[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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, f, ~/ ^; F( W7 i人在德国 社区今年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。& f# E! r/ p* B0 h

& c/ x9 {3 v4 b) F5 F- k　　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。% z' D* {1 B5 M$ o6 D

1 R) M% e( \' _$ D% }4 v6 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。( |0 j) f9 c; |, N# R1 L  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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# z" E8 p+ E$ S5 d　　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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' k; y7 I( `- l+ I+ c5 r4 g2 JGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date5.35.249.64& @- ]6 u1 n- j5 y  m1 W  w5 Y

5 {: ^. J( Q8 i6 G! K- qCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.5 K5 G- t% D& z) l

4 w( b" x$ t+ h7 A/ JIf 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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) c, g3 T; f6 j7 s3 @" r# Q1 V"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.7 l( X( s) ~* V! C" O1 t' k; G
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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% V$ Z) e; P1 W6 s"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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5 ]$ }, ?: U! Y" m"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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According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.5.35.249.64" r; A6 ^6 p, n

: G7 B+ ?, _0 t# K4 W1 QBut this year, July has joined the field.5.35.249.64) q; I5 N* g: l, V0 g
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.5.35.249.64( L: t* K2 U* I0 R! o9 ]& ~& H

# H7 z/ n! l! |8 A* {3 G* N5.35.249.64"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.0 ]) C' k/ g* \- ]' ?) D

6 s; C' a+ M0 H7 {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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"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.
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.+ s" I% d" Q" @( k
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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.; m6 X$ z6 D# e+ l; T6 n& i9 l

( l/ M; D% D$ Y9 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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& s7 i( E# L4 z* f! t4 G$ pA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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- ~% x7 M$ k4 ^7 _; D"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.5.35.249.64/ P) d# i  H3 ]$ s$ G% u

; p, Q5 B, w( h' K) Y7 RFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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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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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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. z5 s0 |9 `% o% p"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.
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.; z9 m9 k& p: q* y
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.. s8 a. R, D& n: i  A
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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.
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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."
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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.1 q% g, \! d' x
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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.
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  x: A) V5 I( Z. q/ T5 v3 ARoss 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.
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) V  {5 u% }# |9 C; C  |# }"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.  u6 y9 Q" n; o: I, I
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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