& i" C: a7 r. L+ k' H+ O, i6 w 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。) M4 O6 u( D: u- [
8 \" A9 r. |' P: W9 k9 w- S9 c; x. HGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date ! |: e/ W& J, T+ e9 k. S5 f& _' A- z. ?$ K1 k' O9 j: r. B* p
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.' h+ u/ a8 ]5 @, L9 [' p' ^
: S0 B) M- y- A4 i9 t) UIf 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.$ ^! W$ V$ k: P3 ~
6 m# f, o: m1 b9 o2 a"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall. + A! C& l/ F: r, C! C5 h: P2 Q4 j& B1 W5 s1 o! V4 n7 w! j2 W
That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.4 W+ _4 M' N1 w$ d" v5 c
0 ?, @1 h" S( h$ P- t; BOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.% @; p( Y0 p0 t7 ]0 H; Q
% p+ }: {2 a3 s0 |# Q `. u"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.- T3 h5 ~5 A$ B% c$ r8 b) K
/ [$ d) l- N \( o0 S"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."1 L: H: I' x- S+ m) T4 Z
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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. / H0 I. } L* c 6 s; {/ }9 }' j c a% a" V) a. a% s, oBut this year, July has joined the field. - ^. G0 {& W) v, [: Y1 e* w; I! h% }" P$ @. E0 e
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7. 9 Z. E0 X( U$ D1 L, E' W2 s; P0 Y% H" z8 c& k
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.! E( m9 O- w1 W- Z
' a- h+ Y. L& ?, x: _! l- c4 J, yAlthough 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., V+ N0 g% f2 y) X2 {
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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." n0 v) W% l( o9 W
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year." Y; V; F" c' A$ p- v1 ~
4 O; ]! a7 E' u" ?; {A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.5 a [' u7 r( X" k$ t0 o1 {- r+ @
2 ~- w$ F Y: p+ dWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07. ' j! _8 s1 q- U # n) [0 m/ k5 t! T8 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.) G5 Q& ]% m9 \ a5 h3 A; W
) f! j' L9 A& {$ A; Q7 Q! CA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7. 8 k% M; U, p$ V8 Y% u/ k$ `+ l- e, e. W- }
"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. / D+ H* Y2 h8 {4 w# N. @4 P8 g1 M0 Y- ^. o7 T/ q
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.% x9 A. t! k' w; q6 E8 e; p, U
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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. & s6 `, _ S& K: r* y. g" b* m: X7 o/ G& k" j& E
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. " ?: n# E4 y: W# c* M5 J - {" }8 X |" c: {5 y. D4 G# 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. ) B/ V' b: G4 {1 r4 Z& V8 b' \ Q1 }( {: z, X
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."5 t6 }- Y7 Y- o
" j4 M; w# i3 d$ _5 X8 IWilliams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.. ^. ] T- H8 F6 p$ \- o: M0 r
, e9 g2 }% z0 M: F8 i4 U* e"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.4 ~( i2 u: n1 T- c; W2 j
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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." ~- p. o% f2 n+ F6 ~: N8 t
/ Y8 ?- c0 }* r- Y; r. Z4 b& M"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." 6 }, M/ {9 S w1 S- Q5 D$ C5 ?8 Q9 F: I; u) j& v& k" I3 Y
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. + f; x2 D% ~1 C1 W * Z- T# E' Y: _) z# ^5 [$ ^" |0 O* gLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.$ l: b% s. A; Z' q2 A) j r
$ o% m6 w, w, [+ tRoss 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. 1 x+ A( g1 C! d/ b, A2 k: O5 h 8 a0 v' e0 D* C% v( WThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.( f4 ?5 |7 \) ]; M4 v0 W
2 t9 |1 x! t0 N$ X& ^1 i6 o" j"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.- G b0 v. q8 j
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 7 j' q& T- W, @8 x8 t- k. W 0 Q# O7 e7 T* O) y( f* |! w
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=34665c7a70ae9620e7a2caa78afd459d&t=1774357084&sid=Om9QV6
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