Fingers crossed, Lebanese couples in their droves want to tie the knot in one of the world's most volatile countries on 7/7/07, hoping it turns out to be one of the calendar's most auspicious dates. "Raz wanted the date more strongly than me. He feels like it's a divine date. For me, it's cute," says Karma Ekmekji, unconcerned that flowers are "like 10 times more expensive" because of the popularity of their chosen date.
Razmig Boladian, the groom-to-be on Saturday, jestingly tries to explain: "I'm bad with dates. I wanted a date that I couldn't forget." They chose the "Triple Seven" date two years ago and the location last summer, while holding onto a Plan B in case Lebanon's chronic insecurity and string of bomb attacks since January sabotages their special day.
The church venue, however, had to be relocated from Beirut's attractive downtown district, almost deserted because of the tents erected by opposition demonstrators led by the Shiite group Hezbollah.From an original invitation list of 800 people, more than half have confirmed, among them a handful of family and friends from overseas.
"I was landing in Beirut a couple of months ago and I looked down at the city and said: 'I don't want to get married anywhere else'," confides Karma, 23, echoing the sentiments of many Beiruti couples. Some are still playing it safe, hedging their bets. "They are waiting until after the (September) presidential election," a dicey date on which Lebanon is sorely divided, explains wedding planner Maya Zahlan.
Zahlan of "Weddings For Life" says she had to turn down scores of 777 hopefuls and refused to take on extra customers, vowing her standards would not be compromised by the phenomenon. "The couples going ahead with it want to show off Lebanon to their foreign guests, they want to give Lebanon another chance," she says.
Churches will be full to the rafters, with a programme of hourly services. The sheikhs are also busy this week, with Muslim couples signing wedding contracts in the runup to Saturday's fireworks. "To me, it's all a bit stupid, but don't quote me," another wedding planner admits, despite the rare boon for business in Lebanon where all the big and unusual 777 venues have already been booked since last year.
A promoter of South Korean electronic goods has plastered much of the city with billboards offering discount vouchers to 777 couples adding up to 2,777 dollars on goods to fill a new love nest. "We are encouraging young people to get married, and at the same time doing business," says Elie Melki, 54, a father of four.
Among an array of special ways to keep the date alive long after Saturday, Razmig and Karma have splashed out on special "200777" number plates, of two different series, for their cars.
But Maya Rafii is relieved she had to settle on 6/7. "At first we were very disappointed we couldn't have 777. People had booked everything way in advance, without committing," says Rafii, whose desired venue of the Sursock Museum in fashionable Ashrafieh was only available on Friday.
"But we were thrilled as we came closer to the date. Every supplier told us: 'Please don't ask for 7/7 because the flowers, caterers and everything else is unavailable, not just the venues," she says.
"We would not have got the standard of services we want," she says. "They are taking on more than they can handle on the day. A florist told us that it's like Valentine's, everything is at least twice as expensive."
Michel Hayek, who shrugs off the tag of "Nostradamus of the Middle East" after having predicted the untimely deaths of Princess Diana and Lebanon's former premier Rafiq Hariri, complains of the rumours swirling around Lebanon.
"You must have heard all sorts of rumours, about how I had put off a 777 wedding of my own because it would be a black weekend," he says. "But I haven't decided on any date at all, only that I will marry this summer.
"The rumours have been attached to 777 to keep everything black in Lebanon, maybe for political reasons to destabilise, or for another agenda," he adds. "I didn't say anything bad about 7/7 of 2007." Rumours are being spread to stir even more insecurity, as part of a dirty political game, he says. "Sadly, in this country, many people have grown used to hearing the bad things before the good things."
Hayek himself proposed to his bride-to-be Caroline, a student in children's psychology, on what was only their third date. "She was very surprised, but I told her I have a feeling." Time magazine has branded 777 "the most popular wedding date ever", noting it has also been chosen by Eva Longoria of "Desperate Housewives" fame amid a spike of US nuptials, drawn by the powers and mystic of the number seven.
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