全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录- @6 i) M8 r4 y8 [' y ?
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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。* \ W& b8 U( N
& b3 P) w! }( |7 ?/ \; G 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。 i* S3 I' M3 U3 O. _9 b
. J# S2 e7 W S 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。 & y* ~+ l& e, }+ v k: S) @- e V! C' z9 p& Z+ _! y 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。 , a* B5 v, F" o ? w0 j5 |& h% `4 X/ M) K. ~
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。 2 R& t& M1 d0 |' a% o, ~/ _ / ? x) v' a& m0 s# E6 N- ?Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date1 V3 B2 D) H8 r( f n% H& t7 K
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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. ) u) |$ v9 c9 o& {3 W" G2 f- R: ?6 [2 W
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. ' Z6 }5 c! @' P, f* b% o& i: K: @+ g 6 c: E2 J; x$ V5 D9 y. \% }: h) V6 K"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. 5 [- G3 X- a, v- }. m* A8 H" W- r& x" b% D- ^. d$ t, @
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 9 m7 [* N: B5 L9 G$ Z1 ~5 m! Q# w2 S& t1 Z" B
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.) ?* ^- E& j1 n6 d# v4 t, k
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"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.% u* @/ K$ b V' i1 ?+ Y. a9 s3 ~
2 G6 i7 G, q% c6 n"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." ( V; u, s$ b; d, b: O - J; ^4 S6 Z; N9 o' Z4 j8 w6 RAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. : j* r) W. i7 ~6 U / }$ m/ M9 d1 I8 s3 SBut this year, July has joined the field. ! `" K# l2 `4 I) L 8 J0 R% n! |8 ], K* LIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.# K1 `: S# _% L* t# z8 u" {
1 ?% o' x. s& m7 X8 i' Y% \4 g"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.0 _7 W+ Q; Z- H5 `* {: a& f% Y; W
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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.& Y# j T/ g% {
+ X9 S5 U, q' j1 \"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. 6 g/ w% a: Z% ~) {; {: ]8 j) R1 r1 P0 W6 T) E2 \) n: S
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. & W' g+ ~9 X% J9 e # }0 Q% ?* T6 ^" t$ [* M- z( MA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.1 `4 v+ a: w# M+ f! U
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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. ! Y) z% G' r3 h( A& M8 n E" I # K/ Q i: K, w! \"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 ?- }+ K4 m# d W
3 F% M# r$ l% }4 I, ]A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 9 n/ i1 X3 n) D: q: a! `* Z, P. K3 r; x" j
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. 0 I) w n0 t8 G; i4 ]& m0 [$ i6 G3 r, U- a d2 N
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.- v& [2 u% i% K# E
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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.! r+ m- I2 O' @, V" F" e
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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. $ t, o3 M" C; f$ S( \5 v) H2 w4 J0 E7 I0 z5 g& v
"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.* `* y, b5 f- u5 I1 X
. W# n# V% ~2 T" ^2 h- C5 G; qHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." ) [& V9 i( f) D9 u' A , [" X, V. K# a, n% g' YWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.0 F0 r9 J, F- l* T i
/ J1 N: P% Q) W( h"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. " \# j3 s0 s0 }3 i) U5 d$ b0 D4 a7 O3 f: j% O( i& ~
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.. Q2 |6 B. `# ^+ b9 ~% o
) j. g8 ?9 M7 E8 R+ \, a"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." - l9 C. L* C* E, {" G5 a1 A9 k V$ n6 w
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 u- [. k" C1 P0 k* R( U/ X9 h; ~
, ^4 f2 `$ X T4 K/ u3 e% Y$ v; qLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.7 D! N, M, }: t' r. G3 d+ y
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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. ! y7 {" S0 k3 R1 w# R- _" w& m& X/ i3 w# T6 O
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ' X+ E" r1 h- H* {/ V % ^7 @8 m; b6 _' ?"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. - g. m$ ?0 l1 n: A; A% y! L7 j# F* G4 c
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 1 j0 k1 `: U9 e& t' y$ s3 \# S# x I+ J. |; |, W" k
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=c57cb107778719da2f573a546f5c9bf7&t=1764926071&sid=xW75xJ
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