全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 6 A! E! k6 ~$ e+ } & y S: |5 k [& [5 I# a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。1 g+ j: I$ D" U* B
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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。8 ]5 `, f! @' I# I
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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。 * l/ z# }8 P" K: M: W" i6 e) ~; Q6 W * f: B2 [* B: c" P 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。, u5 E8 b7 v- i
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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。 `6 y7 \4 ^# r. T( i9 o+ e- M- r* Z6 T
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date * m! g: J" U( O: A& S' L 7 X3 q2 L- N: ]Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.! b$ r" Z _4 Z# }3 z1 J
3 X6 i9 O1 t! e* t) [8 @3 ^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. Y7 i! s1 |+ b0 X- `/ b+ v- R; A; g/ a5 D1 F w
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. # X r' r, R" U( B3 X( q 5 P6 X# t; Z/ I; \& zThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. ( U; [- v' v+ F# }4 E * Y9 d1 x1 |/ h" P* }1 TOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 9 f) e8 N5 P( q) u5 b* }# f$ s" I/ T/ T* T) a9 z* L
"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.' V0 x8 N- m3 I) x! ]; g7 `! _
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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."& n& D; l5 A; g
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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. * G' Q/ N U3 C3 T3 P. k, s& c! x4 b$ r. D4 T' u j; h
But this year, July has joined the field. + E0 O/ f3 j; u1 Z. _* J 4 {' k+ D& i/ h3 g/ X {In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 7 l m( _# W# S' _ * S" m9 h" e% `; C/ D"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. ; P+ [% Y9 j2 g2 }2 P* O8 w0 l; ]' d8 ^+ I5 ~1 q
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 I# ^/ o1 @% h
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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. 4 P/ u; A% L# S! @/ ^6 X+ M5 t/ R5 c( l4 n% c4 J; ]
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. - M+ g m) |$ `6 G) v. M* B / P( w4 ^$ [: N8 H: R! LA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. $ E& h1 h, x/ C& G2 @ - Y: T' n5 n( O9 p" Y) dWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. " |7 v* d' y9 a# ]6 S' ~ 6 A7 Z5 n! q0 X, G- D A3 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.( @7 q% _: i5 D6 \: x
9 u9 G: z W, T7 K. h9 ~A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 8 o E4 f. d; E2 H" F! U2 a3 g, o
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. ; t) d6 {6 S, u' r9 y; R2 a* H, M; a1 C3 m6 p
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.. Q& f/ V& D' g, ]$ e. X7 E
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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. I/ G! O3 x# ?$ _! G6 w! ?# \. X g0 z: E' A- p
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. 7 T5 x0 @: w8 g, b0 n* J+ b : j7 R, Y p) w"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. 0 {" ?2 G" C8 n) M6 p' N # ~% f% s; R1 mHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."; _$ J* D: ~% e8 l
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.& P# C: Z& f( g+ y3 Y0 P& _5 z$ z
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. B& B: w% T: ^' ^% x. }. h
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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. / u6 K/ p, Q3 ` . O# ~. W8 L6 T. ]"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."% q7 A) H) H( K P# i" _: q
/ C& ~* ?5 Q! k& v- h0 M; E" r$ ^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. 4 \. a. r$ M4 I* r/ W! G+ w7 k4 C, `3 x ; \7 Q$ o0 X' Y1 Z: H6 n' \1 m/ P, N dLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.% K. s/ s. f0 @
' G0 e% ~. k9 a5 K4 J3 A& aRoss 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.3 S9 }: F5 f' S! j2 ?
& K# o2 j9 J% ^! ]8 ^$ @3 ZThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.6 ^$ ]$ l7 z, y
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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. 1 B2 M( n9 f& m; J ; n( R) H2 J+ ]8 J"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 1 E, v1 D0 H7 `1 s 3 _7 I1 ^" k! y& r) r- M/ q
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=52ee7bfed71fee2795a34f623881a228&t=1765174109&sid=CTTXx2
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