全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 , q5 q* M3 h+ J3 l , B; h3 Y3 d, _$ i& A0 h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。4 j( ?$ X1 U$ s' Q Y
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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。 # T! S+ W' H$ _$ U% t) L0 \, `& C2 X
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 ]' |0 f0 B& F' ^' v9 ?" d0 D+ {6 `" i0 A0 c( C0 n8 M. F0 `
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 i/ d Q! h; A
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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。 ! w) N0 K% d& O) L0 d2 }' `9 f3 e; x0 d7 D3 S6 a$ W) t, [
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date u! n6 l# s7 N6 L1 E 9 u1 j8 d, u, [1 FCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. # G8 h) i# v" r/ W5 K% d2 j% w9 [) I; ]- j5 Z
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.9 c3 A6 s% z# U' X# y4 Y$ X0 m
* J x8 Q' I. t"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.. B1 |7 t8 R8 L# c; ]; _
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.3 ^: B( L- I* o3 K1 a4 y
2 Q- \6 Y0 ~7 w1 N0 S# F% bOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. , q" @( x+ R2 _! ^ : B% Y* b; _5 h- _( s"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.9 U5 P/ x$ ?; V4 v6 W1 `) j. S
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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."7 W1 ~2 [: o. S/ d- g
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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.3 X" Q0 i0 [ l4 N2 y7 A0 ~
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But this year, July has joined the field. 0 u% d6 A6 z* ]1 h, Z+ m- o8 [ 9 d8 @1 Q: l" c% k- f' OIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 8 ^: \! F- |+ v" q) \/ U % _( X. q+ ?. v+ c7 `/ U+ R, `$ m"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. * e4 V% N: R- V/ \ x; {2 q1 f* P( a3 k
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. 0 K5 q/ I( \6 b, |+ ? ( V: D# H/ ^! M; K"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.6 \# ]/ {0 Q; q
# Z3 M [! ]; F- U! y8 {& [% LFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.' s* Y( j+ x1 ~+ m
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.* h) s/ C% a5 ~# `( w% I' ~
9 n$ |1 J5 e# {) o" c1 c% DWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. * i5 }) R- r7 x ]/ t) }: K1 m8 w8 S H+ W$ S$ [. l0 x4 W9 ]% U
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. # `5 p2 i+ Y0 J1 Z% r 4 R$ @% l2 A0 P3 q) T2 cA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.3 l0 `7 b$ Z! d
; a7 {8 o. @% G! J" D! I p"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. & s. n; n" b; L. ~* D - N8 H% R& Q _" m/ mFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. % M/ U U+ m; C+ H# O9 u& ?0 [4 A& o9 B; Y: i, K% y8 X
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. $ E' {* } B7 I1 K* E7 u+ }( T. D# A: W/ I( @1 E4 s, V. ^
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. , t9 F5 p* ~# Y; {% R7 M$ I6 p0 \# B6 J% N
"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. / @1 n# d- n7 {5 e( \' o# g, P 6 c& J) C% ^# [' U) NHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."% H6 V2 t. @7 n W
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. . A. w% F4 j7 N8 v: R' D7 \5 c3 A6 S$ Q9 ^3 X
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.4 Z7 m% ?5 K" I8 D$ b Q
}+ B6 \, w. x( K H% ~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.: s% v% r4 [) Y2 R6 B4 f& U3 F
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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." + k4 P+ g8 y9 z% U8 z+ {' K0 z) _% L/ H! }2 f2 M) V' V
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.( T, P* k. F3 J
# H: \4 g* h4 C. ]! [7 F) |Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.$ ^: V; P4 |7 V; X3 F0 @- E
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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.& \: v" g( l g2 c3 ?$ p
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 6 X. p3 p* i4 h3 J( w9 _5 h" ?8 y8 I" j; a; W' I
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. + K+ V: r2 F% }. I, ]- H+ G4 F, l' i6 a6 }5 ]# H- n
"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."+ A9 c0 G5 C& N, p
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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 94 http://csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=0d93f7aed6f1bbf660889b121f261add&t=1745161557&sid=R3Fr19
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 94