全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 * y# S: O% k Q, M$ X. |( }, b # E5 e. N6 b0 {3 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。 6 Q' l6 d/ t8 Z3 a5 f* T6 }% e; W5 `$ {. _/ T
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。 5 X+ r: |+ U' A, _. r- g6 U( R$ @ I" c$ i% y$ R2 e2 B
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。2 x! Y# D, x$ y0 J2 x
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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。 3 x& G# A* b1 L1 x% L3 V ! v$ [* ^6 B* p3 @8 `6 h 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。 & \# t8 C' i/ y% B # p# H1 z/ u8 J1 r' N1 x9 DGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date8 q, o; G1 B0 g. W# O
9 U$ A; z9 O. p9 t- W3 x0 n7 CCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck. 6 S) X3 e" k3 N) g4 t4 g " L# o, r5 @8 F7 k _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.& F M0 p D5 r& Q5 F: Q1 e
& I0 L; ?% l+ Q& K+ M"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. " A3 Q- c' N5 u7 `" U) X8 H W O0 k2 y$ u7 X( P% C
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. % Q+ D# D/ I1 s, O* D4 D; g; P" u/ Q, F1 a
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.5 Y# _" u5 K0 G5 q, p' }
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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. ' t% W) F- `! e* [, M1 J7 k; a; f9 F( ]: R+ k9 w* c7 e, v: b, D; U
"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." 6 E6 R, @9 X# G3 N R + k( a- [% {8 XAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.+ K1 e# N }8 r) ~6 k
. S1 S6 ]* l' {1 ~But this year, July has joined the field.' q, Z" V* ^$ L' Z! l- N
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.( a9 ], |1 x6 T9 w! @. l, E
" b. q: o8 E& G3 U: m"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.! T: [6 w! B( P! D2 C! y7 U$ ~2 H
1 W7 }, n6 K1 \7 }* ~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. * p: ]; K/ c4 w0 P: I. m % H. d- w, U8 Q"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.. M* n, t) M0 a- A+ F7 C
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.! {- X( z( U4 ]2 ~9 B! H/ v
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. , k4 W1 ?0 x/ ?7 H( L6 P 2 I! W% K$ |, {9 A2 [With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.1 z% B) Z% `, r( z; {. \6 y
9 w- }, Z& \' N& H6 A2 w2 K' o"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. 7 {$ d: V0 Y8 k7 p. S , O" `, {3 N# ]A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.$ F+ [, u3 K+ a& j0 }" x, A3 V& a5 r
4 C) t% J+ V; M; o/ V"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.+ V8 Q" T( I4 `& M+ E6 v9 K
5 y" x. x( F" H" D/ SFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.) ?" `& }( O% b" z7 D+ j- i
8 q1 U( E3 V Z% {3 i9 nReceptionists 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. L# X/ c8 Z% K6 u & P6 i; l# |4 NSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.$ n9 s6 w! V! G. P- M5 |
# \& G* h8 [" M F+ M5 |6 u0 M5 v"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. ; Y8 m3 {/ I& s$ R) d! w- X6 U h) F 2 b0 ~% i- u a7 _He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." ; k- ^! }) `- y! U6 o: c5 D2 E. ~; k& D) x2 x
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake. ; }, G% d4 U! | # E, ]. O: d! a"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said./ q3 S% O) h7 y( N7 n: e
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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.- v3 m) j f4 l; R( ^+ H) S+ j
6 \* H3 i; p2 Y) I6 c) A3 U"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."( E# C% n$ Z! S- ~" Y
7 c! _3 o W9 _" q+ d/ {- k7 ]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.) U: p5 `1 |& [
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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. 1 ~+ ?- s# R0 |9 j8 ^5 U/ G7 v9 Y0 F0 j5 c( ~9 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. , p+ Q8 {7 x4 z3 Z; N# Y9 @% \$ c# l) I1 o; o
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. : V* P7 |( p$ ]3 M; m! ~# K$ B4 X7 T5 x+ Y" f) w
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.4 T; g1 E0 q5 z$ ^& F- E! d
2 p3 M- B3 r; c( y( [3 b"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." ! M7 Q6 O: V; z8 O- Z: {8 X / `) R3 D! s; x$ x6 {
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=1d38f3d379b796f98a94d8fbfff6f253&t=1783437335&sid=nMUQQP
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