^( _! E5 {# x( p
4 F5 ^. f- T# C) G, N5 [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. 2 q( A, S2 C2 Z7 Z- g/ M 9 L6 L: D( G0 w! X& y1 i& YThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 4 l+ J! K* F9 W- M4 w E( K: a# m. v8 O0 m, B/ s"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. 0 ], X( B* ?8 Y, j( \4 _& F0 E% @8 v: T
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 6 k) q0 |) Q6 H2 H! [8 ^ " N1 B8 v9 q0 x- {- h- `. ?
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 102 http://5.35.249.64/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=88284d6809378e8bd5d03f81a58423e0&t=1777640914&sid=cNIjsN
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 102