[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。5.35.249.64# e) Y; a0 J3 S2 g

( m$ T- P5 G& f) C$ T' @0 B6 M　　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。' s$ Y- Z3 z/ @3 W: R# A

% n: d, l1 R5 T/ I! t# ~9 M4 D　　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。
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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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7 `1 m1 r3 C% O3 {) i. A　　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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; \) ~/ _9 N& \1 u) ]. EGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date
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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.
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; g1 \. g- P5 R8 M) u  V: F; j2 SIf 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.
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.8 E; O9 f7 {3 E# }

, a6 p" C# Q' T- S% h. L"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.5.35.249.64$ m2 A4 n4 @7 b% `
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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."人在德国 社区0 v% t4 P& v9 P! I* R; M; q! f0 S
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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.
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; P. w1 @2 {) Z( H5.35.249.64In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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' y+ F/ k; Y. ZAlthough 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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' R' ?0 M  ?- I  M" B: o/ XFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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$ l* |# C3 N( G4 x' YA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
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$ t5 q1 O- u" o+ E' [. @With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07." B# W% X) `6 K$ O3 q' F2 L: _( }8 g; H
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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.人在德国 社区$ T8 W4 t: T. H. X' O
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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- |  S9 h2 o) V' G- x; ~7 }+ HFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.) w3 Y" |0 T* O8 Q. i
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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.8 _& L4 [, H- `( u
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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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4 s- u4 r" ?% j2 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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( M- Q' h9 C, k* R% I& Z! @# @- pHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."3 j4 D: _2 I7 E' A7 A' \
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.8 y6 ^) j7 z  R' t1 J

1 E1 U- \, T9 ~人在德国 社区"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said./ e# u( {* [" M1 d. E5 L3 W

9 P, E8 W5 `3 x) {$ B人在德国 社区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.9 ?5 M, b0 r( g+ o+ a; Y

6 J& ?8 Q( u; W4 D"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."8 J( K. v2 p/ S# f- l+ q

2 m8 S4 c" n2 c! H' {  o人在德国 社区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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& l$ V/ x$ U8 o7 V4 g8 ]  XLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said., d6 k3 a0 X* K

8 T" l" n5 b  n5.35.249.64Ross 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.  \5 I3 f+ T) `6 C. q$ P, q
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.3 [/ O  [" i2 g& B

: y7 e3 v$ v: |; ?6 r人在德国 社区"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.5.35.249.64" q  p# G# U1 {+ P7 T

  Z4 I0 I! j8 D1 v"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."2 A4 C2 x1 F" h4 p! k) m4 [
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