[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1 _+ j; S; k: d9 a/ u
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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。1 S) ]0 X' I3 A9 _

4 z3 c3 \: g4 h2 `- 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。
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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。
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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 y: w; u2 q$ Y! {8 _( H

" P7 T0 A- ]  [7 S2 s6 q- {　　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。人在德国 社区) P! ~& i2 s, ?+ v% ~; O

% v; ]) J$ A( l8 F' Yrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date- s( s# w7 F. @& u  M7 V
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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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de6 z) O% R# Y0 L8 }
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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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de+ z8 L+ L8 H7 C1 [2 ~
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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.0 n6 j2 C( q4 Q% j* z

( q0 Z0 w: b3 B; R6 _) [That includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de% ^" [! [5 v. w. h7 k" `' z
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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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.4 H: x. m; e% t/ P" }1 _4 L2 D
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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."rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de, j3 V5 n) j. v* [& \
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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.0 _+ i+ k. G9 u5 [0 Y
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But this year, July has joined the field.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de' Q; `: |) s! K* X+ b

8 O) ]0 h6 S$ b7 f! T; _2 _In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.8 y* M+ n/ e0 J: s$ W2 {. W

4 o1 x5 Y7 a& I& {' W人在德国 社区"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
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+ @$ R% `* G* ~8 ~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.人在德国 社区, g8 K& A6 e) h9 g( M* H
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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.0 v9 L1 T3 T: W
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.人在德国 社区7 X: ?1 h% S* n7 H

3 L! W* U6 ~# R  i+ Q8 K+ ^# _5 yA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de3 ^* a9 A7 @2 b
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With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.
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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.人在德国 社区+ A" t1 h1 r, }+ N+ ~, c, ]- @7 `

9 s& e5 {3 L9 y2 E* j* {"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.9 n5 g' B4 y& a2 ~2 I

% d, Q# O; @, j% c/ K+ T" rFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de' d& M/ o% Y- F5 p" m

- O  q0 M: }& G( Q人在德国 社区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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de5 J- v# R* L$ k% t  s& Y2 I( l# L
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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.
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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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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."人在德国 社区  h* n, c' |; s" Q! |

8 T, g0 x' K; t0 R$ W, s$ `rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWilliams 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.
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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.4 g0 V% J5 B& p- N

2 Y" v, _. T) i# P( a7 S# s; ~"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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! E/ ~4 r8 ^- W# x- f人在德国 社区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.: d6 h- x$ I$ w7 v  v
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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.
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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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9 b5 J* _) `* {" H2 m& C- p3 aThose numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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( E+ B$ z% S  U( |$ P"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.
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5 Z7 {3 A8 i' V/ O% \"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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