全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录# ?( R9 Z1 ~7 x) p
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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。 t5 Q, K/ Z" l9 z9 I8 s- E; R$ h5 c& p
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。1 W- J( ^6 i5 ] d1 O* s
_2 H3 h6 {9 C2 n) ^4 \ 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。 - ?2 |3 [) l) }/ W- @! O4 @' @% y5 P4 r6 k4 p [" w) }
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。 . l) ?4 U) r" W1 b0 h 3 v5 l' a5 l- A9 N. }4 Q 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。 8 ?6 k5 [5 z' c4 K$ y* X5 r* _* W3 Z4 j7 ~+ o) y2 c
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date; H# H4 i9 k) q/ W3 i
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Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.$ O; G5 j7 Z' @3 j8 I7 o" b* r
+ G! X: \0 h3 w' b" X; 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. 7 Q6 J( _* `0 |, Z' a. p6 n2 u! k1 e1 F9 V* d
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.) _( c9 A+ T; u2 I" q
. ?* s* g* N9 c0 R+ U" _; zThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.# p" g" c5 T* A. B& J7 m! O
4 Q7 B0 ^# c6 ~One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.1 r" a# i5 ]& o# u6 G4 Y7 t
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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. " S9 @; e& S& `% M o# Q8 n+ V4 b. D. ^% ]9 K4 a
"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."# D* M6 G2 G& I! t0 U y" m( s
6 d: M6 M6 D& x+ f4 F& iAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. 8 t' ^# h* b1 i/ ]% i4 t, V" p# C4 u: r3 S* @+ _3 o
But this year, July has joined the field.! h: N* Q! j0 y! x- I M @
7 p5 y+ O, F. {4 K9 k( C8 ^In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.- y8 `: t9 U3 y4 A
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 9 _* K9 D+ `4 Q0 C# A+ Q& v* t8 ]: B- a& `- |
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.* r9 T& I2 n6 m( {) `
: ~2 p& Z: [, m"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. , d$ ?5 {/ L& b( C5 y* _) S4 o+ h" `- E3 Q0 a0 A* F
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.8 A" A# i! Y+ C+ h7 a* m
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.* M! A! J% @# u4 a( b+ l/ \
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.7 I( q2 L9 w6 n- i
( d& p; A$ s: a; i4 ]"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 3 T# a: G2 ?' Z" X! V5 M6 e1 ?! z [% C$ z" o1 u9 M5 W+ R
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 7 P) z# U& ]1 q# M/ ]+ c6 K( ]: z; n$ p$ P$ c
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. 1 I' _+ L' Z( o F' ^' K1 N. b, U4 s# A" ~) o4 b+ R# \
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several., T6 \# G @# H) U4 [
" `6 [: f$ c5 u, R& |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. , f9 J( ]' l# u) N2 J8 W 5 |3 o. L8 `5 J- n* R7 K0 \. DSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. ) H& P! a$ d. e* g3 U/ E" c6 W, r* j3 d5 Y
"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. ' d7 [- H& X9 \9 C' P3 T3 a4 F' t% h0 ~5 n) u; j: c" O
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." + i7 |* E* b5 M4 {; ^ : I0 \ M* [& ]/ mWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.7 c; Q$ L$ L" \' d5 O0 [8 x
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. , X+ a- U/ J" }( z! ^- D1 D' H6 A( P- s4 V: P0 S4 {
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. # ^+ k( I9 |; n% z6 }5 l# L" E1 u) C( S4 N
"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." - |8 B/ N7 M+ Z8 b$ |* E 9 U" d. a' _$ B: A5 lBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site." @- M% J9 D, Q: ?
8 g8 _2 r! |' \7 T- I; ULibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. / C- Z0 g' k8 Q$ D9 y! ]. q4 `3 n( E, k& a: F, }5 V8 ~/ d
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.* o2 ^, s1 \/ i7 U4 A. P7 K% N
4 a5 e* Q+ @, m! u' c7 \0 FThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. . E+ V3 O- G7 _4 ` 3 \8 J V; d5 F: V2 H* S3 }+ F"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. r$ E, C3 k" U# g( x
# M( U# R+ L1 a' o" n"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."- }+ I4 N5 m! G: i
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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 112 http://csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=788202b7f57754bfe404cfa549306fcf&t=1792457083&sid=kK1qg0
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 112