全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录8 b" Q/ ~8 \5 D0 j' {
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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。 ) D$ e! u/ a6 r, m' H0 [* }$ T) j* Z8 ?! e% 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。 7 z0 n8 I: X! X! i: s % R/ s. U# ^! W& Z+ ~ 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。 " g r8 O) V+ O& c! w. q6 k- s. J7 g9 x, P/ X
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。2 m5 j' X( I& Y' ^$ `" y
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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。9 `: d# z F# z& I0 N, Q q- W
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date ( f2 G1 O. V5 a" ~4 V; J$ Z 8 O+ D5 x; O1 P1 oCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. ' d7 ^# u" |6 m8 T4 m% W4 x) v$ G$ k& p# C- B$ ~' {
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. + A: |4 j" ]3 R) q& L7 I : j4 R2 e u% o' F8 \$ G3 ["I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. * w: w0 z& G. i5 x' L: c1 D. [ # R% L; g' Q% c- |' V, K( EThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.7 {/ A! b7 r' `# g I% n
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.% j6 t! D4 I3 ?) w0 M; p- ~# u
& H* Y( {* b7 _2 b5 U- r6 o1 E"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.4 o8 [/ D8 ?+ |" G$ [
2 P9 T7 I3 h, z; S9 ?+ D% G5 _& m8 x"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." ' P: h B% G+ p0 ~ . ~" N7 _2 T/ ^" {2 A3 M3 qAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.. q9 H5 e& r0 v& f( O
i4 Z+ p- S) {0 g$ ABut this year, July has joined the field.9 G+ [, S) e: @& ^6 ]" Q
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7., G6 c4 E F/ G- z) c, y d5 }
" W1 \1 V1 M! u7 E* H$ y"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 9 V* l9 |/ q1 a2 _0 I- ^/ x # m: w* L, R8 t1 l: }, C9 pAlthough 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. h. `& o! l) N6 P# D s" y6 U
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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. W% x! e; \5 h ' k" U0 N- n4 n2 p! \% _For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.- e" A& D6 [) H8 l' ?- U& e$ O& u7 r9 z
; E9 [3 c G6 V6 XA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.7 y/ s/ T t) U- x7 C
" F: m% U5 `3 C$ I6 T% yWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. " C) |/ f4 k$ E: \1 v3 ^- j 5 t2 D: h8 H+ g. P+ z6 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.3 H/ L! U8 @! a, t# H* j0 d! d) L: Y
4 B( g3 F, R0 ?1 b! _A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. & A$ i1 z4 t! _$ R2 f$ p8 d! _) G7 D7 T! b: z( v
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.! @/ ?: S* E @# r
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. ' V( U6 E5 T2 }! F7 ^ Q" }& @( K; d1 `
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. . y4 B k8 j/ s- W- g% M , j& ]8 ]2 W8 ]7 E1 X8 BSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. . C/ V6 s1 w8 _. }( X2 v3 ? E5 c9 G5 m R2 P0 M: ] e
"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. " k. T9 o# \# [: L+ Z * h) h9 N. ~$ S1 o, c" sHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." ' ^" b1 P' t8 z& h* A O% q3 Y8 A- |9 h* t
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.3 F; j$ r+ `& g
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.8 B& i5 Z1 V. T# \! j6 o9 y2 i
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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.+ o/ A6 {! J- d! y5 `9 u% O
/ W) D# Q; Y, M8 U$ o/ q"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." $ z' W$ O( m& v7 F( D0 l5 I1 `3 [- J
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.3 B: }1 M6 {# ^( Q% H* Q' u9 b
5 O; b$ y# e1 D% f6 j2 dLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. ; l9 Y$ N$ e6 N' i9 E. Z) J; N$ X
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. 6 i: x# s# l: i! v ! S# m" d: R g: hThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 0 q* b* l+ j( T2 G3 E, B& ? : A; m. O& V/ b+ A7 `"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.5 D: t$ B+ ?6 B- D& T) T9 p" f
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."6 G1 R0 w6 i+ [ ~* v2 |3 Y8 t
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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=642e3cd065473471980ba25009b674b4&t=1764802542&sid=L6AXBV
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