4 J. P+ ]' \0 D, Z& V# j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。 - d$ j6 H" e0 _( A7 s K! c& h8 k 0 J" b' l" a3 J, T( C2 T+ W 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。 # o6 d+ F1 b" E g& R- ^; q0 i2 _0 x' Q" {
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。2 I9 I+ y' I* h. M7 b0 d
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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。 0 R/ n( K0 F1 U% }6 A9 U* Q( J7 z$ m3 [! _* e# C
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。9 [4 D) X, c% i- \9 V- Y
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date & B* C( K. T+ n2 R' L# x' G$ U( m6 P! o5 M
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.; t3 s- E5 r3 O4 U
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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. 6 g# O3 ~+ J7 } `# z6 X% z9 U3 \) N/ W 0 V2 D6 {9 p! x G, m"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.- c. F# v+ u% M9 |! ^8 q
R( Z" j" r' i. aThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. ' b. H: @+ A* y2 Z; ? $ ]5 c7 G# ], V, ^4 |8 J: cOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. * s+ J5 t1 o+ V7 v ' ]6 j: d* ]: G"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. {# _/ |: W7 C/ p8 P( _
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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."& M9 W7 r( ]7 l1 c/ ~
M q! S7 Y( g$ i8 DAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.( H5 |4 A/ ?7 t' j
, E3 X, ?- L+ ~; A; m; Y9 rBut this year, July has joined the field., v) j; l, G8 o0 P
4 e' N& j, S0 \' t( A1 ~; @In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. $ D1 w: x1 K8 K( ? A; \' O- P, g6 T$ {2 t+ j+ ^4 ]1 [* m
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. " \% q2 O- M( T3 ` z& T5 o! I( ~1 A1 k; tAlthough 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.8 B1 Y3 j, I9 Z, {. A+ Q9 r
* b2 {4 Z) ?6 b5 }- X! s# w"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. 1 U) x6 ]8 ] N. i* _; B# v# S7 k" s6 l& `- t
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. + C7 t) ^; I; X" p3 v! J, W' ~ 1 M3 x5 j: f. a9 KA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 5 d* t0 Q$ u# @/ V5 W( L* ^ 0 Q2 a- m9 f8 t ^With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. / p- ~4 Y- R! X: c7 f1 B. ^; ^8 N7 j Z. z2 F" y& \# v
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.+ ]* L" } ^! N
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. $ [# ]% P% O' C; L* A2 O % F5 m& Z6 `4 K" t"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.3 T/ V3 Y- i% O
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. # `- U3 H4 ^) T7 A 4 v1 w8 K, V4 V. HReceptionists 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. 0 [: `- a% @( o& ?, J" A9 L. j. K: E' k+ d
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. ' }! F; _$ e5 _! ^$ X, Q 6 c9 n8 r. i+ ]' ?7 D a; s"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 O# e' M* h' H5 X4 K P
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 1 U$ r# W {, _3 G8 N# b g( i6 T3 F3 z6 H
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.2 {! d, j E' @. d# }5 D
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. $ j$ S' S+ d7 ^, s/ u; b5 B( c3 t. T" C# f5 I4 r% S" }
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. - @) a$ s) n1 q1 y/ f- k$ @0 I$ j% M. d% a
"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." ' p5 f/ [# x9 v. a& I( B, K: _ k6 n1 z& Z* d/ [5 f- f; S- y
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.1 @* ]4 C* Y& ^4 x. a
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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. , I% D6 ?+ t p- }7 t0 W( e4 w * Q( c j3 k* u4 @9 I 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. 9 O( W& | Y2 Y5 U4 d & z/ s( W9 i+ jThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 7 x1 u9 W0 d* S! h6 C- e " J% P4 y! w9 l& N4 g"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. ; Y- S% G! l# B* n, u0 W P ( A" m6 X# W7 `& T* S- |, b"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."+ q4 H: k: B8 l' g& v2 [4 o
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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 100 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=76e5fbc2a0dbe0f9d3659e5326ab20db&t=1765112196&sid=us93WU
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