[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9 |$ v- H( {. Y% j8 W

/ w1 I  l- D6 q  T. K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。* v6 d- ?: G" N  ]0 c

: n( p: Y. E/ i, ~　　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。5 V6 ~9 ], P5 r2 D. T

% n" i7 n. }+ i2 R% r　　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。" Y; v+ N2 y, I3 U/ q* S: w* v/ R$ D

! ^  O5 \6 b8 x' [" t　　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。( D1 Q7 K- Q( [3 q6 `' Q& G7 h; J
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date9 H4 T5 f- T, C+ q) E) |0 `' j
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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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. R+ s: L0 \9 w. f% _, k6 [; l) gIf 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.+ c2 e; Q1 c& R$ S0 K& [+ j
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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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" j  c: j9 q: _$ iThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.7 D. ?9 I5 F% N
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.人在德国 社区* @) u2 f& U, x

+ F4 n) l) ^5 a+ \/ @/ K5.35.249.64"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.9 U! S0 D& @; z& g

& r/ C- p$ N2 T  B# L"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 S: Z: @! a8 ?; ~) J
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But 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.
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% Z/ Y+ M& q/ A+ A1 E+ S$ S"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.: L- O" j* |; d' ^* ?  c- X
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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.
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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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) w: R8 c6 a5 W# }3 h: k+ [7 ?For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.9 l3 l! x  t  @: \! l7 r: `8 j- W

& S: p# y0 O% |$ d- a3 L5.35.249.64A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
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: g4 X) g! c1 P; ]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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"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.% ]$ }; t' t  y* `( f3 j# a! s  Z
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.# }5 w& C7 \; \3 q8 ?5 J
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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; Q& i* s# X9 a& h3 l; }0 l6 g5.35.249.64For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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2 J3 X) ~9 m; {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.) ?& T$ w0 v5 D. H

( U2 g- j5 Z! h2 v# B: }( t1 sSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.
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"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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( G) G: _0 b6 h8 ^) F- U# Z/ GWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.
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! o; _  G3 P" Q  b# ~5.35.249.64At 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.人在德国 社区5 D/ f2 B$ C- D# Q. g8 I( h

" m5 f+ z, e8 a* i$ T) [! p4 y. N$ u"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.
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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.' e) R$ U# a( K4 s& D

% Y7 N& ]& o* C! rRoss 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.+ M' W7 f+ s. k: V! q; d

( W& e; y' j9 p7 M3 AThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.3 ?, U' z4 `, v' u+ K( E0 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., L0 O, h2 }7 [0 K
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."" O- Q0 Y: v7 X' x
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