[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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. m# }9 u/ N5 s0 Y7 B* K- ~- z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。5.35.249.643 L4 e3 @1 K/ g0 F" [+ {" q
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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。8 @, T2 z8 [2 m: S* Y8 ?: v/ h0 ~

( J( D# f7 V" |) q3 e4 Z　　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。4 H5 X2 u: Q( \$ T+ j0 e
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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。
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　　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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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date5 N9 i! }$ C' _0 d

* ^3 R& P4 r) I' t1 {2 j, [5.35.249.64Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.人在德国 社区7 P% f2 A/ u  w* t& ^. N" [' b
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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.5.35.249.642 W; u% `7 k# P& s3 W, x5 u5 u
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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.人在德国 社区( Q! p+ u5 W, m4 {& w" D
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.( S0 i* S" y  `2 {

7 q( w% J* O& @% ^! p% E8 T人在德国 社区One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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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./ i5 O) y" t: l& R, J! j
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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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5 {+ I8 `8 q( O, m' H9 b0 }According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.- G' }7 |+ R- y  p% z8 {
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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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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking." K" N; M$ Y! z. A- Q4 G

$ y: Z2 z( w7 }* c- @$ hAlthough 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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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.: M: ^! s' Q* O( A) A  P% Z! K
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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 W2 ]& n' ?$ q4 a1 q) j1 c* F2 xWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.
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) g! T7 Y/ z% R- G5 ?; H5 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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& N+ s6 A! I: [& {4 R* [A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7." e  ~6 r1 v0 c3 \
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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7 h8 q# b3 y7 k7 ZFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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* i  C1 [0 n& O2 }5 s人在德国 社区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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. x: L( v) x5 Y/ M"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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1 R0 S* E! \' N  ^% M' q  OHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."4 j+ l& Z9 O6 f5 G

/ `5 F- S' y6 M* I' g) e6 XWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.
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2 r) ?% o" C6 N# \$ ]# ^+ `& _"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.! N, D* g/ g) q) O( J& _4 Z4 l; l

0 i* z- v2 c7 e0 m3 F5 IAt 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.# n- Q9 {- Y7 N# _8 i$ R

9 e1 R8 S/ t  }"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; q6 l$ @  ^: A2 k- W& R/ Z
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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.$ T' E% k% ^! C) ]2 i6 e/ {; _
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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.
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) J5 ~: @  i& L2 t/ a! fRoss 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.3 o, U! c+ X* B8 `! Q

7 K6 A' |/ v, ?) W/ FThose 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.6 p1 b3 B2 u6 p3 V# A
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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