[国际新闻] 7/7/07结婚充满乐趣

全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录, _' ]( v" F6 k6 d) i1 m
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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。' j" `1 [! b* p+ E; N
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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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) D& o* B, I( 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。人在德国 社区2 z8 N( |' H, k2 `' J0 `6 d8 _) y

; F7 f+ z& K7 q" u0 i  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。; _( \8 l# w- {) _: H7 X

. ~) F2 j/ n+ k人在德国 社区  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。人在德国 社区; O6 g% V0 o- t- S8 j9 N
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Good 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.0 A7 E1 f8 g" v* d4 ^, ~" B$ n
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If 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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- m) i1 l9 ?* X7 x- I) p/ s"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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/ |  K1 @7 z. r1 w2 Z; [5.35.249.64That 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.- {+ _3 @7 n" C
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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.
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; U. {2 ^; ?' X( G) k, x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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According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.5.35.249.648 O. b0 P; j" E

% v5 i, V0 W# G7 _$ uBut this year, July has joined the field.
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.- |& T' ?- U$ Q# d: W  j+ Z
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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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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.5.35.249.64" m, A  E$ Q' A7 C4 ]" p8 j

5 m1 r. G: Y$ o6 s. J) G5.35.249.64"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.6 a" q4 P& k4 U+ w! I; I2 ~2 e

" z  r0 p; b9 V. RFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.2 @$ n. m: K& |  M
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
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5 z, C3 ~+ U# A, p/ a' [# FWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.
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( Z& R: ^% k; e* w人在德国 社区"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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5 T/ @, e+ R" d$ Z# F0 G" f* {# HA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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7 \  g* |) L; K8 g, M, S# r0 {; K"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.' k; x+ D" m) q; \9 M! R$ w
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.- p$ p1 K6 S3 ^/ t
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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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' g2 e/ X1 m! h3 t( cSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.' K# {; @& b' ^6 W4 k

4 B- L; k3 X! f, 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.+ h" w. b/ r3 _: A! ]
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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.5.35.249.64& N- G5 K& ]( m" k  ]

, b1 y$ \: y- r0 @9 e"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.
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- w4 I% d, x) M3 C2 f; c" ^  p) ^"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 n8 n' z, G* C; K( U* j
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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.
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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.人在德国 社区4 H! w8 o" ~0 |; [+ a- P9 {1 r+ _/ W

5 c2 B% K5 l# E; L5.35.249.64Ross 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.9 r$ Z; }9 C' Y1 d4 Z
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.6 ^* W" N8 f; Z% q
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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.0 |4 x. `' @0 t- G! u9 p

) U; b$ b% P& L3 j"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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Gail Ross, the manager of the Arbutus Library, stands next to the wedding gown she wore in 1969 ...

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