11th heaven is today – 11/11/11

MIAMI — It certainly is eye-catching, whether you happen to notice yourself writing it down on a check, reading it in a work email or, if you're lucky, printing it on your wedding invitations.

It's 11/11/11, also known as today's date. And it rolls around only once every 100 years.

For some, it's nothing more than an unusually repetitive sequence of numbers.

But for numerologists, it's a biggie, as the number 11 is already known as a powerful "master number" — and here's three of 'em right in a row.

Couples planning a wedding ceremony also are highly enamored of the date, whether because of the belief that it will bring good luck or because it makes anniversaries easier to remember (he can't still forget, can he?)

And in the strange-but-true department, fans of the cult-comedy classic "This is Spinal Tap" have launched a massive online push to christen 11/11/11 as "Nigel Tufnel Day," in honor of the movie's lead guitarist character.

Tufnel, played by actor Christopher Guest, famously boasted of the band's souped-up amplifiers, with volume knobs that could magically be turned up to 11 (other bands' knobs only went up to 10).

So what does all this 11/11/11 business mean to you, assuming you're not tying the knot or hosting a "Spinal Tap" marathon party?

If you choose to believe him, numerologist Hans Decoz of tarot.com says the day is bursting with promise.

Decoz's advice: Stick to personal time with friends and loved ones, and avoid entering into financial contracts or agreements, as 11/11/11 can be tumultuous when it comes to money matters.

"It's a people day," Decoz said. "If you've been looking at somebody for a hot date for a while, take that date, take her out."

The number 11, according to Decoz, is a feminine number that centers around caring and loving.

That will be welcome news to the couples that have scheduled nuptials for this day — and there are lots of them.

More than 24,000 brides in the United States have registered 11/11/11 ceremonies with leading nuptial websites theknot.com or weddingchannel.com — compared with 1,612 who did so on a similar mid-November Friday last year.

Generally speaking, Saturday is the marquee day for wedding ceremonies.

But Hollywood chef Robyn Almodovar, who plans to marry partner Faiza LaRiviere in a 11/11/11 ceremony, said the slight inconvenience of a Friday wedding is worth it.

"To us, 11/11/11 means not only good luck, but also means twin flame ... the other half," said Almodovar, who owns and operates the Palate Party gourmet food truck.

Sometimes overlooked in the 11/11/11 discussion is that it also happens to be Veterans Day.

Can one day truly absorb all these different meanings?

Almodovar, whose father is a veteran, is confident it can.

"I will light a candle for the veterans as well," she said. "We all win."