[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$ u' Q3 A4 f7 J) m# v, Z4 E, }
. \1 L& y+ s. e9 n) m' m! Y
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。
$ ]* p+ {/ I: ]1 }; z, q' d
# `( L+ ~$ @6 x& u  v　　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。0 q' Q/ F8 }! w- o* N5 e

3 z, F0 n8 C2 u, Q9 u; [　　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1 n0 P3 L, u+ d
, P9 C# l. Q+ N$ K& ]8 m! x9 h
　　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。
- ~3 V9 T9 s" A# E$ E0 E, I; G. n0 L- C4 H" M" L; U
　　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。3 T6 y+ B9 C/ ^! d

) b. r) Q$ A9 ^1 [! @0 dGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date
" Y5 @% [$ A5 ]$ H* u- [" a9 z; R5 l
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.
+ d% k- j. m" |; |8 Y
% R0 q+ s' }4 n. W! [2 h* `5 E人在德国 社区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.1 S6 \1 E! G2 G9 d
7 a) s) E5 @9 r1 x# Q7 @
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.
8 S( M8 K8 `5 C3 N0 A* C
8 ~1 b$ M. I$ u) Q6 d: e- q2 jThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.人在德国 社区) g" c/ ^4 U) X* f4 q
9 N4 f0 }8 u* F
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.2 X) D* }1 e" b+ o/ B

0 b2 a$ Y! @3 T1 d( T+ i5.35.249.64"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 X5 e  ]4 o# R! U7 T

& `2 u9 D* c: S" Q* I/ G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."
& N1 b' N* s0 u; J2 r, r5.35.249.64% N5 U$ I) D( P
According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.
7 Q1 k$ L  k& e" H5.35.249.642 n3 L/ a5 ~, e4 m7 i  R
But this year, July has joined the field.0 G' \' k" G  Y$ w

9 j* V' d8 B# ?6 A- \$ I1 VIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
8 P& F4 j4 g" |, h4 ^# b+ u. c6 f5.35.249.645.35.249.64" h1 O# D: E" Y( m  ?
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
4 @- Z) M# n: j2 O# ?2 Z% v人在德国 社区5.35.249.647 V# a& \8 k8 A* O) a2 G
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.
' J/ v8 A7 Q; w  k. J" Y* I/ x7 T8 J, z# x+ n/ r
"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., M# y+ m9 g% b* ]+ k$ r

, e  J& g/ q0 ?) V! O& GFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
: d" T# n& Z9 o( z% P' Z' O5.35.249.64
: _/ e4 E2 y  s! f2 v5.35.249.64A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
5 U! m0 G! ~; c: Y! Z- G( E+ t) L' V5 y7 F
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.
  N4 |  t; p# n; i& |# t- S5 k9 O; F0 \6 s' a$ D0 f9 y
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.% B/ t( r+ ~# P0 s0 a2 ]

( L( f- U9 _% k- k+ @- P2 DA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
) Q& B$ |8 e, y' f# x
+ x/ k' {. K5 ]人在德国 社区"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.8 ^) ], i) h. @; i6 c4 N2 L
8 x' b1 y4 E/ o! m8 p6 h8 z
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
5 ^: d& h# f1 i5.35.249.64, W6 c. y6 J- @5 M9 p0 r4 f8 }
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.
7 h- ^4 v+ O2 Z% m# ?7 h& e: d8 J2 L% m' P8 J( Q/ V# c! I
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.5.35.249.640 @* o8 W6 k: j
( b! Z) {9 d; x0 Q
"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.
: c* @" c+ k/ Q% k- H
' v- O! r- z2 `2 s  v, bHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."; M+ B2 H' T: k/ x2 P2 }
7 b$ u8 }& p' z5 O) z5 ]) Q! j
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.
9 d% X: i: c0 v7 ~: ]$ k* [9 q, Y0 O, M; }5 B0 @# o5 Q
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.
2 q# q5 b: V" g/ {6 x5.35.249.640 g2 [+ \, g" z* G$ J! [
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 G9 P! h. Y0 {  b& K人在德国 社区人在德国 社区, M6 g+ v2 Q6 F( d9 V+ ?
"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."5.35.249.64. d6 l) E" f# u  @& [

7 ~; v. Z! Q  u4 l+ ^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.
, p) ]0 j  E* ^# c% c: }1 y5 K8 j! `% F; Z
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.
# L4 ?, J# t! t5 E, j  ^
  s. p9 Z# ^/ A9 `& E4 o3 p5.35.249.64Ross 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.
$ X7 ]% _8 Q& M  |$ }: r5.35.249.64) n0 h8 Q3 }4 b& M  e
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.人在德国 社区& L' \; [9 N3 R- r' k( O

7 }4 e# O) D6 h) |9 m/ T) j$ q* U! r5.35.249.64"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.
( y* `1 u3 {4 u! c, `+ Y5.35.249.645 K8 P" p  @" u. S5 |4 {
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
# |7 l- l  u5 [/ h) O) I
" `' k) v% I  G