全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 , m) n1 G6 F# p% ]6 K % Z! ^ J: G* n6 c! l7 `' x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。' ?7 f. b a$ t
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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。 * a9 t0 Q; j) a! r z# Q4 A + B/ K/ [1 j* n6 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。' B- K, G! q9 A. o# z/ T; D
0 ?' O& J" c& t# B. L) S, v. Q 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。 4 c% t$ ~; `( g% M . R c( R/ s* Y$ k9 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。; d+ J/ y9 x4 u1 k0 L* Y( l
1 y# r" E: F3 E6 Q, v: ~# XGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date5 I6 L9 G( i% P9 n( L
9 q9 d1 j1 { }9 s: f1 t. Z$ ]6 GCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.+ d, v$ d) f. o4 S+ ~4 c
2 T1 b; C' ]7 ~* lIf 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." y3 @6 H! ^( R* `! 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. / g6 |! D7 d9 C" W" m3 E0 u9 i! |0 Z/ ]. e8 ^
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.1 D4 ~# T1 X! ~: w" g
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. 7 O" \" O* U" [6 @# w/ P x5 r. C+ w0 P1 G, L
"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. # w& o! j+ M/ M' o8 M c& W1 T& o Y& W5 ?& K
"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." 9 V/ R: v P3 M$ O) w * U: R+ g7 t" Q, OAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.9 k/ I( H7 x$ h* w% R% n! D
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But this year, July has joined the field. - C: K4 K8 `! r7 B# A 6 H6 _ M7 s! Z. xIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. g4 F2 Z$ O6 v' @* v
3 z/ o1 v6 x0 k# U |% @"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.6 ]2 _5 ?6 v; t b/ L8 S; S
! Q1 B. J o4 w8 K$ M& TAlthough 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.. ]$ @+ k% J! `5 y: V1 F# X$ L7 ~
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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. # _2 e, }! H; J, ]: `1 c . I4 o7 @# y! h+ _: i" v; LFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.0 D( ?- A0 m$ c
* N* ]$ d6 t# c: V' r+ @A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.- m$ q; W, M, k/ q# W- |: P
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.2 U1 v! W4 N$ E7 S- {
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"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. |; O ^. G% X! n5 v4 V' k. X
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.% T! Z/ V8 s+ H/ Y
! J) E& N9 p4 Y3 i' \"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.1 ]$ l# J( P/ o; g4 {
# e9 w, f4 [/ b/ oFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.' k; T" {6 ^) N3 i9 W. F; @
4 v/ Q1 P1 h* W$ M' IReceptionists 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.# v8 H- _9 d& ?
- B! |0 U1 f( Z, }( ]: DSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.7 o6 \! i7 \) |2 ~7 ~+ a
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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.- O n5 n; R9 e) ~1 u4 p
, }- h+ b! k2 {5 l0 wHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." 6 ^/ \0 E" n; |5 U. M* i0 S/ y$ Y. d/ e6 g$ \6 t ~* j+ \
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. 1 p m3 \$ s5 s g9 Q) \ , F$ e. _3 K, N+ R1 o/ _0 V"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said. 6 V( \4 d5 H- @& P( }% N/ w! U* n; K- t$ W1 m" q' S" g' `2 u
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.! j6 ?1 B, B9 C( j b- M3 m' z
% ?% l. w! R7 s3 Q6 q* p"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."0 \; E6 ~* Y- q1 P; a
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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.: m! l: c7 _3 b4 u2 T
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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. 4 L8 d- `/ h/ _, i3 a: q- G- o0 \, J. P5 f7 W
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. ' K( i8 p3 i9 w: r , {; ~& j4 O4 f; J& zThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.7 R; Y1 {- N4 j5 @
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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.; Z, x2 E) y0 o% b2 t) w# m
, e6 o$ k* u( A$ {! i"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." , D" q0 j; A( |2 T ; Y* n/ f% U5 u" Z% l
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://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=b9d77925528884cfa33bbcd9cdbd6c6a&t=1766040766&sid=5uSxou
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