全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录6 o* t# B# p" j7 C
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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。1 s) y8 z! k* r" U2 g
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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。, g h+ ]/ H% v+ L
: f& k4 S+ f( M c6 R 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。 D# H" t" \! ]/ t
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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。& r$ z/ G3 E9 \) l% b9 |
; D5 @; H' ~( a$ k2 y2 g* r 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 x+ x1 M; i8 v3 S( L5 z( j3 A" z7 w 0 Y1 a; b( h- Y- b' P& `3 pGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date $ \" x2 M( R4 i ' U1 e* v f" l: aCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.6 T; o2 r) ?4 O1 U1 e; q
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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 p% m6 U& `. S9 S3 I, @1 D % c/ L" X/ \* k# B( W# ^- a8 w' v"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.9 U# R7 a. u3 E
: J* Z) c: Z/ L; p6 y, D7 mThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. * O6 X; x! L0 ~9 J/ P$ S3 l+ V5 d8 v
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 5 D7 d: t+ G; U + S. H( h5 g3 e/ s: A1 F. e1 k+ ?"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. : b* V5 D: h/ O' ?/ r+ F % X8 S, ^* o& [$ t# y"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.". d9 v+ \& O+ Z e9 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.8 _* d7 k- M9 g$ ^5 K( D9 r- T
2 C) p" K7 ?' w; @% k5 rBut this year, July has joined the field.1 b7 G! p1 ]7 W( W" U
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.+ @9 j( G# J% K5 L
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.9 `7 \; p7 r1 J1 F4 k
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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. " @: q) Y' f) V3 f4 B$ \4 y! } ; c) V- ?$ I9 [# v5 N) s7 [6 R1 l0 `"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.- H" d% G: A# P1 b- U, @
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. , H- A- N- d5 E. _$ w/ D 0 P( H5 @+ C$ K. @3 C8 G2 @A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 2 A$ a4 s. \+ @* M6 s7 A' T# [3 |! e7 F4 Y
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.5 ^/ ?" s" }# S, t! |, T
. O' e+ k9 Y7 w# @7 Y"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 6 V# ~0 F. r5 f! U& J$ k8 L1 a 6 e( s" m5 U, A" kA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.; Q, r( ?- t! f+ x
5 `4 Y. ]" |6 H"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. / }# \9 W/ `/ [ % Z7 X( \7 F) D, t0 [2 BFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. # k8 `: v( ~6 X1 x; u. a D" k% p: T! J
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.9 g# z' e6 U8 @
4 R/ m4 D# m- n& l* g7 xSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel." P }' |% u/ f# y4 d
4 O8 g4 R( W3 a( K"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. * p# ~4 S4 ~. W5 }5 Q% m+ u9 f. `& _0 y W5 }% U# h
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 5 [8 B8 D- F7 w6 Y" g0 G. \* y3 R2 L
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. * D/ J% f* f: S, m0 s2 p 2 O8 ? u# L: L( b: L. n"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. # w7 H# U& u) l+ J R. J! O! g1 D5 c8 m D1 U; Q
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. ; K) u: {/ g# |6 _. H% C 6 o; z6 r, [9 x3 Z4 K4 I"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." 2 p) t; v5 c3 v* T) [$ t7 I! A ]8 g$ Q
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. 2 x# r* `/ s5 S- F+ e e5 y0 A: g7 d$ e% O9 B
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.' _; w! l; o% j0 i# N1 s! m" D, G
2 b l$ v; Q' C2 O2 \4 sRoss 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.2 [+ P5 c. A! x
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ( {4 T+ h' @, X2 R& L$ K$ Q0 N2 s
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.% w0 I V2 V) l2 B. e( ^2 M
( X1 x: q! y2 Y2 O$ }"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."( i9 p: T& U; 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 100 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=68f6d6643211d0bed17aa6feff08f9e2&t=1765012576&sid=9EuYPb
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