[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 e" _% k' j" z6 Z% [5 i
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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。2 u) q3 R$ h/ a! X

. I% [6 k  k7 y3 s; y　　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。* i2 s) h; U3 S2 R+ k& t

4 [  T+ `  q: L, N" y' T# 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。3 A1 m) ~. f/ o, t2 j: {
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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。4 b: O( o7 s' C( u0 }

# O  q: ]/ ~: {. {) X　　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。& N* L. x- {7 f- c6 c

3 z% i6 K; S0 E0 x, CGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date- w; N0 t) N4 f0 d+ P2 b8 }0 G4 C2 K

' W1 O& V$ A0 P; b+ {( O) m5 ]& aCelebrity 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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* b* K+ p6 G: ^: u5 DIf 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.
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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.$ o( J) L& P5 M3 {

* }+ F2 d% t5 f$ o. |' WThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers.( A# Y+ ]- q/ O1 v. S- A4 m+ }
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One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
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" I' K/ \: K8 b+ e* e+ ~"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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* S9 G8 J1 i6 i- l0 c0 d. zrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de"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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$ N- h5 v! z, O. ]According 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.8 u5 e1 s, r( N, E  j

" P. _$ T2 M2 g# W6 e+ BIn Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
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"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.! r5 i4 R' O; ?5 j/ _& [/ |
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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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2 x* C5 m4 W) I. K! x4 f"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.de6 _4 ]) @7 n0 q1 `. Y. u# s+ S, _
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For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.( K. a8 c1 x" H' C$ F7 n- F/ O9 G+ c
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A couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.9 M6 O- y( p( K% R1 R8 }

! t$ I; E$ C  {1 G' Q! xrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWith none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.
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7 O- x% b3 N& d% H1 E) prs238848.rs.hosteurope.de"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends./ U3 E7 H/ Z& P1 B) r& A
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A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
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"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.  V/ b  p6 c. ~* _% w' _
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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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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.de* `# b( Z6 G: u# d, A5 W. J+ 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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de4 u. v/ m! K: Q# c; X, e
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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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de* c2 m; _; G( N$ g6 p( n+ v' A0 W

4 v* I/ Y2 q5 R$ a  N6 M2 UHe anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."
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Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake., G6 U6 {- h& w$ R; l8 J1 G3 c
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"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.5 P# J- ?8 s$ M  h. S8 y' _
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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 }$ W9 d$ b8 I0 ers238848.rs.hosteurope.de"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."9 [* H0 `- L9 e3 C8 h5 _
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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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de; z( w' e: F" l* }8 s, b9 I

! m0 w3 w& K8 L2 d6 k; mLibrary circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.2 y9 l+ k( x1 i
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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.; H9 T# L2 u% S
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Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.
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8 N7 {' \/ [7 {6 _"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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"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."
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