If a celebration was held for a bride and groom during the week after their wedding, but they did not eat bread at the event, are the Sheba Berachot blessings recited?
On the one hand, one might argue that since the guests experience joy in the presence of the Hatan and Kalla, regardless of whether or not they eat, the Berachot should be recited even if they choose not to partake of the meal. On the other hand, perhaps their participation in the meal is necessary for it to be defined as a "Se’udat Hatan Ve’Kalla" that warrants the recitation of the Sheba Berachot.
Rabbi Moshe Halevi (Israel, 1961-2001), in his work Birkat Hashem (vol. 4, p. 369), writes that the Sheba Berachot are recited regardless of whether or not the Hatan and Kalla partook of the meal. In note 28, Rabbi Moshe Halevi cites several earlier Halachic authorities who took this position, claiming that the bride and groom’s presence suffices to create joy and warrant the recitation of the Berachot (listen to audio recording for precise citation). This was the view of the Radbaz (Rabbi David Ben Zimra, Egypt, 1479-1573), who noted (in vol. 4) the custom that the bride and groom would not eat at the Sheba Berachot celebration, and instead ate privately afterward. This was also the ruling of the Sefer Ha’manhig and the Mahari Molcho (in the work Ohel Yosef). These sources are also cited by Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Soba Semahot (1:19).
However, Rabbi Shelomo Kluger (Poland, 1785-1869), in his work Ha’elef Lecha Shelomo (Orah Haim 93), disagreed, and ruled that the Sheba Berachot cannot be recited if the bride and groom did not eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread at the celebration. In his view, the meal is not considered a "Se’udat Hatan Ve’Kalla" unless the bride and groom participate and eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread. This is also the view of Rabbi Eliezer Waldenberg (Israel, 1915-2006), in his work Sitz Eliezer (vol. 13, Siman 99). Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Yabia Omer (vol. 6, Eben Ha’ezer 9:2), writes that according to this view, it is necessary for both the bride and the groom to eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread for the Sheba Berachot to be recited. Hacham Ovadia then notes that according to other sources, it would be sufficient for either the bride or the groom to eat a Ke’zayit to allow for the recitation of the Sheba Berachot.
It thus emerges that three views exist among the Halachic authorities concerning this question: 1) the Sheba Berachot are recited regardless of whether the bride and groom ate bread; 2) the Sheba Berachot are not recited unless both the bride and groom eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread; 3) the Sheba Berachot are recited as long as either the bride or the groom ate at least a Ke’zayit of bread.
As for the final Halacha, Hacham Ovadia concludes (in his Soba Semahot) that the bride and groom must both eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread for the Sheba Berachot to be recited, in according with the ruling of Rav Shelomo Kluger. Thus, even though the celebration was held in their honor and all the guests ate bread, the Sheba Berachot are not recited if the bride and groom do not both eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread.
Summary: If the bride and groom did not eat at least a Ke’zayit of bread at the celebration held in their honor, the Sheba Berachot are not recited.
