* D9 w$ E \4 Q: [- @( B5 }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。0 c6 L2 d3 m8 Y. K: ^6 V
. {! i4 v( s; w% S4 l1 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。. p" f+ I: l. e# f
$ a* r) ~. ?- r. @3 c: p+ Y( l3 E 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。 - m b5 i4 S; Z4 o/ j* J/ \ , ^1 q, R( ~% p 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。/ w% t+ }; J# `& ~; y0 }$ J
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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。 2 p! X0 _6 c; \9 C7 R. s) Q/ R. |9 C* O$ Y2 k: U5 h V
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date% D, z- o) L3 o
$ F% U. [9 j. |, n; sCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. ' h) D( k. I9 v n& Z0 O 2 ?" D$ ^: J- v9 ]2 Q( kIf 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. ! @5 j5 U% I! M8 { $ {! Z+ B7 K D5 \9 ?7 o% Q"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.1 q1 _# o" n) R
' ]. T3 ?. X3 R5 yThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.+ \* E6 Q; F! K8 e* w
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. V+ a# p3 m g8 V* n; H& g
0 e. | a! U8 U, l; K8 H# T"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.6 F" b' B: `4 R/ K2 f6 b
; m c `4 G; U, z% D"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."* Y& b! L2 i5 w. E8 Q O! X
2 t0 f3 n6 {8 ?- xAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.: l5 m3 W9 {- [2 P8 r ]. z% t& n
: B5 j5 K" ^ X# [, J4 M( tBut this year, July has joined the field.. C6 |6 Y; ~. @& n* ]
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. ( A" `/ C- Q6 q! M1 i" W3 k3 r% s; d
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.9 |# V3 Y& C1 J3 L) S3 N
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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.# } E$ C8 N; [# P
. ^% N7 r3 @) m# [9 R"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.8 F' L) v8 \9 w1 `( g) V
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. 8 g! i0 u" t3 z" A6 S, m9 v/ O $ L% O4 `% D8 ]A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. , G0 r6 w1 O, p/ J( H! Y9 G- M* `# p- k3 i
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.9 E4 F! _& o. o- Z9 Q+ e
+ k! J) S1 x: R/ k/ L" X"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.: v. V8 r& v( u' T- B8 p
0 V, N/ E: f8 T) o3 KA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.! }; j- H2 B2 J
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.& H: j8 r8 z! D$ j
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several., ]& x0 ^9 a+ T6 O1 \
: A0 a; \6 k, d# C; S1 v8 E @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. # d$ H7 b( R( l8 `' d 8 z! Z3 g/ _& x+ B. ]; ^: mSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. 6 [' C% R9 l T0 g, h- J( a& R/ k: Z; 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. " Z; @/ K/ ~( h% { L- Q, I . Z; L, V3 i/ ?" ~! ?7 E+ KHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 7 n, W, o0 v, P `* n 3 y) z* A4 P# s9 u( N! dWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.* \) F0 {2 m8 _8 T
9 v l' n6 ?% A8 _4 g9 r( e2 l"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. 4 r4 M3 k3 X1 U( d5 x2 S+ ? 9 z( w, M0 g; { y& TAt 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. % M* [) G8 g: H) Z0 o3 K7 @# Q! t7 n 0 u) {8 z7 Z! i* {- D/ D5 R"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." " M; @0 M* W$ ~- n- n! [ % s |' E! L" |4 U# K4 ?, ^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. $ [ r- f( g( A. V: r* u! e, y/ |; {$ F8 _3 T' |
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.5 O! @# u6 f# m! e8 R) W8 }; _ L
/ G7 ^' \5 B- V. ^; z9 `( E+ sRoss 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.! A4 p& r/ W( t4 J- }# p( j7 U
; X9 |# e8 d8 v) lThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said., t% o( K( ?4 }8 Q% f
/ D: r1 ^' F% {- W"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.; u7 s ^* f3 {
# t, D" k* i: |- B3 B"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." & Z0 S! P; W2 d. X( e) X2 o5 P* 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=3f33e9a6ea7a894c0467e49c8fd6185a&t=1764844091&sid=RUFQaQ
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