Berakhot 11

Why the difference between the obligation to say the Shema if you marry a widow or virgin: “One who marries a virgin is exempt from the recitation of Shema on his wedding night, but one who marries a widow is obligated.” It states that a groom who marries does not need to say the Shema because he is engaged in a mitzvah. Is marrying a widow also not a mitzvah? Further conjecture that the groom is too preoccupied because he is concerned the virgin he is marrying is in fact not a virgin further confounds my 20th century secular Jewish sensibility. On a more positive note this passage reminds us to respect a diversity of opinions:
”Rav Yeḥezkel taught: One who acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai has acted appropriately and is not in violation of the halakha. One who acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel acted appropriately as well.” (Although the next passage contradicts that statement.) The Talmud certainly is wandering in its text and contradictory. I am taking from it what makes sense to me each day.