Quick Answer
What are sheva brachot?
Sheva brachot ("seven blessings") are recited over a cup of wine under the chuppah at the close of the wedding ceremony, praising creation, joy and the couple's union. The same term also refers to the week following the wedding, during which the couple is traditionally celebrated at festive meals hosted by friends and family, where the blessings are recited again.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What are sheva brachot?
Also called: the seven blessings, sheva brochos.
Sheva brachot does double duty in Jewish wedding tradition: it names both the seven blessings recited at the very end of the ceremony, and the week of celebratory meals that follows the wedding. Under the chuppah, the blessings are usually divided among several honored guests or clergy, each reciting one over a shared cup of wine. Then, for about a week afterward, the couple is hosted at meals by different friends and family, and the same seven blessings are said again at each one.
The blessings at the ceremony and the week that follows
Under the chuppah, the seven blessings are traditionally recited by the officiating rabbi or divided among several honored guests, each saying one blessing over a cup of wine that the couple then drinks from. The blessings move from praising creation generally to specifically celebrating the joy of the bride and groom. In more traditional practice, the week of sheva brachot meals that follows calls for a minyan to be present and, at each meal, at least one guest who was not present at the previous one — a custom meant to keep spreading the couple's joy to new people.
- •At the ceremony: recited over wine, typically split among multiple honored family or friends rather than said by one person alone.
- •During the week after: friends and family take turns hosting festive meals for the couple, at which the blessings are repeated.
- •Observance of the full week varies by community and family — some keep it in full, others mark it more informally.
Planning notes
- •Decide in advance who will be honored with reciting each of the seven blessings at the ceremony — it is a meaningful role for close family or friends.
- •If planning a full week of sheva brachot meals, start lining up hosts and dates before the wedding itself — it moves fast once the week starts.
- •Check with your officiant or community on whether a minyan is expected at the meals if you want to keep to traditional observance.
Keep a week of celebrations organized
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See guest management tools →Frequently Asked Questions
How many blessings are recited and by whom?
Seven blessings are recited, traditionally divided among several honored guests or the officiant rather than said by one person, each over a shared cup of wine.
Does the sheva brachot week happen automatically after every Jewish wedding?
Not universally — the tradition of a full week of festive meals is more commonly observed in traditional and Orthodox communities, while other couples mark it more informally or briefly.
What is the "new face" custom at sheva brachot meals?
In more traditional practice, each meal during the sheva brachot week should include at least one guest who was not at the previous meal, so the couple's celebration keeps reaching new people throughout the week.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated