" l4 Q+ A8 E; g, G7 _2 V8 \3 \2 \4 @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。2 y/ I2 j# z3 t+ G
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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。' W* b8 f3 @5 G; v+ s. H/ e3 z
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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。 ' R i- N: c6 F; {/ Y) C U1 S2 e8 F/ x! G& C/ 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。 % x7 s; l2 W8 i+ e# Y& O5 Q+ R$ v5 F
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。* s$ \* e9 S5 r/ y7 t; {
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date # g# a E0 A; F' O. M & T: X0 m4 X( `: r% n( K TCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck." P9 k0 u: E+ B& {# s) s
) v: i4 e( Z. E4 H: @; ?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.2 Z! {* j3 n8 K0 x
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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./ V% e% n( P7 z( k9 }! o
+ G; R+ W' \2 AThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. ^- j0 p2 f2 o
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.2 g% W' B; Z3 y4 ?' b8 d/ b. q
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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.7 I' a/ L/ ]6 x1 ~7 v6 ^; i
. ]1 z/ }$ x# H! j2 z1 Q8 B"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."2 D5 M# @& b8 W9 k3 C1 U, J% ~
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According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. , I3 Q3 z4 L7 c! I " }- D. k! l. ` D% {9 B7 D& }But this year, July has joined the field.$ A6 J4 z) l! h" Q! _2 @. b. L
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.7 W+ e0 P5 z1 [- v; b/ i
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. ) P6 ~7 s) p# p9 e/ A! { ; i* W; }! `9 g ]% h jAlthough 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. 1 Z) U8 N' E+ l5 r( h& T% `2 _$ b# u; h. o- y' |
"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." f) m# n/ F) v! i7 I% C3 K6 P
, x* }, R2 f* g3 R" AFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.! ]; L1 N4 Y+ x" r" x
# H" c' C5 \ }3 p( tA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. , @; M$ H+ t& k' \& c . e) m1 B7 } G: p$ d' m7 t) {With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.2 ^& l# h5 K; K. F
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"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. ) R Z! j) M6 C0 j% b G0 t; H5 j- i6 }+ S3 I; eA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.9 ?2 |0 @( S7 _9 L C- k1 P$ V5 B0 i
0 x9 d+ \2 P5 O* F8 V c$ \"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. ; Y! {3 q, c0 D+ b6 _ - C9 Y& C- E: ]$ R9 J' X$ k! a& S$ Y1 XFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. n! g: n) }3 Y4 }- g
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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. 5 S; U& [$ m7 _5 [5 p$ Q/ M0 I' U9 B5 j9 p4 a: x
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.! b: J$ Y5 v" d# f0 U) P2 w
* c0 q6 z% @* c"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. 5 o$ D$ [8 Q) L( o; R5 l6 y) z1 [ : Z/ i% j" u" P. `. M* wHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."1 A2 I) L- m. s
1 A( `! l- |" _' R! j( r5 p! h6 |Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. D# p4 J2 N2 x' z. F " X8 u; N5 r! _9 @% A4 W( B"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. ; G# X' W- A+ r ! u1 D1 a; P$ A: L0 K- D hAt 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. 9 Q. G! Q% ~# ^) A9 U; \+ o# F
"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." 3 Q& u8 ~/ h, H7 L n$ p- x , n* [$ T+ n$ |0 HBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.4 \; N1 w) v- z) n, |- M
/ v' @( S) M' r) D D& uLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. - b4 D& r- L6 _9 h1 c f# W5 ]9 _; K( E6 B; W9 T: H7 t# A
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.' Z1 O/ y/ B6 V( l8 U: k* t
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.+ H: B& u% C5 o8 t$ D' Y
0 B% U# G$ J( u, C4 ^1 m% ?"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count., r) q3 c o I6 F
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." ; I5 C' H# A7 d; \ o& w/ H1 O5 m3 @" [! J! v. M
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=2a10c5f089b840801b444b007106ec05&t=1758219814&sid=6O6cti
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