During the seven days of rejoicing it is customary to hold festive meals with the bride and groom, at the end of which Grace after Meals is recited, followed by seven blessings. These are the same blessings that were recited under the wedding canopy (although in a slightly different order, as explained below). These meals are not obligatory, but they are a mitzva designed to enhance the bride and groom’s joy, and an opportunity for others to share in their celebration. These meals are colloquially referred to as sheva berakhot, literally, seven blessings.

The sheva berakhot meals are held all week if it is the first marriage for either the groom or the bride. If both sides are remarrying, they recite the seven blessings only under the wedding canopy and at the conclusion of the wedding meal. After this, even though the next three days are days of rejoicing for them (see above), the seven blessings are not recited at the end of the meals.

In times past, it was customary for the bride and groom to remain throughout the seven days after the wedding in a special home that was prepared in honor of the wedding, and their relatives and friends would come to this house to rejoice with them. When this was the custom, the halakha was that the seven blessings would be recited only at meals held in the house of the bride and groom. Nowadays, however, it is customary to recite the seven blessings wherever a meal is held in honor of the bride and groom. Nevertheless, there are still some Sephardic communities that maintain the former custom, reciting the seven blessings only at the home of the bride and groom.

In order to recite the seven blessings at the end of a meal, there must be a minyan present. There must also be a person who did not attend the wedding meal or any previous sheva berakhot meals celebrated for this couple. This individual is referred to as panim hadashot, literally, a new face. The reason for this is that the participation of a new person at the meal increases the joy of the occasion, justifying the recitation of the seven blessings.

On Shabbat and festivals, there is no need for panim hadashot; even if all those present at the meal had already attended previous meals, the seven blessings are recited. The rationale here is that Shabbat and festivals in and of themselves add joy to the occasion.

The above halakha applies to the Friday night meal and that of Shabbat morning. With regard to the third meal on Shabbat afternoon, Ashkenazim do not require panim hadashot at that meal either, whereas Sephardim maintain that panim hadashot is needed in order for the seven blessings to be recited.

If there is no minyan present, or if there is no one in attendance as panim hadashot, only the last of the special blessings, “who has created joy and gladness,” is recited. Even this blessing may be said only if guests were invited and there are at least three men who can recite Grace after Meals with the special introduction [zimmun] (see the section dealing with the halakhot of Grace after Meals, p. 527). If no guests were invited, or there are not at least three men to perform a zimmun, the blessing of “who has created joy and gladness” is not recited either.

Further reading: For more on the zimmun before Grace after Meals, see p. 528.

Even in those situations in which only the blessing of “who has created joy and gladness” is said, one should still recite the blessing over wine, as explained below.

Whether all seven blessings are recited, or only the blessing of “who has created joy and gladness,” one adds to the introduction to Grace after Meals the phrase, “in whose dwelling there is joy” [shehasimĥa vimono]. When the zimmun is recited by three men, they recite: “Blessed be He in whose dwelling there is joy, of whose bounty we have eaten.” If there are ten males present, the formula is: “Blessed be our God in whose dwelling there is joy, of whose bounty we have eaten....”

For Grace after Meals and the recitation of the seven blessings, two full cups of wine are used. The Grace after Meals is recited over one of the cups, while the second cup is used for the seven blessings.

The procedure is as follows: The person leading the zimmun raises a cup of wine in his right hand and starts the zimmun, followed by Grace after Meals. Afterward, six blessings are recited over the second cup of wine. These are the same blessings that were recited under the wedding canopy, but without first reciting the blessing on wine. It is customary to honor several guests by passing the cup from one to the other, each man reciting one of the blessings. After the conclusion of six blessings, the one who led the zimmun recites the blessing on the wine over the cup in his hand and drinks from it. After he has taken a drink, the wine of the one leading the zimmun is mixed with the wine in the cup over which the rest of the blessings were recited. One of the two cups is then served to the groom and the men around him, while the second cup is given to the bride and the women around her.

The Shabbat after the wedding is called the Shabbat Hatan, the “groom’s Shabbat,” by Sephardim, while Ashkenazim call it the “Shabbat sheva berakhot.” On this Shabbat, in addition to the seven blessings that are recited at the end of the meal as discussed above, it is customary to call up the groom to the Torah and, if possible, to honor him with the reading of the haftara. Some host a kiddush or a full meal for the worshippers at the synagogue after the morning prayers.