全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录( m# v0 }1 e5 \
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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。 $ b. K* o, \: u% _/ L0 { % j- h7 u( Q/ L* Y( x1 N+ T. j 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。8 |- c8 F* n( w
# ]4 ^/ _8 a( F o# G9 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。2 G! X5 g& D4 P7 Y* W5 h
; q+ l0 ^+ z6 O1 g+ X; }. H 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。; F, l, d4 ?5 Q% D' ~' 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。6 ]. }7 h% i0 k
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date & W4 r# x* t5 A( U2 r - K1 _: d9 H4 {" U, W) |4 A& ECelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. ' t" [+ x7 j# i3 p. n+ r3 Q1 L9 z/ `! ]( P
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. & P9 W2 j4 r) R/ X. y) W' M . c) w: Q+ L4 U+ [* D" Y+ Q7 r"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. . X1 U, [( _5 w! v4 |; K* o6 v0 ^1 d: |4 {( Z0 x& o3 M1 E
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. % O, Z7 ?( z+ O1 E8 k F7 k, k' L0 d; Y, B- w1 [$ R F
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.. k4 D) ^- t. H3 p" }$ x3 G: Z
8 B8 N$ W2 ]& _4 z4 k# O/ Y"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. ) v2 L7 G' v1 I8 Z; i7 e( [' S7 \, {% Y1 |/ [& j( w
"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." % z9 T* Q9 `& H) k" ~/ N3 a 9 E& _5 o; K/ B8 d0 ?0 U( s+ hAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.# e; ?! t. a7 i# w- L
4 x$ W: N5 _* n+ n* s7 H0 \2 }But this year, July has joined the field.; x" `5 |1 X9 Y- g# A
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. ( r4 k4 O/ ]& J) ?6 T _ T) x% Y8 ^! [6 ?8 {, h
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.1 n1 M) m; v8 s" @+ d. `
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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. % f& Y+ Y; Q% @( s# Z6 I6 I( S0 n , }! _ g8 }6 L" g: S"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. : X( v. r: I" T$ L' B9 T7 U0 Y
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. / l, s2 J: V0 ?" Q7 ~% _) r3 X3 }% O& K
A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. & K" U% M8 s# X 7 C. f! y, ]" j0 X: ~& BWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. / p( H4 ?% z" j0 _6 p/ e! D 5 I& ]8 {- K% m1 e2 R5 f" @( T( U+ \"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.: A1 J; U( D) I! l* w5 K
1 ^5 b+ ]2 c2 b- |! \# x oA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.+ ^& _0 o3 \; i* w' p: @
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.. ]+ C$ V3 ~. F! I, @$ i) \ H
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. 7 b; h. x2 J- f0 h" c9 ^7 _: m$ D: {) C" V$ i c. A
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. / c6 e5 n' u! p 8 L$ S a1 c7 I! l+ F1 xSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. ( ~# i# E& f8 {+ G& d9 x" _& t2 `1 W, a( |! Q4 f
"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.8 f7 h- o8 M s& @. r2 R' L* g
0 e7 w: c5 |6 c0 w/ XHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." ; q# X% ]- Y) o3 I, S( a ; B: T# g5 u& Q! ? WWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. 9 [! M0 ]0 g' W. q, r" e L7 R9 W8 h' z# Z2 t' d! C5 W: N* u, s
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. }% E4 M! X% g6 C% a
. Z8 u2 v/ H7 _6 e, 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.4 w- {4 y" E# h9 E. ]
9 Y6 |4 {! v1 h% J6 [' X5 n h" O"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." & x, c* ], c) n- J5 @$ ?$ b6 z- ^0 q0 Z9 }
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 B4 p( R: w' E/ O. c1 r! h' Y. R1 L6 E" b2 x2 o+ s
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.6 G( }7 @# v1 G& {3 }' ~
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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.# `8 A1 P9 d6 d. Q% ]
, @$ X$ w1 b. _- s9 LThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. , \8 ]3 y/ j" Y3 K & V( k; D9 h4 Z" d( Y8 O"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. 4 n5 J3 J5 {7 t) Q3 y. {- F X3 E- {3 B2 B1 E
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 6 O4 d2 k: c. d, ^) J) E! x, X+ C1 x
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 63 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=01a8faf3fe9473fe166a50edc9f26aba&t=1726602119&sid=2gEcGM
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 63