[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
/ a0 G" X7 `  [$ F, r* t人在德国 社区
& X; a# `: Z5 F( O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。
5 W+ e8 |) P# [8 `4 P+ F1 F* a6 ]2 G0 b
　　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。
* l7 |+ r5 Q- q: m; O2 p- L+ q7 E
9 _7 [& V/ G9 d% o　　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。7 U* ?, L5 V6 @, K  p
人在德国 社区1 L1 ]0 d% I, \: h6 l
　　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。人在德国 社区. J% X% W* t$ I7 W; L6 S

: }7 ~- W- N2 l+ o$ f$ Lrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de　　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。
, e9 t6 Q7 b" b( j+ E& P% |
+ K/ r( a" t" u  l+ I# F$ tGood luck coupling July 7 with a wedding date
# r0 A& g. O0 Y, x8 |! p* B人在德国 社区" }* h7 I( f! i: p' R
Celebrity watchers say Eva Longoria plans to marry Tony Parker July 7, hoping the special 07-07-07 date brings the couple luck.% L2 h1 i" @7 L3 A

; \- H" I% x' P1 Z* a& brs238848.rs.hosteurope.deIf 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.+ W/ [; c3 X6 v3 C0 v4 A, x
rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de2 `0 M+ k" ~1 ?0 J, R
"I've never seen such a stink made over a date," she said, having fielded requests for "everything in sevens" since last fall.8 M( ]1 T: G+ I  [

: g* Z3 _. v7 e0 X. zThat includes more than the hour and number of bridesmaids, groomsmen and cake layers." F- Z- S' K1 }: H& A- Z$ o
: ~& |; S4 D- T$ _8 |/ X) b) L1 G
One couple wanted Seagram's 7 whiskey and 7-Up soda in their beverage fountain.
: _2 K. Z, B; B( e人在德国 社区; e2 N2 J4 m3 U6 |+ C& U
"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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de' S' N8 N% g9 o

- V5 J3 S' y  c* ^6 q人在德国 社区"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."
' ~- E! S7 v8 {0 s" E
# l% s; M3 q+ ?7 C1 B( y5 O人在德国 社区According to the wedding planning Web site www.theknot.com, May, June, September and October are the popular months for marching down the aisle." W- Y3 s. T5 a
& e, o1 [, Y( t3 O9 q5 v
But this year, July has joined the field.
1 l2 O+ r, p1 Y9 k. @, B$ s, ^0 G
In Catonsville, SugarBakers bakery owner Jamie Williams noticed the trend, as 15 wedding cakes were booked for July 7.
3 w$ N/ j7 x3 a. J4 w- b, J人在德国 社区6 A: H% r9 a( M3 T% ~
"And we have a bunch more pending," she said, adding that a cash deposit finalizes a booking.
; K/ L" |( J" x# L( E人在德国 社区* Q" z1 P, {  h3 \$ K0 Z
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.3 O* K  m" L$ H: V

; b9 p9 P% _/ A/ g+ @: G"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- g# E" g. a% t& n# R# ~. `/ R
: e4 x7 V8 o4 R, L# r
For Whitehouse Caterers receptionist Judy Ganz, the date's appeal surfaced by accident last year.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de! J- u9 T: A& g; M, r4 M+ i( M4 p

  ]( U3 G; N5 c& j! HA couple came in wanting a Saturday in June 2007 at Whitehouse's home base, Overhills Mansion in Catonsville.
; h1 e/ S+ k; b2 n1 }0 S( D, z& M( ]3 w  p3 Y2 d; C
With none open, Ganz found herself recommending the first Saturday in July as an easy date to remember: 07-07-07.人在德国 社区* j+ j4 R$ P& I# A' p

% ~! v; \2 G/ o& I# |"That was the first time we'd realized it," she said, adding that Whitehouse staff typically check the calendar each year for possible trends.
7 j" L+ P* @  j! [# H/ G8 }4 irs238848.rs.hosteurope.de% k7 Z# n3 O/ T) K2 B0 I( a
A short time later, Ganz saw an overwhelming demand for July 7.
: K# B7 q" |) j1 K/ r$ Frs238848.rs.hosteurope.de
8 c' N- B( i# _- _"It's the most popular date for this year," she said.
/ @8 n$ H) P: |  R& g$ k" s: q' z
* v, n) N4 D* V/ k+ f% W4 UFor reasons yet unexplained, however, couples wanting a sacred wedding venue should have no trouble finding several.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de: D3 M4 b! u; Q' \

6 @! X/ {% B! c- R; [( N7 h( iReceptionists 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.
  I% i- {# ~. i: o2 ~8 F, _" G/ p+ [& E/ e! Q
Similarly, Cy's of Catonsville had no overwhelming July 7 demand for grooms' wear. The store doesn't carry bridal apparel.. B  S  q% R9 s! H0 E  _

- B$ C5 e, ?! B"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.
  z- ~( Y# d; _rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区( u1 h. N  L/ L
He anticipates last-minute planning from the grooms involved, as "guys are poky."rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de" ~8 v; U  V( \. K) H+ p! X
* f6 P$ u; z# O  f& d- {
Williams agreed, saying brides tend to book a reception location first, then a cake.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de! J$ V4 _" R. q" j+ S; M
' I: d8 {1 K2 s& a! ?1 S$ \
"I don't even like to take cake orders unless they have a site," she said.5 I9 t( F6 |% }8 k5 F# t
  n; @; s. [+ u$ j0 [! j  v
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.de8 y; k1 J/ B8 G6 ?$ `8 F7 w8 M/ [

: k. t( [, n$ ~0 I0 f6 w4 F4 f4 w人在德国 社区"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."/ w# E- H( ?  }1 L
3 q3 \" Q) j3 A
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.; C# i6 e* g% S" `. Y7 O) ?
. \0 D' z5 R3 Y0 l+ l
Library circulation manager Carolyn Ovelgone created the wedding display simply to show how many resources the library offers on a particular subject, Ross said.3 `) p/ g/ e" U  K+ `$ z

( m" I) v: l9 r6 eRoss 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.
- K, v/ R( p+ l9 l# K  Frs238848.rs.hosteurope.de- u2 |1 C$ H2 D! g
Those numbers were lucky enough -- the marriage is still going strong, she said.& j8 \: O# {8 j; U" f, w
" \. U4 h9 z8 ^5 }
"I don't get the big deal," said Hepperle, who has had more requests for July 7 this year than she could count.
) [+ [8 f/ ?% E8 y1 J
5 y  p( Q' {4 }" S- o"As long as it gets me more business, I don't care."  g, o2 ^( N% @9 m; ~1 V

$ x. y# B. ^8 f. f/ q8 n. g( I