% V5 `4 x b: W. u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。- F% b6 i* t+ f; ^0 z K' I) n7 v
2 W: \- b& o5 q$ C8 G' i0 Z4 v 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。 8 w& c% O2 A% R. F. g! x5 d" G" s9 e( ]- ~$ ?3 K
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。1 p8 B- q( j& j
( Y( ` B* i3 m/ _! ]Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. ' S V0 g2 }2 k' u7 |" a& y: S s; t6 B4 A3 A0 _7 @4 M. m% i5 |
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. / z/ ]& [8 }$ D6 q % _( h3 n/ x" y"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.( u; d1 ^) N5 N
# g" [/ ]# p- _2 H4 {0 RThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.6 D8 E% F7 s% o" w
( C, ]; B4 R$ K0 t9 S- _3 }" `: BOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.2 y0 d$ l* |- W6 {7 s; W8 A
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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.$ D6 U! a! w5 f7 b. s
8 Y2 L0 B& |8 x, w2 a, B"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."- K" T% @5 W3 v- ^" x8 _
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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. ; W* {9 D% Q- m9 s) C0 |. ~$ A/ ~' ]1 D+ n2 j% G. e
But this year, July has joined the field. $ r! R, z; k) o- T2 B/ W3 |+ K) \1 e4 S. v
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.$ n5 s! u4 ]4 T1 F1 Q. U: J
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking. 1 C7 i2 R, N& K1 D8 m7 K, Q 7 p" C0 S# Z$ e1 ^' AAlthough 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.9 x+ E0 b" d+ Y, i' h" s* |0 Y
5 Q0 g+ Q9 |+ b0 {$ |3 E"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.. q) C; x3 i1 g: e* \7 L0 |
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.$ ^, Z. \& d9 ` b( Y& z. D
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.6 _2 _4 j7 S% H: Q9 j) X
! p: ~& o: |1 C; I- MWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.) L( @4 o4 ?4 L- R
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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. " B3 g" ~, u! A( h% E: ~- P: u0 h8 u. Q$ W/ J
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. ( C. A* @# e3 {+ F4 x I* C $ J4 Y; T; l6 q/ z: o"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. # i% N: x( H* l, C. }7 S% [ 2 o9 S/ n1 w/ O9 @- t" BFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.4 d7 p: W, v4 U6 A8 g
' o1 v3 T! I3 d/ E2 FReceptionists 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& W2 m( G% y' |
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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.$ {8 U. X; I7 b/ F1 _; a& X
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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.6 z6 V2 o0 M4 n5 \# s9 L
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."1 v) X5 g! J* ^' _7 T3 o
) B+ v' l3 B' W) B' w0 m" H3 tWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.- s* X' e2 i6 ?- p2 h
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.9 w0 H2 ?( ]/ ~; G% R3 ]9 U" Q
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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. r5 I: g3 w3 u 0 h! V2 t$ [/ L L"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."3 D( L# ?) e8 D6 e
, |. G1 w2 Y( E* eBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site. 0 P0 W7 z" X9 [+ R F * [0 J U& Q+ L: N' e SLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. K6 @5 Y6 J: w& r# |; |
3 r2 \6 s/ T, O1 k7 y$ a9 }9 V2 CRoss 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.0 V5 N' S$ D3 N+ ? x. h5 |7 |
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.: s2 H2 w( {1 S* { h
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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. L9 \' H5 y5 |/ q7 r" U/ T $ A V# l( n0 |3 s3 ^$ Y"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." ; H2 M5 W7 L/ J6 X ! Z$ ?+ s4 v0 f2 M$ z2 D M
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 98 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=40814e49efc5b0a7d05dabc05cc891d5&t=1749919124&sid=oAUNaP
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 98