全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录4 }; z- c/ [9 e; N' K; I
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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。 % S( S4 S# _+ M4 C: ^7 }/ n# b Q$ t( }: Z$ H" V, O# d
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。 : j1 d1 H+ Q1 Z* o' ^: q/ V1 t: J# m1 s
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。 ) z! {3 Z8 ^: N/ h' |1 F! a. z0 T. p( |* [5 L: O
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。 - L4 R3 `6 `, s; K ( X+ y5 k1 r" o0 n7 T! L: w" p( b 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。# I4 m, K! D2 }% B: u, ~- e$ U8 J
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date) u) j* k% Q9 v1 C9 X8 F( g
# m% K* y6 i0 G, L- n& HCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. 7 A+ J% x3 ^4 a9 _! v5 ~5 Q# g 7 ?2 x8 ?( i4 S8 C" r7 Q' _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. l2 U+ g6 }6 Q. Q . s0 @6 N, Z& x6 j& O+ A3 ^ U. O9 g"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. ! i* y$ l4 g6 s- [* J2 Z/ ?! x& y1 A# P k
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 5 v7 z/ Y( I+ Z* k6 Z( Z: E' P* V2 ?9 z1 X
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.2 [, f0 K% S$ K0 W# k
. |5 C. q( i1 r! E: a/ ?+ J8 N"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. ) t4 @- k* ?( b/ d+ P4 \$ X' I& r7 x3 _
"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." 0 P/ q* B& q; K 1 w) S/ i. I5 C2 MAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.7 j: s! O( V. R$ ~) |8 Z
" k2 D7 p! \+ A$ X! {& k5 WBut this year, July has joined the field. ' O& j( C! T) v ~5 I # A+ ?8 x/ r D: ZIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.8 m- V/ E/ U9 t0 K" r8 N
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 8 H0 E2 [1 j! G/ G' ^, e! l3 M/ N8 S
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.: S2 J! q/ F1 \
& P8 Y) T! c* N" T0 m' X"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.2 K$ P* {5 a) V5 d: I
& G* C9 v. m6 {" q! n+ c. J2 T, h( JFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year., X$ y+ ?! N9 f/ S% e1 ], m8 t
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.# R0 I3 f' Z. i2 ?9 t( K6 W
5 ~3 M7 S9 w; i" O% o( H0 _) uWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.6 M9 i; [, E- z5 K6 }% h
2 X! h5 u a2 D9 C7 L8 f"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 7 N5 v+ p% s. v 0 Z$ H" X/ g1 T+ eA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. & A$ [* F* X4 A! O# y7 R7 h r) C- u9 M0 t- |5 ]2 c
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. 6 L/ N0 Y K: q- z% _1 w- _4 T$ k4 R1 h. m* ]% z
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. & z, \: M9 } c % E. [% W: `( P6 \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. ; G$ q2 B; m7 u) B7 @; V% N% j* \3 w6 }5 {& s" S
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.: F1 ?" c) O% [
. w& K+ w* e: o E# L9 O- X"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 w- g7 h8 \7 S
. W7 ]* s: m3 G" XHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." & I5 x ` ]* A , X- ?8 p8 w5 Y/ M7 ZWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. + i9 D5 Q' V' H4 j + P6 L0 z2 @- V* B3 b"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.3 B: @) j5 j/ H2 D) v ]& a
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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.8 L. F3 H+ M# c" Z) D; t
7 v, _. y: i- ]- V: o"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."; P% h! o2 b p7 M/ n: Z
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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. 2 r1 v- P- \ t" P! Q- O + Q2 h4 |! w* f; |: A7 q1 GLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. g3 H3 n( j, m5 F! t9 }9 E: O# ]% |) U$ i7 ? `
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. 3 V: P7 C1 q. H ) ~& Y, P3 ^$ h2 f n/ sThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ! f+ U6 ~5 O! D/ c ) A( v$ f: n& s" e: J"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.- H$ U4 W' M1 R) [' g; @! P( x
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."( M# v/ v" Q) U& e# A
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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 101 http://csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=1aa5db4eac9bd27148d6473cbaf3844b&t=1769424353&sid=BDlPLS
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