[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。
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8 `& Q9 [  `. U3 J　　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。5.35.249.64/ x' y) v: ?* F
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　　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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$ j6 g0 k/ Q! c- g5.35.249.64　　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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, {  D, v  k" 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。. n- R+ d9 x4 g8 A
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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.1 o- A/ v8 _( N0 w3 q+ v  ~3 d  x
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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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; Z' J6 r4 O4 O8 u' i4 n"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.1 W/ o2 }' l8 K) g3 \$ x" A- S& |4 R
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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: M: G1 o3 f5 b4 ^% xOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.  S0 P. k2 G: }4 A. t7 g
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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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"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.
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But this year, July has joined the field.
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6 D; b, e5 Y$ Z  oIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
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0 u. j! O# g" U3 z"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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3 @9 n* c) _# `- N& TAlthough 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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1 k! u! L/ m  ~+ u" n# FFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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+ N* }; d9 _% _8 Z' G% |+ NA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.5.35.249.640 r& j* x& S# ?4 l* N! G& q

; o) X" j* b' W! a, ~1 _" u人在德国 社区With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.5 D0 Q+ s/ |7 h9 t- ~0 k; ]
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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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1 d; g9 f; d* ?7 A% SA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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: Q# r" ?$ s; L6 t+ @8 B( s6 ~人在德国 社区"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.9 B5 x  y- ~$ g; _8 q" ?& }

2 B/ i, s' \& Q7 N  V5 D. kFor 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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+ V4 y6 b% _; q! }1 LSimilarly, 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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# |2 S' q4 w& C) I! m- VHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."5.35.249.64  \0 r! N- s) d2 t8 x5 Z3 P
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Williams 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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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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% w  g+ v. r$ ?4 X- Y# k4 r"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.: e! A3 |+ R& a7 e

/ g2 Q  [5 m. j! @& l4 J( i$ ~人在德国 社区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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$ Z1 H7 ?2 J" s$ xRoss 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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: x) E4 w# \; ]* bThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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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.# m2 h) T  w8 X! ~) k- r
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."# S/ K/ u6 P  [+ A5 g, t, g
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