" p1 e4 g8 d. {! p' G- t4 a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。: X# C8 V; A# f/ D( J. ~2 J
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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。3 k/ W1 ]9 J2 K* ]; ~' y% f; s9 O
+ h4 @- }3 w. B% u' O/ X 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。 ) c& h6 C A1 A$ y+ j5 E7 g1 ] \7 S. Z4 w$ @0 m) Z% c
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( h; y7 N, h
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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。 / N$ _% l+ J3 Y( _% B. h4 G* P, r3 V( r, z& K b
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date - w4 d4 R1 F2 H" ~/ y3 X' U4 \/ B; M $ \: C& m" i( {8 ^& _1 \Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.) G9 K$ W/ e7 I2 U' d$ V1 c# h
! z7 `2 V3 f5 o; p3 q$ m% G* gIf 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. + A5 Q o1 P2 R3 D9 D5 U- E" M& v8 e( x# Z- \2 _/ i& }$ G0 K' p
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. ) E. B& g) w' ]% ~- L1 v6 K. n- y/ l9 ~
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 4 n% c& [3 ?; O( U5 N0 [. b2 c. Y/ [) I# _$ T4 C4 o5 o
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.. i( b3 a" v9 W+ N$ n: x
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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./ h$ G) u7 ?, e+ h
; A- X8 x. a' z$ J# R3 O"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."& O9 r. K6 d: a! t& n
1 ~0 n, J2 n* J5 {& W. j! eAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. 6 q! d- a" T+ f. ]2 t( J( c4 P, j1 M) G0 d5 G1 L+ }* ^8 l
But this year, July has joined the field.$ n5 V, J& P. a, j' y
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 7 \* m4 ]. ]6 l( p* a" U F! M3 n
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. " w# Q4 [+ Q# y' I& q% j& {9 ?) W# V" |/ o* \3 Y, ?' \
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.% i# T9 [& }9 s1 y6 u) L. t& {
7 v/ j% v, \2 A+ j8 y z"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.; h- r: H& I1 _; }8 A8 }' _4 r
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. * e( d9 U3 q/ [' E6 w7 L& Q ! m6 @0 H/ b! \9 E! A( sA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 0 p4 a: F+ _- E5 z/ V* V& b; J* E: w
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. 9 ~- c7 w! m+ { 7 Z v6 M9 H& M"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. $ I# Q$ N a. P( r1 J6 o y+ O, A# Q8 d, d5 R7 J) [A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.8 |: g& M; W8 B, k
$ s# K- R" M: R7 J- w7 `"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. 6 m8 ?. w" y$ f 8 e4 ?6 @% t* y Z, k: _9 d( C* dFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. ( M+ M% P. l( t t. Y! N8 b) k1 A( H! @, u5 z0 o
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.- l( u9 o( c4 _2 m" M
0 j) g% d6 n4 i" C- eSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. 0 t1 c% E* q4 |- s4 s- Q/ F6 F) [( C5 B6 E" N2 z
"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# H1 G% P
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." ( P P) K5 {: Z7 I0 n $ |, x9 ~& F7 Z& K; |8 R1 _& K' [Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. ) N' n! ^7 K5 n2 Q6 a7 |7 g" I% q e9 p5 O
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. & w9 y* v3 s2 ?; k; G8 x# T 4 |% F+ ~ E1 w- C/ e5 g. oAt 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.. X! n% q" f' \3 W& X$ \. ~
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"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." 6 y# B* h1 [3 V6 k+ B6 o9 h; g3 d' ^; a5 w p0 e
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.9 a7 q: K6 s. h; K# S z( m! b
- [" E. v& h/ j2 c$ U. _Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. * O1 R8 k! }( r5 Q% {% i; [6 o: g1 _& _5 k
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.* N- i3 ~5 z5 k q2 I& n4 |+ E
- ?# a; z3 ]9 f2 C1 P5 O( F) Y7 pThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ; Z- Z( ^- G# c- S+ W' | 8 y5 _, l" ]7 S; R% U% G"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. 5 V5 q* y; w1 T3 y9 L: Y 6 t& k: C# @) L( G8 S7 F"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."( c9 v0 h. @* r# V% 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=1c2555527dfc27d09800f1c15d614bac&t=1764946901&sid=UR44B7
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