The date’s all set. The hotel is reserved. The caterer has been chosen. The items on the list are slowly getting checked off. They’re still in middle of figuring out the photographer. Good thing they’ve got the party planner. She is their best friend these days. How else could anyone navigate through 
the maze of wedding planning and preparation? How else could anyone be sure that no detail is overlooked? With the worries off their shoulders, they know with confidence that this will be an absolutely perfect wedding.
But wait… What happens afterwards when the lively music comes to an end and the band packs up, when the dishes are cleared, when the dazzling center pieces have been removed, and the guest have gone? And even the party planner has taken her check and said “good night”.
There are two people left, bride and groom, now husband and wife. Together they become one in a new entity called marriage - a marriage that will last well beyond the most elaborate wedding party, a marriage that is meant to last a lifetime. Has there been any planning and preparation for this? What is marriage anyway? Why get married?
The biblical term for marriage is “Kiddushin” which is derived from “kadosh” which means holy. When a Jewish man and woman stand under their wedding canopy, and the blessings are recited, they are being sanctified as a couple. From now on, everything they do as a married couple, from general activities to their most intimate acts, have the potential to be blessed with the greatest holiness – they need only to invite G-d in. How do you invite G-d? Inviting 400 guests to the wedding seemed more doable than that. What is G-d’s address anyway?
G-d is everywhere so finding Him is easy. And the direct link is the Torah and Mitzvot (G-d’s commandments). Thus when planning and preparing for the wedding day, the couple should also be sure to seek out the mitzvot from the Torah that relate to marriage, particularly those about the observance of Mikvah. That is how G-d is invited in, becomes a partner and blesses the union.
We are fortunate to have a modern, state-of-the-art, spa-like Mikvah locally. The stunning Mei Menachem Western Well Community Mikvah in Natick serves the MetroWest Jewish Communities and offers educational opportunities including tours to help familiarize people with the observance of mikvah. Many brides come before their wedding to ensure a solid spiritual foundation for their marriage. Many women from all walks of Jewish life continue to come regularly. Whether it’s a bride who comes for her first time or a woman who has come many times before, each visit is a special experience. To learn more about mikvah, to arrange for a tour, or for more information about the Western Well Mikvah, please visit www.chabadnatick.com/themikvah or email [email protected].
This article was written by Chanie Fogelman and appeared in the July 2010 edition of the Metrowest Jewish Reporter.