'777' wedding fever sweeps the world

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 07/08/2007 11:00 AM  |  Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For the pious, seven is a sacred number. For gamblers, it is lucky.

It is said that God created the World in seven days. Muslims circle the Ka'bah in Mecca seven times. Hindus observe seven chakras.

The Seven Deadly Sins are a source of human downfall, while the Seven Wonders of the World are a source of inspiration.

For couples eager to take the plunge into marital bliss, it is hoped that sealing their love on the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of this century will have lasting and fortuitous blessings.

When Jakartans went out Saturday evening, the chances were they were going to a wedding reception or getting married themselves.

For Andri Susanto and his partner the date represents luck to embark on a new chapter of life as they held their wedding at the San Diego hills memorial park in Karawang, some 45-minutes' drive from the capital.

""777 is a good number in Chinese numerology. It represents luck and hopefully that's what they will get in married life,"" said Suryanata, father of the groom.

Their lucky wedding is just one of hundreds that took place Saturday.

There were virtually no vacant ballrooms or function rooms available in prime locations.

Caterers and decorating services often juggled two receptions at once.

But it takes more than luck to secure a function room for this coveted day.

""We had a long waiting list and the couple that got to celebrate their wedding at our venue today reserved the place in January,"" said Atik from Balai Kartini wedding hall, South Jakarta.

At Alila Hotel in Pecenongan, Central Jakarta, some 15 couples were on the waiting list for the hotel's only function room, public relation officer Shanti Setyaningrum said.

No premium was set for bookings on that special date and no special requests were made by couples themselves: They simply wanted to get married on that date.

Four- and five-star hotels in the prime areas of Sudirman and Kuningan saw an even higher demand.

""All three of our function rooms and one ballroom are occupied for wedding receptions today,"" Shangri-La hotel director of communications Ratna Sjamsiar Idris said.

""Some had booked since early 2006!""

An estimated total of 5,000 guests attended four different wedding receptions at the hotel.

Whether it's blossoming love, superstition or just an excuse for the husband not to forget his wedding date, demand always peaks on triple dates like 222 or 555.

""However, the demand for today's special date, 777, is double the usual,"" Ratna said, pointing out that her hotel listed dozens of couples on their waiting list.

As seven is regarded as a special number in both Western and Eastern culture, more couples seem to want to get married on the day marked 07/07/07 on the calendar.

""A fellow priest of mine received 60 requests to lead wedding ceremonies held today,"" Rev. Samuel Saputra who presided over a Saturday wedding at Central Jakarta's Nikko hotel annex told guests.

Saputra explained that, for Christians, seven represents perfection.

It was a perfect day to get married, a perfect day to bless a wedding and of course a perfect day for businesses related to the wedding-reception industry.

""I had to do up to six jobs today,"" said Renata Tohari, a florist who has been in the wedding business for 30 years.

Luxurious cars with a 777 plate were also in high demand.

Everybody seemed to have gotten their share of luck on July 7, 2007.

The story was also repeated in other parts of the world.

In Beirut, Lebanese couples in their droves went to tie the knot in one of the world's most volatile countries.

According to AFP, churches were full to the rafters, with a program of hourly services. The sheikhs were also busy, with many Muslim couples signing wedding contracts.

In Belgium, AP reported that couples were getting married en masse on Saturday. In the town of Ghent, marriage license applications can only be made one year in advance and several couples had already e-mailed their requests just after midnight exactly a year ago, the VRT network reported.

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