全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录' ?, R6 g! s# J/ {& \# B
1 _* W1 ~+ h* w! ?# k
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。( n |/ t% g9 {
4 J+ x: [( k1 x( P: @ 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。 Z' c( V4 G) ?* z
+ Z4 h( j5 \: w- ^
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。 8 x. @ R' s% ~- l# R* r3 J" x* B4 j- C5 B" L
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。 0 A P7 H' S% c5 _( J+ ?, I+ g8 A( L% ^- z& i- S, O& t
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。 p# i! W. t" K; f/ f) a' p0 Q7 O m' E: w
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date8 k) a% \- `& ?5 H3 l
/ J e5 p7 y b5 L4 ~Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. 5 Z5 @$ k7 r8 Z2 Z7 g8 [5 G : p8 j3 U4 e3 @) Y' u( o. l4 iIf 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.8 J- U _: k: _6 o6 z. q. `
, w* S9 A: L- I- Q. E* g7 A
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. ( u9 z4 \1 i; T" l1 [8 b& X: a$ X
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. & ^* X$ s4 M! C* Q7 W- O; w% q% m
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.& i/ ]' t4 k9 b3 a6 V9 T. ~( y
. C2 C& [7 p6 D( ]"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. , P# t/ i" M! i4 e2 ~7 i" F6 W 8 a3 R! ^" q% B+ K"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." 3 o. p& F$ [5 c9 \3 `* E5 b7 W5 c; o; g
According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. / e8 G* J: p; f, L) S, D4 o; [1 P( S) w. w3 z- a8 l
But this year, July has joined the field. 0 u- x5 Q1 g( i( K* }0 K0 U' B( E; ?' c: I8 L% I1 A
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 5 {0 u1 X; L) k! c5 {% o5 F7 I( J% x+ C$ q
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. $ Q1 K+ A( l* q8 W0 R- I: R) a' } \5 {! |* Z2 d2 U6 p" L+ B* k4 w! }
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. , `7 t, ^6 B v2 w9 b/ J* ]7 i0 c! r7 ~! N q6 Z/ U( c
"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.; S/ Q8 B; E; B$ ~+ ?7 y# i
' S1 B* B4 [3 q7 T6 b) x2 tFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.- @/ J2 C# K+ V( ^6 C
1 L7 s% c& y8 k: B- H
A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. + c- Q! ~- \, o* m( `7 O+ Q% S, {
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. 6 ^9 ]6 f2 p; C% |2 ]2 v8 o4 d. v9 k/ w
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. ) v7 W8 u/ w+ t9 h- B+ s, V+ f' o$ C
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. % p, e: a. U, A* G& [0 N, a, A* T; G; {3 D3 b5 _
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. ' R9 ^0 f# W, U$ R: y% W' M; C: r6 b6 D
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.$ o7 T9 S- P' V% c6 y8 p9 _
% E! N+ D, w K3 S! P* P1 z8 GReceptionists 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. ( e, L5 Q, j$ Y. Y1 G* Y2 ]6 R5 K- B7 k% ?
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. 0 V1 F& H( L% M+ K 6 u8 E* s% {4 |2 ]2 u"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.3 l! D0 A& O6 K4 u+ N. M$ t! n; n6 _
C) k2 u h- T8 Q& c
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."0 x R. E! n3 c" K3 i0 h
6 c! z1 N% d+ \2 D! W/ o
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.& n! [% I- B0 V! H' F
0 v! z; F) A' o) f+ E
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.. Z' o# A: e' \/ a5 \5 U/ I3 d
: d& u4 U/ J( s" `3 t7 ]1 u
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. ?8 p% N% I1 Y, r1 c7 c1 f& T: C$ n, Q7 r" d1 ^
"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."" L/ R! _* v) t, o/ J2 A0 t
: H5 R5 T+ g C# ~6 n
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. 3 S/ [) V0 @; d: M& \0 \- l X - E1 [3 w( h+ bLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. ; K0 h- U$ Z- k6 A) i - v/ }; W+ S$ @' pRoss 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.8 p2 ~, h1 ^4 x/ z o6 Z8 Z- h$ f
/ I, r* l# K5 M) I# n d
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.$ u: k$ g- H1 i$ B o6 Z
5 }+ L% r9 }, Y8 o f7 ?
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.6 d+ r- z! `# A* j) H
. M3 ]# o; g* \5 W9 C( `"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." / C6 R/ Q1 H g! q 9 v/ _1 \7 A- l( w2 T
图片附件: [Gail Ross, the manager of the Arbutus Library, stands next to the wedding gown she wore in 1969 ...] ACF1680.jpg (2007-3-16 10:37, 23.24 KB) / 下载次数 100 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=253f21504e858d03544b38d68d862a1f&t=1765072895&sid=3H8h2Z
图片附件: [Gail Ross, the manager of the Arbutus Library, stands next to the wedding gown she wore in 1969 ...] ACF1680.jpg (2007-3-16 10:37, 23.24 KB) / 下载次数 100