[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。1 v/ N$ E4 e3 s! C: p  Q5 q% _
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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。人在德国 社区: ?$ F# k3 }2 c  X' @. b# Y$ E
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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。5.35.249.645 y. G; ?. K5 V! h8 p: N' X; m* p
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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。
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5 z2 p8 x1 {6 x; ^! i8 H8 F　　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。& d% X0 h. s+ q9 s- X" A( e

9 J- Z: I9 m( s+ U6 A5.35.249.64Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date人在德国 社区) I" }. J* r7 _4 y

6 K. S1 e  b8 g: J" K/ o! Y  f1 ~5.35.249.64Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.# R8 @( n. c, L; O2 b  g$ B$ m

( B0 \* K; ~0 b3 _4 ZIf 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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"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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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.) n* N9 @) f! \% \# }
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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0 k7 v& q8 {- K# b5 B7 {"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.
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! t. |( q, d1 m6 p9 ?4 M6 U人在德国 社区"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."
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# z2 u9 L6 }  b5.35.249.64According 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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0 L8 w9 ^- a# a0 o7 Q5.35.249.64But this year, July has joined the field.人在德国 社区$ s* e& F( L0 f4 h% I

% w" V) t1 O1 g* x* C% eIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.) u" X4 ~$ T8 g" O) P5 ~
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.5.35.249.64" J, Y5 W6 }% z+ @4 Q, y+ x2 M

8 G1 G( ]' X8 E0 u5 V人在德国 社区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.
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1 I: f0 W. G, m0 Z"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.9 I/ |9 j+ z' Q; H
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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  k2 b! J2 k% \$ B6 h; F9 \5.35.249.64A 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.
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4 [- }$ s$ Z. e3 Z% y. x"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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2 N# q# m) Q: K5.35.249.64A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.人在德国 社区0 z/ ~  }& z9 Z' `0 K3 ?! W

. c* ?- H% O- }* b"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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" a$ c* |/ g& m6 FFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.- V( E+ z. a+ `+ w9 w  w/ Q
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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.
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3 J# j8 _8 l3 |" R" N. v& G2 `5.35.249.64Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.' M& H/ E4 K" Z" r; e0 [1 J

% g9 o# {/ u8 `! w! M8 n" J3 R6 n"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.人在德国 社区! d- ~% A6 \4 k+ a' _) W% n
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky.", M. o- Z' V& |4 b. o3 ?8 e9 W, }
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.5.35.249.640 N, W. b# W2 V' m& B. @5 M6 Y( I

5 `6 G% ?( f! A/ m% k" P"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.2 ?0 r6 {3 {8 |6 ~9 C/ L
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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."% l/ M4 `& l, i1 u

- Q: @  g7 j3 U/ m( lBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.* j) B! l5 W( h4 v" v- O

7 `. Z3 S' D  T% kLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.人在德国 社区6 j) @, n5 G4 }: J2 w! m  F
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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.
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.) c, f3 [' `# e. x. O& i
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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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) N1 e: l' u% T% i+ u+ ]"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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