全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录7 R) U, U0 e- S1 Z* N
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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。 / V% m2 y5 B6 r `5 q( k# z b. w. f. p2 Y
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。 # p. m% U- v) c) Z4 {. u _! I) g% h
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。 / Z% A( @; {+ W4 J) t' r5 _: y1 ^7 f3 K) K& a1 D8 ~" O
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。9 a, ]& _. Y8 t. r8 m P
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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。 ; H6 ~$ L9 F+ B1 K8 j0 x: O" c8 g5 E3 o' X
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date: \( ~* {' h& E9 i9 M8 j
$ c; ?$ y# Y3 M) H/ \; r$ kCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. 0 b* f5 A8 Z, ^6 a& u' y 7 A" P& E: u% A! w! G, |If so, the "Desperate Housewives" actress and the NBA player are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg -- or seven-layer cake -- according to Susan Hepperle, general manager at Town & Country Caterers in Lansdowne. . x7 e. c) j. G z3 N8 P9 Q' k0 K9 |
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.4 {- Y7 F: g. F0 P9 ?* s( u
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers./ d8 U/ H2 M- r% T
' ^$ E& U- P' m0 {/ k* XOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. : J, `& G" l* J/ j % z E6 J% k& u' J0 _- j- V"We've had call, after call, after call, after call, just looking for this date," said Hepperle, who long ago booked the maximum four receptions Town & Country can handle in one day.* C4 f* |9 Y5 r4 X# R$ }/ I
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"All I'm hearing is that triple sevens is a lucky number," she said. "One guy actually said it's a roll of the dice with getting married." % S, Q0 ~: l p+ j' Z2 ~- e2 y 9 k- V9 \) K4 D5 u% k' o+ N' `According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. * \) D4 [& G* G: K( `) F$ k& ?- D/ B! d* E8 t) D5 }
But this year, July has joined the field.% ~0 K3 N" Q: f/ D8 @4 c% Y% T l
/ C4 y* \& ? {% X% p6 iIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.; D5 l w) Q: U3 D" _& Z
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking." C5 |! \" v6 G% A" b
. p7 }4 J/ h% M5 nAlthough 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. " V [/ u2 ^1 U1 W$ B }4 o- K, h9 z% b6 A% c"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." Q, {- A( j( g: J
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. $ x: t: Q& C ]5 S) o " i, b! Y% ]" k+ ^3 ^: m0 KA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.+ N6 `3 {! n% A
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.8 ?! I T( R* p8 m" I
3 j9 {& s* h% c$ p' |2 B$ B"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.% N) h" d/ M( c! w' j
/ c- Y+ k# f6 c0 fA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 3 w8 e7 l# C: x, G$ ^8 ?: F - Y" |7 s" Y8 \# j$ w: C"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. : A8 F2 Q6 K8 I! x) _$ M& W, s! ^, Z$ u! [
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.4 b: `; i- F3 K% E! h# b
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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.- k# v6 C; M% f6 _3 {5 U% y
' D+ l9 o) A0 W) y: S1 v9 Z- ISimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. ' h$ }! \2 s( |1 v Z$ \8 |. b- g( p4 l2 B
"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 y% a: d9 z: z$ T: l6 U 4 ]9 b+ D6 u1 }( V2 y" J: A pHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."; Z. a# J P' t% p- f4 M# f
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. - u5 o1 X- Q% X! Q# G8 ]: J ]2 Y. g5 q1 Z- l& |$ S
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. & ^3 ^) _( f$ B5 y" H/ a6 I- x/ i0 l
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.6 A6 Y2 _7 p! c: {. r- M) X
7 v; `' M* \. w1 E"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." " y( R5 T6 @9 d# }( Y6 N) c F & w" X8 s! A0 j$ c5 jBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site. ; P: j: Y& C( k' ] 3 [4 T6 V2 S% H# M7 d! YLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.+ ]6 Y; G+ W9 a
$ P& c" ?! r+ m1 M, F' e5 `7 g, _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.' O( D \( K1 [2 }1 k6 D- o' P% R
2 W+ O! w8 f# W! I+ LThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ; T. a6 k3 j8 K- [+ J9 y/ C + T; Y, X4 {- X" ?+ Y"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. O( h- b$ P* [+ `, ~+ f8 v0 J z: ?; J+ m* K- D) Z
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." , |; z2 w; T4 Y/ P) n8 N2 `% j! a9 d3 I# B
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=0824fbf627ab44a00d386c1b1b1e38c7&t=1765211810&sid=6R5d63
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