[国际新闻] 7/7/07结婚充满乐趣

日月光

全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录
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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。
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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。
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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。( j9 t( I" ]/ S! @" k) D
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　　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。人在德国 社区% |) J3 u7 Q0 e( {' s8 p  O& {: K$ Q
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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。5 X* F: Z$ r  E% q5 H# Y
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date2 O9 L) [6 p, g9 _* y& V% }  E

; l5 [! J3 k) l8 U6 i9 a# i9 |Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.3 M( y5 c. a) [2 L! P

& x7 @. r  m$ c3 ]  JIf 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.人在德国 社区( {6 r9 L# {! Z9 k2 V: P% X

+ Y" P6 s( h9 t/ b+ q"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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3 j! h% z; U$ m  k人在德国 社区One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.人在德国 社区' W+ ]' Z+ C% M: Z7 v1 Z' C

" R3 }) p" s( G  N- n- _8 `"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.: U7 C4 c; N' V
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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."+ w# n/ n, f& _0 M) y
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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.www.csuchen.de9 Z. m. V  J! `# d( C6 C6 h

* l0 H" g9 a& o+ W2 UBut this year, July has joined the field.www.csuchen.de5 Q  P2 M; B$ ~5 p: B4 ^+ i

2 t" a3 l* k# I/ M6 EIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.* b! y1 s# f( T

/ l" N: n/ B7 S人在德国 社区"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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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.( Q+ K" n: e7 [. K+ X% o

! R2 G( U  q# w4 j"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.' F9 B- g+ ?, I' x$ p3 I

) z7 t6 h2 F5 G: O3 j# nFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.3 d! E/ D4 K# h# ~

+ t3 x' ]) g# E" b2 T0 qwww.csuchen.deA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.+ D  e2 B4 z; |% l" J
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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.
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! Q) ~* e6 {) W+ B  u. U# V  B人在德国 社区"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.人在德国 社区; Y* n+ ]1 ~0 c* R# Y( p
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.www.csuchen.de, _1 c0 r) b# i

5 S8 K: b, x; Y# {人在德国 社区"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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- E2 Q# z- a5 ?9 ?For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.: L, @/ @+ T$ W4 G% I

& R: ]  t. O2 {/ TReceptionists 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.% M; l! R+ t3 q

+ ]2 R; N2 h( J0 a# p) LSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel./ n. E% B) ?5 F4 ?  K% Q: Y

) V8 F" q& q) M2 i" 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.
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/ u( S$ B6 D0 \8 C. A# xHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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5 `( M  [3 c/ X+ f" _) }& t( X4 yWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.+ S: B; b) g- A2 v  `  Q

& K% i' j# C# f+ J- o! J( l"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.人在德国 社区8 L: y, L3 a9 Z- c
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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.
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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."( [: g9 [$ U5 B6 Q4 P; P1 }

( b7 p% Y$ e! E$ [www.csuchen.deBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.& V$ W/ G, e4 F* v  R7 B

4 w7 \3 ^. g! b# ^+ _* Twww.csuchen.deLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.
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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." w$ Y  ^* d1 t: i6 o

5 `) L+ x" U+ N) d% t9 K# v  iThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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& z1 ]  G7 ~) b3 r5 P"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.  @- R, Z2 u) t9 V
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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