[国际新闻] 7/7/07结婚充满乐趣

日月光

全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录
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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。人在德国 社区  ~& u" @+ `5 I3 F( }
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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。
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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。人在德国 社区( R$ T7 j4 _2 O3 i4 G

0 t. l& }! g" l  z- D4 C　　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。5.35.249.64; f' L. K4 q) {( e

! j! y; [  h! K, |5 q　　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。
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% _8 [5 h9 p$ _$ Z- B0 S& {- W2 yGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date5.35.249.640 A6 \5 o6 z" g8 j3 E  g; y2 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.5.35.249.641 N. A3 F; V2 k9 O, c  T5 u' F9 _* H

. Q  ^- p; f- U1 P, ]3 z6 aIf 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.
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2 i2 s1 M$ X7 i% J! U( m"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.
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9 x7 L+ D% `7 y& D" X) @& _4 JThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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8 D- ?! t* \/ f- G1 o# p$ D6 WOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.* T" W. p! P+ l) ~3 G7 I1 Z2 n, x

1 Y5 ]& ^$ x! R$ B( s5.35.249.64"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.% H* P7 _4 |' H4 I& ^: Y

" f' W/ K# e  h" q( z$ k( E$ P$ {! i7 U"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."$ h2 n7 l/ ]( V/ D& l. Y
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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.
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But this year, July has joined the field.. S* r9 |; r1 h" O9 j" B

5 U; \1 m2 a& L4 Y5.35.249.64In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.5.35.249.642 b5 H# s0 b: B

  i  |2 }8 S$ K* {! s' E+ {& C( i/ `7 q"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.. ]" Q/ W% G+ t- j' ]
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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.人在德国 社区: |. y4 l# q  }$ e8 g5 A
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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.* j% r$ p7 O2 Q

: d6 o$ G5 u6 B4 o& kFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.5 [3 c. M0 V: u# \' g( I

# e1 D* Y" i, S. `3 Z2 E! p$ E$ s% H9 CA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.5.35.249.64/ ^! E& ?# Z+ h  \/ Y: n
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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.
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.5.35.249.64& ^: D! F: G8 q: l* b9 {# L
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several./ D) h1 ~# I  J2 y( O

! B1 E& u9 t7 r# V/ |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.; H' J; ^8 n/ z& K& o3 X& J
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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.
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5 w; V- T5 E8 N. Q"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 ~* J4 }, E. ]

! {, _! N; z4 Q% Q! \, N  x/ eHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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7 B6 A' W9 y# T/ N人在德国 社区Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.
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/ R0 y9 K6 f4 J"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.
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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.& d9 j1 m3 x! P' ], g+ B

. r1 i1 F( i! O( \"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$ O6 p# F" L, x+ R7 h: F

  ]/ [" p. x$ _4 {5 u! E. Z/ ~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.
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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.  \9 K8 `9 h  Z! S, k2 ~

9 t5 \7 v5 H3 f  A$ p5 G) h5.35.249.64Ross 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.# U: d& q: `! v( E! s
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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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.
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care.": X" ]+ }" _% P1 d

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