全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 3 S0 E9 S+ T: [9 U+ b/ q& T * e3 Z) ~0 z5 f6 b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。 ! t w1 c- H. X3 U 6 L% x/ G& l- {$ }. X" ~* D8 D% N; Y& g 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。% J" `( P1 q# h& V4 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。; a4 a5 _% ^7 g( t6 I$ h1 V& ~
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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。: Q3 v N4 d) w: t
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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。 6 m8 g) R# {. i# s5 m0 J0 N( i4 B* D# n6 I
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date) N+ n0 K( d0 m5 n% Y) |
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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.* M) Q" K h8 P2 ?7 p
" v, Z" `% K2 {* I! yIf 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. : j- o, Z* G( ~2 L+ C5 L5 A6 ~6 x& i- g- u
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. , w/ j7 G. l# S+ u2 B3 m3 r, O( h) m1 X0 s# I
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. * k; O+ Y$ g( |5 {8 Q4 B( k5 ?3 L
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.2 o4 A8 ^2 r3 G+ l/ Y. r# O
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"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. 3 g# q8 j+ N3 P* M- n ! f& c B3 G: F X4 a"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."1 e& P% X X2 o2 r) d c
6 [# P3 a2 P1 x4 lAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. 5 n; A3 N/ O- q; p; D: y L. s# o 7 ~. U4 Y. P: c4 ]4 Y+ m' N! wBut this year, July has joined the field.# z0 E& d7 S, X+ H, i. l
- B ^( S2 Q4 x/ r: UIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.' _+ b d- Q3 Z
^6 Z: ? n# Y$ m+ J r"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.6 o' P7 e( M) L4 k' L: a
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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. ; n$ Y6 \( y" u; P1 E( l9 q/ N- e
"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.) l& D7 S i! l' s5 m' B/ L- ?
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.! w2 F0 ^7 I) y9 C! q4 k
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. v$ K B2 n' ^* @. h& V7 h: P$ b- C+ B# q" Y
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. 7 U( y ]5 l5 S, r 5 S; T* t/ u- C: K1 _; W"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. / ~: K6 R; ]* K! D$ v ( D! d# e/ Z) G/ sA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 5 l2 N; h" o* S+ C, l6 x ~1 S2 j4 q( T. ~( w8 l& l; ]# c
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. # k+ @/ E/ Y1 O- ` s; `# u& x: i3 ^( j" c4 f
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.5 V; p8 D: {0 d" P( Z
# o0 }6 a. T; s8 kReceptionists 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 }! D$ E3 G
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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. ' |& V. E" q5 [* ~ 2 R5 P( m& P+ f# t"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.4 L0 X) ` R ? b" E! T
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."3 t+ I! h5 V5 X; V7 v2 Z# p3 l
- ?. D N8 [1 s5 P( qWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. / q9 } s& u1 H9 b$ t : U( p7 C& x N# v# n& N( U: I' }"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. 8 K4 f6 r3 F2 A. c# a' y! Z * Z% h: L5 P8 |6 KAt 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. 0 a3 W+ O8 `5 z+ H( P$ s# V ; n, O7 X b% h) o" Y8 {"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.", J$ X" q1 ]0 a
, J0 V6 M3 i0 n& g; i) q, MBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.$ S3 e4 L# Q h" s
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Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. # G1 r E9 g) I9 N$ v + |9 u( J c4 K8 hRoss 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.! ]/ X4 f: y: n x- H+ L
4 y4 B* n! r. a, x2 QThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.3 q7 c6 B" o; d3 I) S
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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. ; c6 p* ?, m$ q5 E7 d- P; r5 N K) |3 ?- {
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." - s! K( G$ Q& e 9 A% j' h0 ~+ [8 ~" [. 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 101 http://5.35.249.64/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=6c78d2aa8238a668914bbca5496ed10b&t=1769526300&sid=53Xbbv
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