全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 # F4 d' O# C3 D2 ]: m0 \# S7 R' {% \# U
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。( z6 Q( ~) Q! R3 {5 ?7 |$ m
/ o S1 d2 o" F+ e5 S9 A+ T 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。: r4 U2 B. V+ s
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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。 . c; B I7 n' m7 w! J' R# Z / r4 Q1 v! N/ P$ O 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 C0 g' h, l2 l. W [8 \2 |6 o5 s' P
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。; n, F3 N) t9 O- Z$ I+ I7 M
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date ; h3 |0 K+ P" [ 0 Z7 P2 S& S2 B! }, RCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. : ]( R v5 W0 {' \4 `% S1 l7 i: Z5 \
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.: z3 R/ h- P& _7 i! B6 j
7 O# E$ f' p. A0 j"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 H" \5 p4 `2 L8 E & v1 X: |3 Q# t' j# kThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. / A* I. I( _, E/ H9 o2 C5 M2 A( i7 \* q
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.! q. u( L# b7 t' s$ C
* V% h8 p* d& \7 ?"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. ; r' I5 Z9 v/ n5 W4 |6 E: T+ D 5 [8 k- W: ~9 O# ?2 G"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 m% B! J+ ~1 Z/ L
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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.9 H9 ?8 a% E, ^. L
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But this year, July has joined the field. 0 d/ C2 M" g+ ?, Z$ {# f" B" C* ]/ @* E+ e
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. ; O! T1 A1 L3 H& K) B # L9 b8 r' e# C# a' @3 b/ P"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.4 R/ t; w) J: ^+ Z& u! q8 I
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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.! i3 E# q! U3 x, ?8 X4 X: z- G
- T& a X; U4 d"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.! Z* z7 l7 q5 N6 E! ^0 u
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.7 ^/ V& m2 N3 D( J2 o
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 4 e$ g; y* ?, `" w7 ~& x1 \ # d: i9 a( i: D( u3 Q" m' SWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. K! x- y+ J' h9 O* O d2 t3 j5 _2 E/ w7 v1 ]/ w. J g Z
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. $ ~- w1 ~( `, ] 0 n+ f ]6 [/ R9 X; p" MA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. . B8 `# I0 ]. d J- _. s, Y( c; u5 ]* R
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.* W. r% g0 \7 l: u; Z5 B! D- g
3 Q K% v1 F9 ^2 G6 y2 z( wFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. 9 I7 y% G, f* i2 a: ?1 l- h3 x3 W; F8 {: j# Q9 s" ~
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. 3 I4 x H b; q' ~3 v+ w 1 Y" R* g$ o& oSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.* b/ ~9 F6 a" o* C+ W
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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. 7 x8 Z* Q0 G7 }1 V$ w 4 d0 @6 X* H5 C4 g. ^( eHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 8 s$ |+ e+ g, u, V# [1 `& ?- d ; i- y/ T/ Z H! s( m$ wWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake., C0 D% }0 k2 x
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.# m+ J# v* y8 s. c
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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.9 N/ Y- P5 D9 @; L5 Y
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"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." $ L% I8 T: V* `, J W9 _0 ^; ~' J- t1 x) ?' a& T; k: L
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.7 l/ \! `, h$ q. y& |# J
( U# k9 r E5 ULibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. / ~( i( I- E& m4 s + d! s% K0 m% k) F8 r- ZRoss 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. : X* ?+ }3 g5 e, f4 w1 X/ { 8 d: ]# Q6 A& p! W; j+ FThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 1 Z/ K' `" D2 a8 v$ E' T; _; @# V0 V; O) f
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.) s6 w: h+ Z3 }5 n: T7 q7 M
# T7 {4 L' i# V: T' Z; e9 t( m"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." * V! w5 {% ^0 A7 [: M f/ h+ n L; q+ u6 e5 S1 }6 a
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=b284ce674967c0bf5b1e668abc83859c&t=1765000782&sid=jjjUli
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