. ?& [. N% V7 p# H$ } 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。 - \; Z9 D# _! ]1 h- E. G: W ^7 V: w; s4 q8 D6 t) f6 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。 - O: M/ O; e+ u, f6 H" q5 R ; V2 j- P7 p! x8 F 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。 : t6 C! [8 A$ t. u2 s( _ , M* U' }' r3 c# k5 I8 j- ` 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。 % L% I6 I; v" H* \* J2 g) K9 A6 L8 G% F) w
Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date % ~) g4 `7 G; }8 g ! q# [3 ?! W6 W7 c' ?+ b/ `- d/ T/ T& tCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.$ l2 ~" P( M) I' v
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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. 2 T: J( ?/ } M; u3 l9 n" p4 g2 V ( @! o- Q) O" I' c$ a7 S8 P"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.4 ~4 _& q; q, a
4 a" m: N: h2 ~9 nThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. * F: H: U8 J* P% q+ e% L, S2 ]3 j$ I
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.2 l, S8 k; Z+ q7 V* \
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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.3 o n; `, u" C% L4 o0 A' j8 X% r) D! t
5 @6 Z1 {7 k6 A, r( c1 P& P2 i"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." 2 f1 c5 V) `, g% [3 q- b5 M: }) }8 I W4 w- k! R
According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle. / c7 V) o. ?3 w0 U, b( [0 x( a
But this year, July has joined the field. ( F2 [( a: g! L# S2 ^* _7 s6 y$ ^5 V. h* I1 v+ }
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 4 f) f( Z% [* Z" D* ]8 \7 [8 N- a4 ]
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 5 d: ~+ f y! N , F. X' M ?2 M$ `, ?0 `$ 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.6 S+ @# A2 w- h1 p# v5 t5 [
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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. $ N; t! w& s7 G % R5 o8 e ]$ h# Q2 q- d5 YFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. * c+ e2 L( {7 m, J. x ^4 E3 \0 [# O6 J; j: x6 g( K
A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. * K( X: b% w$ {. T 0 `9 b+ D" P# p% P% W% V, [With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. * c+ W0 ?5 i; F5 B! j m) y: g0 s& @6 G" y5 S- D
"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. # Y5 q2 o- W" H, e0 X+ L - |. X7 I; y1 y; w& Y5 EA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. , ]# M3 c7 ~1 l& ~( K5 V4 k" C 4 x6 _: Z* C! j"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.5 A+ n$ z+ t1 K) ]
$ C+ ~1 a4 `; \9 F$ U( N* Q1 D( r+ e1 iFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several. : X; I; ~6 H# o. T# w' n ( g6 Y8 ]" R. l2 W3 F/ a3 g* `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. / B# ^, \" F. x% a, _6 V 1 t/ R' A$ O' A, ^7 T9 \Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.! r1 {% y) W( E/ H5 @; H
* O0 a7 d) e- ^2 P( V4 X3 y+ W. d"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. + K7 @* Z; Z. J* z & q- H7 y! y* zHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." : K. X5 b. I4 W. @& x 6 }$ F3 `& r6 _: o/ x! ?; B b1 BWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. / w; a& g, p* M1 ] 8 g) m* S* C# J- h3 w! @' u"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.. A8 s( H+ o i/ g/ p4 a
8 ^2 G5 v, B6 p8 dAt 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.: Q k6 P* x( ^, t" K
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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." : [8 B: d( j; q. q8 j7 v- V6 C7 E5 v4 m' b
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. 3 K' C7 W" L# ~5 F( d- T / Q4 D/ ]: Q4 J; d6 e$ mLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. ' g- x- [! K" ?" G5 _$ ~6 G. U J: }7 v! k" K
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. + R/ G3 d' g, d1 N0 o$ m) j3 i; m I8 z9 o9 b6 |) z
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. . g8 ?: r! @( u' ^: w; B% S& s & Y* u0 | w" {"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.2 V* g. ]0 J! M7 |
+ x+ M! o; \: S! i"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." - s# L- }9 ~) g S( I5 N7 @ 7 q2 t" {) Q5 l t2 s
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 99 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=12eeb731facebdc91a64d2e2d6c57ed7&t=1757961288&sid=cF6jzH
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 99