1 @7 }3 d; e3 U P2 u+ k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。 % b6 Z/ U& R n o. R, }( ` 7 G, \5 _ P0 v5 B 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。 ' D2 L7 C5 R, R, U& l ; b# h" Z4 p8 W: D v, ~& L7 T 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。- j% X. p3 C0 K3 c
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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。. D u" |/ L0 b3 |
; i: M) |% a, P# @5 \. n 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。7 \( {* }" w' I! N9 P, c3 F
# s1 t: s* m" |& h6 J& u: GGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date: a* \4 c; v. d% Y# j
' Q' k7 M& x: ]! h! FCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.. x& w2 z! Z$ a3 x5 e, y7 K
2 ^, E# }7 y* U3 k5 h: F: sIf 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. ( J0 b! I8 D7 J0 P& e; ^+ g$ D! n/ ^ ' }# s4 e! A! ~7 Y& g3 W"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall./ h7 A& L! P. D2 T( r# |& }* {
0 @: a2 W2 \ A$ }& \! z8 aThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. : c* s) h& O. Z4 V8 q) T$ h" j* F* A0 @/ T' _
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.! _5 u$ T7 ~6 M' {; I7 w
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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. 0 D/ S3 m3 _3 b* T6 k' w2 x " d# R0 ]6 q# ^; b"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 c7 t* }$ y" c; P1 L " a) m. l- S. f, G+ pAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.- c) T9 c/ \ v% J- D$ d
S7 F( e' @& I, d7 SBut this year, July has joined the field. " G. S6 a% L( }0 _ f0 m0 I. {2 U$ C+ ZIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.' W' {$ `! y0 P3 D0 U8 R( `3 C
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.1 A2 y% e4 t% v
9 L% ?0 r/ x5 M3 h6 YAlthough 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.5 K2 n7 u4 F5 I: `! E
) `7 S8 L& x# g! b"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.5 O+ @7 S" w2 x6 Q3 f
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.5 K- p6 X2 p- M! R: N; B
3 `8 j8 b& ^# ^# Q" ZA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 7 X. c [. g' b+ U. b ) C9 A( i% K9 a" n5 fWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. ; ~' T1 a( b. G7 U" Q" r3 v' `; |; @) h5 I6 E+ N
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.# j0 G2 q9 g, T( I4 u
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7./ ^( h+ r4 `2 |. M: \- r& K' G
* W9 G3 x) f. B6 K k9 d2 T& m"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. ; s9 I3 C9 {* `. v2 e* ]$ h7 x + P+ }3 ?2 i* }$ WFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. " }2 N5 c! O8 o/ X4 ?( g2 `; t6 Q1 n4 H/ w3 D! m6 p' A
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. 9 w2 B. N6 Z3 y7 J+ a( y9 ^8 f6 j; M$ Q Q6 B! N
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.% V/ F! x2 G N' x
2 f6 g- @8 U7 f" b+ W"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.0 R5 l4 P( c; l* |1 w) R
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." ' V& i' ]% B; o9 i2 @2 S4 l 5 X+ B7 J: s. F8 B' Z' ^: kWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. 2 t; ]7 N4 [5 x% @' \4 N$ y" D/ {$ o( r( O
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. + t) |7 K- e8 k, q6 M5 J* _) e" B
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.1 p; y: Z/ f4 I" X+ l. ^% L0 F8 N* F
" p& U. e4 v8 D1 k6 i"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."( l( v0 c1 T/ E$ A' j; r3 i
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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, c2 T0 C* R
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Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.6 \! ?, c2 b9 E3 e" @9 v6 A( [" g
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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.- V4 r2 v5 H2 i3 a2 a$ H$ N
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. R5 W* Q6 Q* A6 D 5 X/ J0 \+ J9 r- t6 _"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. 5 n5 g! u6 p( Q% H+ M% r7 g/ ?, u( L9 ?; z8 ?% K
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." ; d/ G# \+ v4 d ~5 l7 I0 s9 m! E% X1 }: R( P3 [
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 101 http://csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=c521480400451c43830faaaa8bf95af4&t=1769401319&sid=Ytny8T
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 101