全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 * K! K! g0 O7 {' D ~ 5 h. j7 `1 n$ F2 w+ \' Y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。 1 |/ D3 Q @$ j& I ! V# [6 r, `1 c" V' J8 n+ 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。5 B3 i; N! v7 S+ c; H. b; G6 _
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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。 - g2 @. c6 O4 P/ B$ Y0 z% P4 F+ Z7 c% o% ?3 Q
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。# p @, D" e9 M9 C
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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。 # `5 o( I8 |% @7 @! c+ b8 k5 e0 J5 f2 J; R
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date) {6 o3 s1 n% f# c3 h/ H
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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.4 ~, v( D6 w, X) O& J; @) k# P1 o* @$ L0 ]
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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.% I- J7 E: v) h% z$ O. ~# t% [/ o
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"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. 9 X1 l8 D) @1 i9 | C) ?* r. {2 q& a
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.) p- b3 {" H9 G6 f2 k1 B
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. * p2 {1 I$ i- `0 s; _, R" J- g5 B6 e# V* M, ?( w, I6 u! j
"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.& w+ @$ t; [9 A
9 o4 h5 a. `. o2 E- J& ^& T; s( H9 R"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."( u: e( p, [3 q+ T* K' x; r' w
, j* T# m6 _5 r) Y2 M3 b$ _- H3 [According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.; Z v/ M% f+ F; z) k: S5 U F
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But this year, July has joined the field. 5 A& E. A! [4 P, ^) K' r: q- l# p" w+ F3 m3 z$ h7 R0 M
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. # g' f9 K) h8 x! ^6 G& l( |+ m' N4 X# r# X
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.8 p9 T# F: I) A0 h9 V6 o& B
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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. , n, A* L- x, \8 i8 }5 M1 z- f' V, q/ [% X9 n6 c0 x% 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. 0 I2 H- z j) v4 `7 C- [- [5 f0 E. T5 v2 o- {& I( {; d
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.. H0 w X! L! j: c9 Z3 [
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. & v! s- R0 h+ C4 |& R# ]0 a. \ 7 g1 c, G0 ^3 O+ lWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. - J2 X& f) a, F' O2 A0 S' G. q1 R, |& ~/ c: X
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 7 l w8 E9 E. b; \+ y3 o+ U7 k$ }5 [7 `, a
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. K$ C& b/ Y. t5 {2 ]
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.; b) J" _6 i6 L/ d% ~
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.( N) y9 Y& U D7 O) X3 b" j
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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.* |- ^8 t: u9 {, N
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Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.1 Y; A# u9 l+ p& }
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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.* K' u- m% v. A
: D7 P" X/ X! r* @0 LHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."+ c& U9 H' |( K. c1 d6 S
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.+ d, [6 [7 U' A: ?4 h8 X: I" c
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. & ]- t! f$ }6 y& F- y , Q( x g. q) \6 dAt 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. - h3 E c) K o7 c! Q% |1 h - m6 i/ g4 h( S: @"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."1 w8 C2 ^9 h' M( ^
U S, P; G0 v2 D0 Q* NBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.# V+ E6 s% X: x- p
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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. 0 }1 P. {4 e0 e" W. B4 ` ' d, S+ E9 s7 t' v. W* 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. " M! W! [) m3 p5 B* s3 b3 R2 t , B/ q; |2 S7 W8 w1 n. tThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. u8 s# q1 X& c: I% \3 ?& V, p4 S$ @
& R& o1 |$ }2 C' B4 d: G"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. % C+ T) L: T6 [$ a" b , J6 P; I) M$ h5 S$ C2 x& o. s"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care.", `, H: ? o! B" r. }
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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 102 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=6096b2f3141acdb04aa753c2fbf95c33&t=1779698347&sid=TFlslt
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 102