全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 7 d1 T" \# \8 w' D4 }! A# R 3 O* e, h; f a6 a) s: d) A: 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。, `& F# _5 F' [ Q6 @$ @" h
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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。 6 w& s& U) D" p. @ ) E- R9 Y( f7 B9 l, R 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。 + w. V: I4 x* k, _* J8 C# b# n) J* ` ' L* J8 d8 P }+ f, Z 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。. Q! `6 H U- ~* M$ N
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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。 ; s8 h8 I! v, P: O0 t1 [0 @ j$ g J3 W( q
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date7 O; ~& {# e) h+ {( C9 r7 J
/ }6 @4 l- e+ M6 |Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.6 X" }2 n8 J3 u
+ e/ Z ]& [1 WIf 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 |0 q. ^6 d9 l8 C( T& z; T; Z7 m; s3 S
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. : m; p0 P& g' n" H) D1 x: c% j( _, a: [9 l
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.& N$ k" P4 _8 S/ H4 v7 ]
; u4 ~# I% E2 i/ kOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. ) x, F7 C" F2 m, [+ w; ?( ^ 3 Z, U) ^& t' T5 |# S; q( V"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.1 ^' ^9 Q h4 w+ L
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"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." 4 T6 n" f0 J- e3 c- ? ( P# `! b" {1 S/ W& ^: nAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. : r/ `+ k; k! W( c ! b+ C r/ N7 @- m& ~7 JBut this year, July has joined the field. 7 l. p# O$ u# {' D$ C' m- Q6 c: e; r6 f
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. % g$ H5 `4 n* ~7 i. z4 }/ e" B- U) i9 c# t- @* ?
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.8 D( ?. X3 d1 w. b1 o# l3 Z6 }
8 j6 [: u7 D" L6 D% FAlthough 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., ?4 Y0 _( f$ Y
8 y1 D0 [; W4 R% w! r+ w! J$ A"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. : L( @& w! u: U ( o3 j3 Q5 [) P) RFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. 1 n( l8 z" C$ e: ] : ~1 b# {+ d; \8 V! l/ {) o9 z+ LA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.# h }; g" v! B* @( X8 h4 G
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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. - r$ |- y6 T- [! @' G! I& {6 K+ T& y# T
"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 f0 u! t. d6 P: b$ p 1 j0 H$ n' V" b) X4 k9 k2 G$ vA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. & H. o2 c+ K4 i4 K5 O e S) q) q) p5 a n, M
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. 8 s8 a0 |9 a/ h8 y6 Y( L7 m) E V : J8 C. L+ C5 pFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. , V% f* V7 h0 f: V; j! a& |# K: Q) \1 V! s" u
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. 3 c7 ?- O( ?/ U6 M( S$ T9 o: Q/ P2 y+ l6 v2 K g8 s$ `% O9 i7 A7 I! i
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.+ J) {; Z2 L- r7 U
/ d. m+ U0 c0 u"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.7 e- T& m) F0 u* H" q4 X* [" e2 w
; j1 U1 T( l# w) H# G# R- p$ eHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." # |0 y* N/ s4 i/ C5 s1 [/ K* b$ i1 V) R6 z
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.$ |3 q) z0 y7 K& Q
2 t) q5 i. m) L8 {+ A1 a& o- |! r0 r"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.4 u ^$ Y) j$ U7 ]
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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. ; x! R8 J: Y, P7 w) K - r l4 D. x z"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." & j" w6 _$ `, X, j 5 t$ q6 w; u( A- E" t$ }# y: s% ^( mBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site. 8 t& m7 v$ N' F& j : x2 k) A! e; | d! r4 wLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.; K7 u- d) X3 |( V; t! Q( z t
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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. / I2 ]- n1 U+ Y. A0 @& p* [4 J' d. [+ V+ y4 ~$ }0 q" q
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.; j4 q- c3 _5 q" w8 |- K
$ o7 m8 y! m4 Q"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. Y8 C, ^/ k, D, M3 L) J
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." # S I6 |) \2 v8 }# j1 [ 5 u/ {( \5 _7 k' l! d6 n
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=d2575cfcb60cd4dffe8416a2332d6ad1&t=1764225852&sid=8B1ZPq
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