' a- K: P( }: C! z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。* o5 p. d1 a% F
. x5 Q/ @4 [& D+ v: H! A: s: E 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。- L# H5 n% h+ N! p
8 e" d! ]8 M5 N1 T4 L 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。; x5 e" ]+ k+ m1 X
: o3 o; L9 h# D# m6 L 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。 " w8 v- x8 M6 H! R0 f7 A" E, } . L6 ^2 V7 |1 J i1 k U" V; i 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。 : o- U1 Z" l) O5 ` k$ j- s$ u+ w# T$ s
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date 9 l3 _( Z. B1 _( f2 x5 f / A4 K3 k7 _' e* \Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.# Z% j/ w: v. j) r/ O
, x; l# t$ m! N; 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. ' n. C* B- S: Q ( g2 g, L9 z% O" I/ B- J"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. 5 U$ U# C, @+ |, i$ N. R" Q$ V& W% p- \% m; Q
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.1 Z6 k! j6 [7 d4 o
4 i6 \* F0 [) N% B1 }
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain. ! R' u" P M: C6 b8 k3 N- W8 j8 p, f8 Q5 j
"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.0 _1 u5 ~$ x$ v8 y! O/ [
( u$ H5 p# U' p# ^7 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."; ?9 x% G6 i! y2 t
$ d8 h6 Y% W6 g( B. hAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.$ u+ ]) R F ?
& K9 q/ ~+ T5 [6 ]5 a0 F+ a
But this year, July has joined the field. 0 i; v2 |: G& D+ B7 [6 B# w! J: {2 y
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 7 q+ ^, O: n8 n& e 1 f: |6 Y4 l& E* j* u"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 6 x4 ^6 E% {- ]+ s# t% `7 j5 Q& Z- o/ K1 R( f% e4 c- E. v
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. }: l: n! F, B$ u" j, Q3 Q; c+ U3 [) }" c6 K1 W
"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. 0 P- O+ | p" I& T+ L3 {/ ] ' ^9 Y9 ?( A' }) M- D) N% c: v( WFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. ; p( z. |9 N1 B% O& X5 { ) w9 a8 Z2 H% j3 }A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. 2 k/ Q7 q) c& U. @5 R) Q K; f- d5 z! l
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. q. m7 R+ G/ }, V2 u / E1 B; N# s7 J; z/ B/ E"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.. T% M9 G- p4 _$ f6 h3 q' y
8 F& C3 v1 ~. a0 O. v, TA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.8 p5 O0 o; [+ k2 w6 z# N6 o
; c h/ @9 f! V4 l$ p! N"It's the most popular date for this year," she said., N. i% x0 h0 R3 i8 A
; l8 B. O2 {2 C- ~/ W# p9 gFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. ! t/ g# T9 U r/ K$ c" ^% j: E / M* O5 O+ }! g- N7 bReceptionists 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.% c+ E. m. S) g9 n
- j H {" r4 \3 N, F" H1 RSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.; U) G* s" V G; D
' k9 s* z( c, 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.; ~8 Q! N1 R2 [" h' H* r) z1 y
5 _ d4 @) D: Z: V! q
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."; W' T6 m" F4 e. A9 v
) D }1 p" O5 B5 Q7 U* F. `1 n
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.' R) {+ p# p& J6 _+ |2 s8 H3 I
1 m5 o1 Y( }9 G% E/ M, W
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.8 w6 r; k3 i$ t
0 n W' Z) K: b& xAt 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. 4 w! O! A# ^6 F& e, F; S( s% E' R) I: ]1 O: ?0 D
"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." $ N( B: e" K0 k v2 z , S l7 E$ F8 l$ M" DBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.5 J. ~/ N5 V" G0 L# c
6 {' P. N+ R: M1 w; N
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. & p# N6 _* ~" |" V7 [, w% d( w3 x9 a! u9 k& F h2 J0 E7 p( }
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.9 r1 e9 _& o! l- p
0 Y) t) P1 Z4 B" z( \0 ~+ T! ]5 r
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. 7 a) P) \3 P- F& M- W9 E( D1 i) V& M8 P
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. - E$ P* l% |2 A/ S 2 l2 u; F. ~- k8 @' } n% {4 o"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."% j2 f7 b( d) i) y' A
8 ?" p+ f9 B' l i7 d& R
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 104 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=bb0d62a260c696681a3c0dd7401ad9ea&t=1783362902&sid=ClaMBJ
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 104