Hot dates

The magical wedding date of the year -- 07/07/07 -- has passed us by, but to those who figure in figures when setting the date for a special occasion, all is not lost.

There's still 06/07/08.

Or 08/08/08.

Or even 02/29/08 (leap day).

In some parts of the country, popular wedding sites are already booked for 08/08/08. It hasn't happened here yet, but local planners predict that 08/08/08, as well as the other two dates, will fill up quickly -- whether for luck, novelty or just something easy to remember.

"They don't want him to forget the date," Janice Montoya, catering sales associate for Briarhurst Manor in Manitou Springs, said with a laugh.

Wedding planners expect to get slammed on unusual dates -- typically ascending, descending or repeating numbers -- but the popularity of the triple-seven was unprecedented for many local coordinators. Couples began reserving locations for their 07/07/07 wedding more than a year out, usually a time when only professional planners are booking, Montoya said.

The next hot save-the-dates haven't been quite as obvious, so planners have mostly relied on what looks good on the calendar -- few calls and even fewer reservations have been made into the summer and fall of 2008. Even those interested in leap day aren't committing en masse.

"It hasn't been as overwhelming as it was for 7/7/07," Montoya said. "Falling on a Saturday makes a bit of a difference."

Which is why Taylor Frye, president of Eat, Drink & Be Married Event Services in Fountain, is pointing to 06/07/08. Not only is it catchy, but it also falls on a Saturday -- by far the most popular wedding day.

"It's that progression," Frye said.

Leap day has also generated some interest, though few couples have committed to getting married on Feb. 29. Apparently there's some disagreement between brides and grooms about how novel it really is to celebrate only every four years, Montoya said.

"I still don't know if you get married on leap day when you celebrate your anniversary," she said. "Or if you have to wait every four years to get a present."

Although the number eight usually takes a back seat to seven when it comes to luck, local numerologist Katie Brunz said 08/08/08 might be more serendipitous than 07/07/07. In the nine-year cycle of numerology, the eighth year is typically a good year for partnerships, while the seventh is more rooted in personal philosophy and psychology, she said.

"Eight has more power," Brunz said. "It has a punch to it."

According to the New York Daily News, Chinese brides and grooms are grabbing up wedding spots in the Big Apple because the number eight is considered lucky in Chinese culture. (In fact, the Summer Olympics in Beijing will begin on 08/08/08 at 8:08:08 p.m., according to the newspaper.)

But when it comes down to it, is one date really any better than another?

"I can't tell you what makes you choose certain days," Brunz said. "People try anything when it comes to luck."

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