[国际新闻] 7/7/07结婚充满乐趣

日月光

全年最旺7月7日美国结婚人潮破纪录
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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。
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　　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。; _; r( _0 p% M; b9 y5 W2 F
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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。8 s2 A5 b+ z6 y
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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。
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# ?) f: K0 H: B& k　　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。
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; ^2 X- I, q( }) Q' Krs238848.rs.hosteurope.deGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date5 O3 e- S; K+ D$ @9 H
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Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.- ^2 {& G& \4 U

) A7 s9 n. J) u% M1 Z+ K$ QIf 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# v3 `: P$ X5 Y, g) J
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"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.
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7 i9 `( }3 L2 N! y' CThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.
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( N& J6 N* L5 |& jOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.1 L. g0 C; K" g4 f

- ~! P" c, m1 p3 h- L- j' T+ A, V"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.1 K$ b2 R9 h1 W9 ~& b$ U1 a) N( @

8 B8 ~* w( s- U* x5 }, {"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."
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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.1 g& U* U6 ?2 A) n- k

& ?2 d6 e9 {( ]6 d5 O% p2 bBut this year, July has joined the field.
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In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7./ r3 P0 P' b" O3 Z" [; O6 e
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.; M$ j; \/ A, h: x5 T* ~

" M8 b. t; d$ i4 l- Ors238848.rs.hosteurope.deAlthough 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.
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: \( M' J/ P4 X# M1 w; K+ u2 a8 r"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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de: i( y% x" c2 d& j1 C

+ l/ |5 g, {$ l9 D# z6 m: X( BFor Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.8 R+ @+ {4 r6 k1 |; B% m

4 P' f  y+ T8 ~) N+ g0 |" frs238848.rs.hosteurope.deA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
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( r, {* V9 B( W% k, \rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.% Y+ Z! |6 _/ D% |% u0 n( ]
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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.
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.$ s7 c. ~7 \. l1 u8 {+ G

. f3 w  F/ ?8 }* ?"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.3 A7 h- q" G$ S, t
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For reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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: W' P, R8 U" b9 k* m' l4 MReceptionists 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, m' \! ]6 N4 g7 ]% G2 ]

0 I+ X* x7 f8 j' a8 ^9 q" I5 n5 qSimilarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.
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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.
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5 {' c' [* C4 i6 M2 B' m/ Z/ UHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."' ?. h; m( X' {- T+ B/ w! L
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.. t' Z) r- c; _1 d0 w
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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.
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2 T4 E# K$ n' s( e/ t( 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."
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, S7 [. z" `' zBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.: J" U( X2 D, ]& C' [2 X

- L, q/ A. T4 q' n9 Q% Z3 L$ xLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said./ q3 x5 P& w5 [7 O
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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.
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de6 ?8 y3 R% g/ T7 c7 W

" i1 _( f+ z; w"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count." H) d2 {* f; d$ }2 s+ p& ~

5 K( d1 n& [7 A% V" O3 X"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."; A0 D* r6 r/ Y* ^
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