全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 X7 ]$ x! s+ R& G0 [' _, Q
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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。, R& s' M- Z7 }4 j( 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。2 I6 U# c% a& b7 o
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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。: ^# o' e- r% ]4 m3 h& l5 m P
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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。 6 g! N2 Z6 T* r- Q, J9 ]7 i+ a% y. n& n+ [& l4 \8 K
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。& q5 j3 d, j2 y( p& `, N& |/ K9 |' K
6 J9 {0 g; \- @, a7 O4 }. t8 ?: h* P* `Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date ! H, f3 P ^9 q% L2 G/ W+ A$ h9 S$ c6 _, [/ {
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. ' @% \* o2 a9 @ C; J- ?& A4 o1 C9 E' N6 p9 c1 z, j2 P
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. $ ?4 R/ i; ~/ V; [* \9 t7 N, O. e8 [. |2 H, m" O1 G
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. % L) l# Q0 ?' }( n3 a $ ?* p" ^+ K1 I: j/ HThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. - J0 a- n+ E, D% ~( H ( e0 L1 s# e0 _8 Z" rOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 6 G9 s1 E6 r# p) Y+ {% B# v4 g: m0 K, q" Q$ t7 y* v' b
"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. : C4 k' l- h4 x4 A/ { % k5 p) [+ r( Z1 h1 E$ v l"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." 1 Q) O4 f7 [9 b, |/ h E: a6 t. F( }0 P5 l3 {
According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.9 q# U! E8 P: h, a
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But this year, July has joined the field." [. L2 ]' @& g, t
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7./ q K T9 d5 Z w- p
4 C3 V( Q% c# m. ?2 I! Z; R"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. ( J0 E: n; ]/ i$ U5 b% f5 m" g( n c' i* Z
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.% \: s% B; ^- x8 p5 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. ' j, G8 b* E" G" p, n( Q; N; c1 R* B9 T/ A
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.- V9 m0 s3 M a3 C: T% x* A9 g
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville." O* t% o5 v& {8 d+ R: `9 C
$ C7 y* B4 v3 bWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. 0 R' A, N5 c$ M+ b# x2 e9 P9 ?/ I9 P: }7 z+ A8 O" O
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. * p1 ]. u" Y! ^, s ( z# g3 z2 q1 } c- j* vA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. , n, r9 t& n% o* b" o 1 ^/ ~& H& ~3 ]$ u"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.+ C5 e- f8 N8 z8 i) C U
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.& G) D& Q7 j% d. Z+ p6 Z; d ]: e9 I) s& i
% J# g c# @9 Q8 fReceptionists 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. 4 o# j/ N4 T+ x/ V% ~* q3 F- w$ X$ {" Z
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.& K5 G* |3 V7 j7 p, k/ W
# Y+ S0 n$ T; s1 \; 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. + d o! Q8 z& \0 S% Z5 s8 k8 v" }: P0 t
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 1 T2 J# y5 k, s7 o2 a! R' j+ m; P' A# _
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.3 E q0 z/ G" I2 O0 ]- j9 e# U& a+ r
7 w* Q( H4 l$ p( z"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.% O% p! }2 _; | x0 ~
7 s- `9 \ ~ ^& O* @& UAt 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. ' U( u7 V* l* W% h1 K) e4 x" t* b' Z- x$ l
"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." 3 r5 R: J7 G; {3 N: z- ? 7 { u) m9 h, ?5 f4 Q" w6 HBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site. ( j- x; X7 J7 T J7 y. ? Y @. @$ A( z; p2 }$ `0 {Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. 7 K$ `+ \6 y% b 9 [) {( v; f" X9 T( V- H0 |( D" 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. 4 h5 g @: L: V% B. ~5 c 5 Z+ T( g: i1 w5 |$ `Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 2 Q% z2 I5 E- u% I8 g: q! I ( N, V3 Q6 Z$ y8 ]! B"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.% [3 v% V% G7 V
2 C6 {! y* W9 U3 b"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 7 D7 J8 t' g9 k7 ?+ b8 s0 u- | 2 p$ c! {0 s6 Y
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 112 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=170373cd7eb2e0f9d1f8727eb7d5a77f&t=1792767328&sid=5lQpOv
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 112