全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 & K& d8 J2 Z# k: L! b5 ^. b+ U6 i) h3 p! d$ P$ x1 g
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。 5 D$ c0 s4 c, y, k2 ]4 Q2 G H% C/ p- y
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。 + e1 C8 T; R, z7 S% l 7 t: O- m3 L% y, x8 G" a 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。 ) X* _& g) r% U1 X% a9 p8 Q 6 |; x! x8 e( V! m: j 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。 9 a; [; B, ]% S- Q: L$ c) R: _1 S6 y3 N! ]
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。 . L3 [9 C* F0 P2 M9 H * u6 K7 u# Z8 _Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date2 ^: S9 d+ E1 ~* b* D. a. }! @
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Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. R- k, ~) X/ v5 ~9 y
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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. 1 k; C0 S% ^" C. R! ^ ) k- m) m, J, P4 h"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.* I s, Z* E3 Y. _/ ~5 o
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. * V# I& t* D- W& ]$ x/ `1 | 2 o# }4 Q6 G6 Y8 |5 i. I+ HOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.9 [$ ^- w$ E% I8 k4 ~& [4 K; W
% A2 S9 [0 _# d0 Y7 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.: `1 E% m/ t: G0 {- p0 n/ z* k
4 k* [/ q* l) U$ T* a' ]- B* c* S"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."2 S$ V: J, X9 {6 d% U3 `1 [
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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.3 H1 k: ?* a$ j& Q. Y" j9 {
6 X$ `: ?. Y* p8 _, x; j- ~But this year, July has joined the field. * o: Y' q* u& c& ]% x! r5 a7 q7 T$ n4 K# L+ o5 T; _" ?/ G m9 O4 ^
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.$ p# @. d% b7 O6 k* w& \
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. $ p% S9 i8 A6 d! N& k 6 H+ K/ m" B, j+ E1 ~ WAlthough 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.# H9 V$ e5 e! n; y0 \6 F- S
: L: u- M" r( q' p"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. 6 V9 U0 x- @: [% u7 x( a ' p4 G' o3 D, n I9 gFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.; P: i, P: K( s
4 N# n, H( p+ e0 i+ vA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. ! ?* M8 M# ?& A# M7 M7 f ( x6 H& d8 V; JWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. 1 k4 l* g8 G/ O6 d, Q: {1 {; y0 B
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 1 ^0 S+ |2 \$ E" w8 e ' \7 P5 \/ F1 sA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.' {3 Y" m3 i; Q+ R; {/ C6 s
7 ~6 u9 {$ s9 V4 f3 c8 M: [' l/ B"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.# k- \2 L. Y v8 h U
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.( v1 e7 A Z$ {7 T
0 n5 _5 C2 ^% @& m) t. x/ |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.) h: f2 A u- O: A
$ Q8 ]+ m/ P* A0 M9 W5 a" f5 {Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.- R: ]1 j8 B, u" D+ b6 \+ A3 J
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"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. $ M @2 N4 ~8 v1 }. t# ? # ]; X4 a, l: L u" I" tHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."7 ]. `, Q1 H/ m( ?- a3 v
! z! x; a7 e- {& I9 L/ ^Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.3 S- o( z6 }+ P1 t
% R. {6 G5 u1 F Z. \# G8 h! `"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said." Q, r) l: J# J2 I9 G. n7 L
) j5 s$ q4 x) l6 x, vAt 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. 6 c& G0 N9 J; ~2 L& G0 s/ b6 Z, A) M9 I' U5 l5 H/ E
"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." " [" W2 Z/ m5 L7 o, R - }, F0 i. ?6 y& T, gBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site./ N7 b* f) v7 l9 I, t! q z
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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. F2 _ e6 t) Q. T! ^ D- T1 O7 ]5 Q( |1 M
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./ L( ~# |( y! y8 ~( k2 V9 U
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.3 c! O4 c" Z5 }% _+ Q1 v3 f# }
9 Y: m, ]) b0 d"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.1 q: P2 g) L% A* H1 j1 c
1 r1 P2 a% `, q2 q5 }, e p"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."+ T* i+ x+ L/ t2 q4 o; @& j+ 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 101 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=83254c6721f81a30ddefdb9240e61bfa&t=1769857777&sid=3FmQqq
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 101