! {9 e# p7 ~7 w: c }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' z0 c" k6 C7 J0 o3 D+ S
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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。/ L6 A4 k# v- @ A% s8 G
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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。 : c+ R5 [) b1 T) s, I1 l4 E& b& R2 b
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。 ) p: c, m2 y" `" P! ~+ Z2 F: L5 a3 g5 H$ ~$ {8 B
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。 8 p- ]/ W9 ]3 s8 |" }3 z$ ^0 n3 N
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date3 I" u) D0 {# T+ d/ {. P
. k* U3 u) R/ W5 n! @4 G9 q" ZCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.4 B) H* t- s7 Z0 s6 \& m
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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. 7 n; k1 M0 B4 c" M7 K5 _& ]6 k1 C' C : W I* j1 ^' B9 v1 z6 w d1 w"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.' W, }5 b, d0 ~! s3 f" X
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. * \/ y+ Y" y( u1 N8 h7 y4 |6 m/ o 1 ^% Q% P1 b) g$ C1 _- }1 |One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. & M! K4 v, W. l! A5 F( ~ / t, S" Q/ ]0 @$ T, W/ a v"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. ! `1 p+ S2 U) D2 H" [+ d1 H7 O. A- A) P( R( u, x$ ?7 _
"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." ' X7 Q# x) Y1 S d9 r0 \! A4 P8 h 0 ~! ]" D2 h- k' ?* j5 DAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.8 @% x. N8 G0 T. w6 _: K
0 u E0 T8 W9 q$ }0 t0 I3 J: JBut this year, July has joined the field. - V. |6 I& j0 h2 i- a6 z7 P2 ^' N) l) F; F
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.# {9 k- ?1 q' P( z3 o. X4 T
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. ( s0 y- {6 L, w2 Z! i3 d) b( d. H4 w( e( O9 B1 v& W; h
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.% _+ t* j9 ^$ }2 A8 ]# |
/ S8 h3 |( E+ l& t S"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. / n+ f y8 r2 ` 3 X# U+ E" [6 N* a, K8 i4 JFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. " F' p* h- J0 I. i0 Y" g0 e7 Z. m; S( A$ I* S. y& l- h- O
A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.( Z2 c1 ]. X9 }- A2 B
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.4 [" U9 O i3 T
0 y- r) W2 S1 l' Z"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 3 l% o$ k! R' i3 N( x/ c& E$ G& _# z. W, u# _' V0 v
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7." c+ U$ v8 a# [4 ]/ X
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.& G/ |; h3 Q0 o, m) d& `+ K0 U# |' z A
" E- f' W# _1 @! h6 z. a( |For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. 8 e, _& Z x) V) A+ u5 V4 x* a1 \; `7 z* V
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. ) ?$ U: m5 m/ u. s$ T. |( S5 D7 D5 X# L/ O. c, v
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. % k% Q5 l: k7 s; G X# g( P. v8 b: p7 t' Y+ k$ G+ l
"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.- `9 U" d1 O! B. `: ]& k+ K0 z) m
( g8 m7 g5 E& V q' s; V. IHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." / G5 ]! S, @! D% N+ r U . t( M4 H0 m7 y% {. ~' {/ ~) s. qWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.2 y$ V2 \+ W# U. g) |& A
' u1 ~4 o& k, M"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.8 {* s& S# e; Q/ U( @2 `
% ]& {0 _# o( s" DAt 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.; k1 i( L! Q% t4 [ ]
) z) d$ I$ E. J"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."; T% o% V8 ?3 P) g) K+ I! y0 U! h
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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.7 Q" b" n4 ]; R5 u; H
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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. ~: x1 H' e0 |) u$ m" T
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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. 7 R' I! j) \0 Y9 C+ J/ ]* N: p" W2 K. i8 d& y% i
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. - H/ O2 j3 u# k0 W3 b1 \/ U5 p0 l- e8 c4 R# Y
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.& \9 y8 l$ w! E D
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."% M; H/ {# [4 g* f7 T2 R
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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 98 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=2e6fb844c5667460778b958e3ac9f9d5&t=1751386694&sid=LvAIRC
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 98