全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录5 n% F. G4 d/ A7 n# M
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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。 ; a0 v) X( B$ A0 w2 W% M 1 R d- E2 s& M" \. I# ^0 A 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。: a5 s* j1 Y& o- c, v- Q6 `
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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, H% Q- h# w 9 g. }* [# ^6 r& u, o! y5 a8 E8 t) 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 O" e X! m$ t. L$ t' I1 L! L- Z7 Y) H' F/ F, a
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。$ T. W! ]; \# t" I+ h* C' X( Q
4 e- r& s. Q# ^+ |8 hGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date ! I# k; p: j. m/ E" I% D * H$ [* L9 x# d: p0 p! q# rCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.# @) s' U+ w, K8 @' b$ q
( g) S+ C6 r* ~$ N8 RIf 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. 8 W! b) X3 r+ Y! f2 K, L e9 H0 K! c. k- e1 v% B
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. . N w, u0 ?& k1 `+ D3 m! C8 v: @, i
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.. h* N2 a" a+ q! k5 g& K
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. + u: i n# b' d, O3 g8 h9 H ; ~% J7 @3 C# {8 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. 2 |) A; z1 ?8 j: V. _6 i ( t( _# ?5 l# F4 w! v3 u% k"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." t) f6 F/ N4 A/ ~" ^( b0 i $ X. I- }1 p9 N# O5 fAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. 5 [. h& I# s0 z8 @& r2 Q, Z) ]3 p- ? x% ^; E
But this year, July has joined the field.- D3 t0 R8 O$ n/ r
) k+ Y E8 A; u/ D8 J' y% Q9 WIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.3 j: _( M2 r4 G& n3 C J% s
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. / S, d9 V6 A* | ( t9 Z3 s. x [8 L; J6 f' ^ B8 eAlthough 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.' h6 A$ @4 `1 \$ j
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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. m! |7 L* `7 X1 [! C0 W5 O: u. {
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. ) J4 S; U* D r' S4 h1 c4 Q/ g7 e/ }: q) j; D& G2 k
A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville., P+ L9 g. z1 B8 I& E1 w
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.- D$ l! Z% s) B% _+ V) B& m8 p
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"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. J" a: a2 @) G( G 7 T6 b& {$ F% n# zA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.9 i& o: T( F- `' _5 V/ y' U
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. % q# G1 Z3 D H- D% Y1 H7 ^ # D+ ^) s" ^( z, g: N. g8 W0 AFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.& [( q3 Z2 |9 p# J. K% j v) h
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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./ q6 Y; z- Z. z; [& H1 ~
! y/ h9 M( G9 nSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. ; r+ m" D! Y0 t- H f5 T% Q: O0 R; w2 I/ f3 j% h n
"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. , [! G& R3 {6 Y' I& q$ Q; {1 w) [# S5 m+ I5 N" v
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 0 ]4 F( E% ?+ I5 g" g* t S0 t' L8 F0 v7 Q% J5 e P IWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. % b, x7 X& u, M0 C4 u- t. ] B. r2 @# K# a9 `# ]) k
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. 6 _' j) n. M5 T* N; v2 u; F: x # W2 E* i. {/ g) E& E) HAt 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. ( ?1 c" Z# s! c. Q0 n& R; ~* { p6 x, t$ h6 d9 y+ \# k1 o. 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."3 H; M3 `2 a7 [
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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. $ H8 O7 _+ ] Z * y( Y R6 m7 SLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. % H3 _% Y/ [7 G: N. E6 ^9 ~! J6 i
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. / q) x( t5 i$ F 9 V, S0 Y/ ^8 M6 K# D, L" u" U/ TThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.7 D1 f+ b- v+ I* D7 J c+ a
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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. 2 q+ v5 L: q4 Z) S% S+ c1 U* o 6 [7 X6 [9 E6 ~5 u) e6 P"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."7 I: v( J5 C' z4 E
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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=fcd62ae1732ddee87b19fb72a841b9ed&t=1765089565&sid=BlegTd
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