NEW YORK - From a 7-Up flavored wedding cake to 7:07 a.m. ceremonies, couples betting on 07/07/07 being the luckiest day to marry are trying to include the number 7 as many times as possible in their big day.
"Many brides are using personalized poker chips or lotto tickets as favors, and I've heard of 7 2007 pennies, a pair of dice, and hand-dipped chocolate fortune cookies being offered," said Kathleen Murray of wedding planning Web site TheKnot.com.
"Many brides are going to town with the number 7 and good luck traditions."
A record number of couples have chosen what many believe to be the luckiest day of the century to ensure a wedding with a happily ever after ending, with venues and service providers booked up for months, if not years, for this Saturday.
Celebrities are among them. "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria is marrying basketball ace Tony Parker in Paris on Saturday while celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will marry longtime companion Gelila Assefa on the Italian island of Capri.
"It's the craziest day in a decade for weddings," said Richard Markel, director of the Association for Wedding Professional International.
Numerologist Annette Pilzer of the Heart and Soul Holistic Center in Beacon, New York, said the number 7 was seen as lucky for various reasons -- religious, psychological and spiritual.
"If people believe in the number 7 it can help them heal," said Pilzer.
PERFECT MATCH FOR GAMBLING GROOMS
The number 7 also plays into the 7-7-7 jackpot found on many slot machines -- creating a perfect match for a busy weekend in Las Vegas, which is known for its abundance of casinos and wedding chapels.
Alicia Malone, a spokeswoman for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said many Vegas resorts have created unique ceremonies in the spirit of lucky number 7.
"The Silverton Las Vegas will have one couple get married in their 117,000 gallon aquarium and The Venetian will conduct 77 ceremonies at expanded venue locations," she said.
Charlotte Richards, owner of The Little White Chapel where Britney Spears was married, is planning to hold 500 weddings, with group weddings of 7 couples at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. as well as its usual drive-thru weddings and weddings in a pink convertible with an Elvis Presley impersonator singing.
Freed's Bakery of Las Vegas created a "Lucky in Love 777" cake -- a three tiered cake featuring three 7s, a die, and a bride and groom -- in anticipation of huge demand on the day.
"We have been in business almost 50 years, and this is absolutely the most orders we've ever had," said Max Fried, general manager of Freed's Bakery.
Fried said couples were trying to make their cakes stand out with orders coming in for a red, white, and blue cake, a pure black cake, and one with gin flavored mousse.
But will the date of a wedding actually make any difference? Probably not.
"But the groom will always remember their anniversary," said Markel. （實習編輯：顧萍）