[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# ~5 C# U, i  D  b; P# D

( Q* D" Q; M/ Y) l+ O0 p- W. h) V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。: r2 u: S, S9 ?4 q

7 D3 J) Q' l, z* Y$ ]0 C　　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。
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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。csuchen.de1 L& O2 C$ {; e, H# w4 R! k

/ `* B9 W  A: w. t4 u/ N. S$ P　　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。
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3 _1 @8 |9 E( y! k* fGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date) K, t2 @: J- l# Y+ T- Q: r
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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.
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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.
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"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.9 ]+ h" m8 U# C- O3 f
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That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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3 K3 B5 v1 Y5 ^5 a( l( _One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.csuchen.de2 d2 ~8 [9 C. o* A* z$ J
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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.
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5 g3 n6 [4 v+ b2 Y  U  E+ z"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."
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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.csuchen.de; ~# ^+ H( `1 Y" e- ?! ?
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But this year, July has joined the field.+ T" C! Y3 t! }1 U

1 ?8 S! l  _) S# V1 p+ u  Q( eIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.' C! A1 e3 ?: V+ Q6 {/ K- g

* Y, U" m( f8 A; a4 O; j"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.' c& J4 C2 r! H+ q

  \, H5 T. Z5 e- Y3 NAlthough 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 Z% c5 Z" Z* X4 B, X$ m* f, g
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"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.3 k0 a) a; u( z; ~6 e, O

; }4 y3 ?; g* g3 E& e- [. X) ~9 t) KFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
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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.csuchen.de3 x1 F7 t( e; v+ g; ]

" p! G2 u$ S- i"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.% j3 p- s/ h; X6 l" T
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
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2 I+ r1 V4 G( o( Q/ WFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.csuchen.de; W6 j- l. o; r, a  B
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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.
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  u5 v' G1 L% y8 PSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.
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"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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! E9 z# i& v. p" n" c- P人在德国 社区He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.# f' c- d7 V7 r$ ^( @
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.
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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."csuchen.de, _+ w) G" q6 e" Q& Q- D; C
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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.1 ~! m; Z+ I0 ?; Y
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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.  F: E; X5 E- K" 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.# K8 u2 L! t" j8 b7 R4 d9 [, C/ H
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.+ w& ~+ y/ H# O( h6 v8 r7 ?
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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