全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录 ; f9 N6 G ], k' C( R7 b! e& e, G$ E5 }2 y7 o6 y
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。. _ Z3 A" c! e1 @1 [; E" J* T2 n5 A
2 I5 b+ h( [( q. U* r& K5 f 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。( _+ F" s6 T* c1 z3 U4 s. E4 _- Y
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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。( z; a- x* o1 c
% D# X) o$ x" d# n1 b 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。 1 B/ \: ?# d, T7 M; _# b $ y8 Z% S* q4 V; A- E0 p0 q4 A& ]1 ^ 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。* ^& j9 s) x' M. I
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date% |$ F+ F. K, m' B, g# X, y4 ]0 u! l
* Y& k; d; ]2 z9 L: ICelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.. I0 j8 N6 f" H) 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. # \8 j5 {% P3 N U ( r" D5 Z8 }, T) N: n o- j# O# G"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.+ F _+ _0 Q# o: s* S! ?; k
& f4 Z! o d+ [& `" H7 |; WThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers. - x+ J) x i s6 t/ [# m& o& F1 r1 }
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain., p4 [" d, I# O; c! x) |
* a$ h$ |0 f- T- d"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 }) P, b1 R; d+ W/ K. k
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"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.") I, i; P9 B- ]% X/ w
$ u2 E i+ F: c% A# D& x4 M) z. `, PAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle." g; @, @" W/ B
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But this year, July has joined the field.# e8 F2 C6 |2 l5 R( q) J: [
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.3 X+ _/ j8 E: \: n
$ Y$ z8 i6 `% z# ~8 O"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.; e7 e" J7 f# g" l& S
. G" T) ^+ F; S2 y! TAlthough 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 ~; L' ?: k: K3 o+ F* Z9 C+ M& z% Y5 [" w, e8 \9 Z
"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.1 z$ ~1 [9 t; W8 |( S& j$ V; F
2 ?& I9 S7 t; z6 wFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year. ( i* I( P: I6 D2 X4 C- l% m8 Q$ m* o/ `" M! J6 j
A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville. ! D- k" [ B# S% I0 E( x8 [) ?& C! x% o+ U. o; }1 b- ]# @
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.5 K5 s: K7 p4 k0 N! F
3 V" t+ x, C2 Y& p( S"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends. , D9 W7 e! X; J& I! ? H; l( _ ( D8 G. s) e* B# c( @8 IA short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.) E; e2 p% j4 i" J7 u# p6 P l
d* B4 M: C( t/ q$ L"It's the most popular date for this year," she said. * m+ {3 t& p- m1 Z4 u# R1 `) w/ b, _5 Q
For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.8 V! [# P m* J) |0 q3 h
& B4 j+ W5 Y4 R+ w0 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. 2 k, |" U8 }4 K$ m( R 7 f* K3 R* X0 o4 [& q% ?Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel. / M: P" A8 f6 q& b& [2 G8 { 1 b7 o# Q. o. E8 z3 j2 ?7 N"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.2 O6 d/ K1 O/ \, o! P s
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky." * D! l$ d2 y# }8 c( m1 z$ u9 K' S( M7 [0 n' ^/ s8 {9 j. d2 e
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.$ w0 F5 i% A% d5 v+ W2 n
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.. V4 ?" @, l& G+ r3 j% H8 S
4 Z W, s, t) Y1 w2 Z7 F5 ^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.2 I; @' A4 q1 ?- O5 f1 R, C
1 `! i5 L' h# ~+ w# O$ W4 C; e$ ?"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."5 a/ f' T" x+ e: Y
$ ~- J- j7 ~. K2 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. * Y! O3 c4 I3 [/ B4 `3 r $ T# _" M/ F+ T/ QLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said. * \9 E$ x4 }& R) T" }0 X) q8 w1 ?3 ]
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. - g( N5 l$ [# v5 g / i! K. G) O/ @0 n% `Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said. " @5 X$ i; r4 p7 \/ |$ y( |' m6 `. ]+ D $ o5 |% O4 p [! ?"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count. j5 {0 ^( j; C! x( K: M
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care." 4 C" e4 T t, ]4 u! x$ F) U4 b8 u1 j$ `9 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 45 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=248522&k=c11ce13455fff705b327b223f343264e&t=1720361021&sid=FT5100
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 45