Occurrence of so many number sevens makes this day a special one
CITYWIDE Lucky or not, the repetitive sequence of numbers of today’s date will reap huge benefits for two of the largest industries in the United States — weddings and gambling.
It’s the day when the phrase “Lucky number 7” holds an extra magical feeling, a day when superstitious gamblers across the country will flock to the race tracks and casinos to capitalize on the rare occurrence of July 7, 2007, commonly referred to as 7/7/7.
Seven is traditionally a lucky number, a number of karma, said Maria Shaw, an astrologer for the National Enquirer.
“It is a number that has a lot of power,” Shaw said. “We’re not talking about money luck, because 8 has more of that type of prosperity.”
The belief that seven is a lucky number is said to date back to biblical times, a symbolic number frequently mentioned in the Bible.
While some people take the superstition seriously, others see no significance in today’s date — another repetitive sequence of numbers that fall on a date once every one hundred years, just like last year’s June 6, 2006 and next year’s Aug. 8, 2008.
“I’m not superstitious, but I think lots of people will be going to Vegas,” said Patsy Sambrano, who spent Friday afternoon shopping on the Third Street Promenade with her niece.
For tens of thousands of starry-eyed couples across the globe, 7/7/7 will forever hold a special place in their hearts as the date when they tied the knot.
“I would say it’s the busiest wedding day in years,” said Nily Glaser, founder of Glaser believes 7/7/7 is especially popular for couples because it falls on a weekend, making it a fun wedding date.
It also makes it easier for the groom to remember wedding anniversaries.
“That is the clincher,” Glaser said, referring to 7/7/7 falling on a Saturday, which is already the most popular day of the week to get hitched.
Celebrities are also joining in on the hoopla, including Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria and NBA star Tony Parker, who got hitched on July 7 in France.
“Next year, it’s possible if 8/8/8 falls on a weekend, that it will be a popular day.” — A-Weddingday.com, an online wedding resource
Two popular Santa Monica wedding destinations — Hotel Casa Del Mar and Shutters on the Beach — will be fully booked this weekend, including guest rooms and reception areas, said Stacey Copeland, the spokeswoman for the two hotels, which are owned by the Edward Thomas Management Company.
“It’s an unusually busy weekend for weddings,” Copeland said. “It’s hard to say because they’re (already) fully booked for July wedding season.”
While couples might think it’s fun to get married on 7/7/7, Shaw doesn’t believe it’s the best decision for couples.
The solar system is currently experiencing Mercury Retrograde, a triennial event when the planet begins moving backward, causing delays in people’s lives, from being stuck in traffic longer than usual to missing scheduled appointments, Shaw said.
The retrograde started on Jun 15 and is expected to last until July 10, Shaw said.
This means that couples might see snags in their wedding plans, from the groom being stuck in traffic to the maid of honor missing a flight, Shaw said.
“That would not be a day I would choose for one of my brides,” she said.
One of the most popular destinations for weddings — the home of the drive-through chapels — is expected to see record number of couples saying their vows this weekend.
“It is going to be very busy,” said Alicia Malone, spokeswoman for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We’re anticipating a lot of people here for weddings and also press their luck in the casino.”
Most chapels in Las Vegas are overbooked and will be open for extended hours to accommodate the demand for wedding services, opening earlier and closing later.
Popular Las Vegas hotels are reportedly booked solid this weekend as gamblers take advantage of the symbolic day, hoping to see the 7-7-7 combination pop up on the slot machine.
For William Ta and Emily Young from Los Angeles, today will be just like any other day.
“Next year, it’ll be 8/8/8, which is a lucky date for Asians,” Ta said on Friday. “Eight is a prosperous number, so you’ll probably see lots of Asians getting married on that date. It means ‘money, money, money.’”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 7, 2007. Read the original PDF.