[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& H3 m  z0 y2 M8 W
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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。7 g5 x% g4 Y/ D. L
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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。人在德国 社区6 n1 i, Q& `4 T( X& ?
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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。5.35.249.647 j  ~. z0 J3 Q/ y- g- t# ~9 [
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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。" |$ {* ]& H- C

9 s- y7 O# A/ Y　　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- v" ?  U+ ~/ H( Y; K& m
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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.2 Q  F8 H0 {; T" Y
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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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# [: U& E$ r% l! mThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.3 }0 T) `. o" T8 q  ]
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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" f" I' Q6 ?" X' D# F. a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.
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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.5.35.249.64$ \% C' P* T7 n1 P

! p9 E: X# D0 t) g# y6 z5 m人在德国 社区But this year, July has joined the field.; n9 i, u( ~% ]1 Q7 Z  Z# B( H

1 n8 t) u1 t& L  g; [/ qIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7., h5 H. ?+ V' ^4 y
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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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.; h5 {3 e& ?' }" E" S6 S
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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.人在德国 社区) b6 t2 R8 p. R! H

: w0 n$ I# `2 g0 ?人在德国 社区For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.9 C; T0 W4 k6 Y( V; D

( W# d( |$ Q3 L3 o5.35.249.64A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.1 r) ~" @4 E' i9 r- g# V
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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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  M, f7 \; [) t5 ^( D8 x"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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7 G  h) z7 o, t" z5.35.249.64A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several., i* z3 Y$ f2 E! N

* ~4 M. t, D! E( M' Y' M, l+ u9 o5.35.249.64Receptionists 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.& q6 s- [! W  T* d+ }8 L( e7 i

7 c- P6 r, p5 I& e4 x% G' J; [" m' Y人在德国 社区Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.人在德国 社区4 c( Y" g* _3 ?

+ R. T1 q. K$ N5 T" e- c, J"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.' U+ p5 g  j5 x7 S
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."  q. @1 H1 u7 U$ a. M# _8 N1 J& L- S
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.
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& F  ?. N0 l9 `+ Z3 q7 \5.35.249.64"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.
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" V# I/ C# _; ?! KAt 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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"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) Q4 K3 v; f1 |; Z/ O

6 k+ N3 o* U  @2 p1 F. z5.35.249.64Book 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.5.35.249.64! g2 c& _! ^$ y% ~7 g4 v" `* l" \/ u. I

' b; [; A  x$ N) O- ELibrary 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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4 Z1 r( `; t! X( d人在德国 社区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.5.35.249.64/ }3 |; E- x& P2 D7 i1 g

& F  w2 a  S5 r2 t3 n* h5.35.249.64Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.8 n2 v' c% {$ n: x2 ~( f9 n& d
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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.
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$ A9 K6 X) B( T7 m- u8 i9 h人在德国 社区"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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