全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 # o O# D% d5 b 3 N- D- z& M5 p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。. g, c. A! n/ Z- 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。 / Q+ q- V$ t$ _4 H7 r8 I* y ! u% A* H; w1 j! p' C7 @! N9 P 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。 ! s' [& o" }6 T. u% W ; l3 A4 N1 t. y 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。 ' m8 `% \& C; y; w/ U! ~1 F3 _) l/ L/ D0 Y5 S6 I0 _8 l
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。 2 i( [2 s" i* Y! t' ]$ F 5 y. K6 M; J: KGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date " e& e, H. C6 t9 ?( V7 D' o( b9 A: X. @- a, F* i& d- R, y
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.0 w+ F1 ?. v9 x; R. s2 ~' O
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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.. L5 j+ U, |4 J( M
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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. , c9 k1 e' L w; b7 A8 Z* u2 ] ; X2 ^' J# ~6 @That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. 4 v! O: q% _5 B/ ?0 A& l( P" N5 l; q, y0 o! S$ z
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. ! f+ A8 ~1 E7 P, m , [" L$ x: N0 h7 \7 R6 E8 t, U"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.# I- |' @1 U5 V0 A1 l
& p( A& [3 Q( Y" h# W% c"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" i, L, q0 F1 W) C
* J, N% `" K7 a iAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.* l* \# Y, t% E3 }2 p, c
4 {/ O! G0 e- q: _; m. E8 oBut this year, July has joined the field. , S/ m' @) h! H" | " q% D% H1 c9 u% x" WIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. ! N3 _; t$ D. T/ J3 S 1 z( S% b' q8 C/ I0 W* D! P"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.& q5 t5 h, T; ?4 K5 w$ X: M
4 C' C; b' G# h' b$ I: cAlthough 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. 3 k- P9 x1 A+ s) B0 N# U - \9 ]( S7 u8 L w* C: T"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. / H/ J% @4 c: b 5 h) X- w. @, M. `( J1 u/ HFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year." @8 z/ U/ W, m
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 6 \/ I4 b V! E. g- U; _+ j j" B8 M0 ]3 U. Z3 p5 p8 |
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.7 Z; n, V7 X9 w4 f9 [
) T2 A1 ~1 k0 B+ }"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. # l5 Y7 D( z% X2 U. m4 Z % D3 a- \4 A" H- v ]8 ~A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.& m# c- V/ V `4 P
7 l( |9 V& d$ V5 m2 F1 D"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.. h# R) i2 v& k* X& O; J
, }% P9 `" Q0 x D9 Z5 v$ c7 ~For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. ! b( o/ w- E4 C2 z9 C. o. y) u4 a0 s7 e
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./ o/ L. ]2 Q+ j; c) K
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Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. & q& F$ q- x9 @% T8 a5 ]8 [ 3 ~. s, Y- T6 N; o"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 \- B$ r; _( S3 z) q
8 A# f( N4 P- n4 mHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."8 z m! I6 f# E( d0 N, Z
1 \# u( P3 P" P/ L1 vWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. z6 H2 ]" Y9 ^9 g/ w3 i4 o
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. . i) ?. ? {' ]/ d) E1 i7 S % o6 f" x! S# m& B) r( fAt 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 [/ P7 e! D* t5 D% q
9 e: F' N0 i* {2 A- Z! a/ A"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.", y" P% [8 @# V. S. n+ A7 `
4 @6 l& t% V! B- m5 n# W2 W( ~0 _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. & C: o% W# K3 s3 h- j7 ` g) R: Y, W
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. " c, ^- s; O ]+ Y& N $ X. T* R9 y. M6 V5 ERoss 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. ( K* m7 ^' u' ~% t' p ; a# J: |# _3 \" gThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. ! W; r' g' Z' S5 y$ \ 9 h& C7 T6 L+ h g+ S8 x `+ d"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.1 W( X9 ~1 c: u: \9 h
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."2 a/ |- k r' R0 ]) 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 100 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=83138f21eb1c42d6671a9c540a42c94f&t=1762118449&sid=XZXqX9
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 100