[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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! Y+ u+ U) z& a* r; ~+ a. P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。
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: E4 h( y0 y( s3 O! z　　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。! E2 Y5 E8 Z1 c* j1 R9 E
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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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　　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。9 {! O3 X+ K8 D) _! i9 G0 R' S# ~
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Good luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date! Q3 |9 r4 C( C/ k* F+ b/ ^5 N

3 c! s5 B: D' ?9 S0 _1 d( h) ors238848.rs.hosteurope.deCelebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.
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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.- [' c4 c# M! N& f% T8 P- r

( {! w" H( e5 `5 t1 g/ o"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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% s3 F# Q% ~# \% eThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.  S2 R- D4 Y" W* p5 u

0 z! f/ O7 ?% t8 x7 }5 ZOne couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de9 R& E/ M+ @$ d8 j( d( U
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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.
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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."
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  p$ i( ^( S$ r5 {/ KAccording to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle.
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But this year, July has joined the field.. n2 |$ x8 g- x. F; r! i

$ \) M& Z- I2 G* x) \% e# i# U! {In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
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( C& |4 \& @6 r3 T人在德国 社区"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.; N% L. n" v- [$ {( H* F# o

$ ?% O4 C. M1 _! W5 l人在德国 社区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.
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1 A* `  _  f# A"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.
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville., a3 e! F2 u' X* Y! T9 E
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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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de9 O+ U: S$ j7 [' I3 Y# y3 y% f9 B
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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 7.9 [" f8 n3 G& N
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de! {& s/ G) x; A  p; P0 `- m

% }! `: A+ r1 l( j) |% @4 ]rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.
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" z. m; @! f3 o; t" P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.! M& A' P. b, V" e
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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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) D' S) |) n5 H- e: Y: ~' C; H; ]"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.1 D4 ~6 v- q. y" x3 I( q' \
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He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de7 T9 w: p2 Z/ ~
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.: v3 N& N, l, r! @

, Z7 @* x( m5 O! `7 p"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.
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8 v" @: O! ]# O8 \  h. {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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de) A8 l# Z0 C( L+ k% R: J0 D
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"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."人在德国 社区- J. V8 }, f8 y

, A- P+ K6 T$ W# p5 tBook 7, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," will be released in July, although not July 7 as planned, according to Rowling's Web site.
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; Z2 ]6 _# U+ u# s( ?5 E7 A8 bLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.人在德国 社区0 }# J7 M$ L  h8 G) i( f

. j, f# A( n. \) [, Z人在德国 社区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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de9 x  K4 I: I( X1 L/ U( L; z( e3 S& i
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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7 j( n& H* g8 c" o% z& c"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.& B5 ]' Y- a6 F$ `
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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."4 D& l$ h1 s' t, p% Q7 G3 `0 _8 r

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