[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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　　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。5.35.249.645 F% c% w$ H2 ^+ W. u: d" A# U
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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。6 J' S2 |, h# |3 Z/ G# C

- ]: j$ Z- Z% B% v. \　　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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2 X% m: r4 {; l　　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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5 i- q$ J0 P8 e/ b0 Y2 M/ pGood 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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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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"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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5 D" {: A' U7 w5.35.249.64That 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." O! o) n+ U) \* t9 q6 z+ A' Y" \

+ I6 X& X% P/ H! u+ V1 k"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.2 X# P/ B4 d2 |, B6 H
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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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8 l# y2 X! t7 [+ qAccording 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.5.35.249.644 v* y5 M2 _  p6 k  A# o2 J! D

( }4 K1 ]2 v! T* hIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
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* M# u- i3 a+ o"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.人在德国 社区$ X8 o7 p( k& h: j' p% y8 W  ]5 U
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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.5.35.249.64' H! _8 }5 k6 Q
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.9 r( u0 k" u6 G9 h
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.# {/ P1 J7 \' O6 B

& r& S9 S5 Y+ j( _" ~) A1 zWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.
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0 t5 W' m! d( R2 a' Q) z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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' E9 @' W6 B+ o' N( {& Q" Q5 CA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.' ~3 L! x) s3 W2 ?4 e
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.; G+ r1 o4 L) N6 f! L( L+ ~
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.5.35.249.64& a) c( c5 {' Q# |
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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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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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"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.5.35.249.64. g6 v& h0 k; z1 C6 W6 J* z
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."4 G! _7 @$ R4 g6 |! b  a
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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.5 W- p* S. `1 V9 k5 i" t' {

2 y3 [# o# p! [5 _( S5.35.249.64At 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.5.35.249.64) R" s7 L; W$ a7 r

& z8 a# l3 D# L. w' 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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- ], U1 z9 [5 K3 E: P( h; ^/ ^5.35.249.64Library 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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Ross 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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! ~. M4 r3 ^/ Q  BThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.人在德国 社区' p( W' v5 K5 ^0 {' m! T

4 H2 }3 t; c  @4 @! g"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.人在德国 社区- Y6 Q/ d2 T  |! p0 n1 e) P
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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