[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# j/ i. j' D! }; A: {5 q
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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。
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; T% k0 E; X1 @4 D　　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。/ G+ P9 c& {8 _( y; Q, I* Z( [

5 b+ H9 z# a0 h: s( T5.35.249.64　　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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% w0 `7 j, N: B9 t4 ?5.35.249.64　　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 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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9 d- c4 ^$ c, Z& G0 s' f) l"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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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.人在德国 社区! Q* [* b0 \6 x+ _4 A, E! I9 F9 L

7 h$ T/ r' l. G, J% @One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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4 Z; s* Z6 B' R% c! w0 m% e人在德国 社区"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.$ g) a4 V7 W) Z# @: ~' L
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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."5.35.249.64- b, ?, @) T9 |7 x2 F, e
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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.5.35.249.64* q) v: a5 ~' [/ N1 T* m

. X. B* p0 k) n5 ?4 Q- l% F" M# c* dBut this year, July has joined the field.6 v! C7 w& f! n8 v$ x1 O
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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.人在德国 社区* m5 E  O7 w2 H( G

& c. h1 ]  L0 sAlthough 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.- i; J- J, j+ o. y8 c, p3 }

' H9 H" D% V0 ^: p7 m4 q"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.( j+ W( z2 E) ^+ e
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.& l' D5 J5 D/ D1 K/ L- X3 O
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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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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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# W# w- W$ q9 p* g/ ]  R5.35.249.64"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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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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+ l  l8 \6 [) Y5 T人在德国 社区"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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3 s- L* ^( j+ m6 X# C, YFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.7 B/ l/ j' o" h0 I

! D* ?& L' C. a% ~; W) ]- d& A# z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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2 L' _8 y. ^' D- m% ESimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.5.35.249.64; X& }' j/ g5 B% f: @& N% n3 a
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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; x6 |; q* R( k6 G) t+ @" ]

0 H2 f+ w0 _. ]" d4 }8 u; RHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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" I) {: \0 M5 H. L; ]: h5.35.249.64Williams 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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7 _! \" K8 B# Y% k  q  `- r人在德国 社区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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( z- h" z2 d, W( Y+ H, t人在德国 社区"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."2 `; f. q% Z) ]  {9 l

3 _. I. o7 q3 P7 @! ?5.35.249.64Book 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# p4 A* a: W, m
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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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+ g8 w; N% N* N+ R9 ]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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( A$ P0 q) K# i: c: ^: S2 NThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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# S* t9 s( |7 [! k9 t7 j"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.- f# Z3 y7 o+ A6 L* D4 {& y

* n2 u) @# g) e人在德国 社区"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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