You’re standing in the middle of Riften, the smell of rotten fish and stagnant lake water filling your lungs, and some guy named Maramal starts preaching about Mara’s warmth. Honestly, it’s a weird vibe for a wedding proposal. But that’s how it starts. If you want to find everyone you can marry in Skyrim, you’ve gotta wear the Amulet of Mara. It’s basically the Tamrielic version of a dating app profile. If you're wearing it, people know you’re single and looking.
Marriage in Skyrim isn't just about roleplay. It’s a business transaction. Your spouse sets up a shop, gives you a daily allowance of 100 gold, and cooks "Homecooked Meals" that boost your stamina and health regeneration. Plus, sleeping in the same house gives you the "Lover’s Comfort" buff, which makes your skills level up 15% faster for eight hours. It’s practical.
The Amulet of Mara: Your Golden Ticket
You can’t just walk up to Mjoll the Lioness and ask her to move into Breezeline. You need that necklace. You can buy one from Maramal in the Bee and Barb (or the Temple of Mara) for 500 gold. Sometimes you’ll find them in random loot chests, or you can finish the "Book of Love" quest in Riften to get one as a reward.
Once it’s around your neck, NPCs who are "eligible" will notice. But they won't just marry you because you're the Dragonborn. You usually have to do them a favor first. Kill a giant. Find a stolen sword. Mine some ore. It’s a merit-based dating system.
The Heavy Hitters: Popular Husbands and Wives
Some followers are more popular than others. Aela the Huntress is probably the most sought-after wife in the game. She’s a member of The Companions, a werewolf, and an incredible archer. You have to finish the entire Companions questline before she’ll even look at you, though. She’s tough. She doesn't care about your shouts until you've proven your mettle in the Underforge.
Then there’s Farkas and Vilkas. The twins. Farkas is as sweet as a box of rocks and about as strong as one, too. Vilkas is the "smart" one, though his temperament is a bit pricklier. Both are master-level trainers, which makes marrying them a huge tactical advantage. You can pay them for training, then just take your gold back from their inventory because, well, "what's yours is mine."
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Mjoll the Lioness is another big name. She’s a powerhouse in Riften who hates the Thieves Guild. To marry her, you have to be level 14 and retrieve her sword, Grimsever, from a Dwemer ruin. Just a heads up: if you marry Mjoll, her "friend" Aerin comes with the package. He will follow her to your house. He will watch you eat. It’s... awkward. Some players "dispose" of Aerin to get some privacy. I’m not saying you should, but I am saying people do.
The Full List of Potential Spouses
Skyrim is surprisingly diverse in its options. You’ve got Nords, Orsimer, Dunmer, Imperials—pretty much every race except Khajiit and Bosmer (unless you use mods, obviously).
The Women:
- Aela the Huntress: Jorrvaskr, Whiterun. Finish the Companions' story.
- Camilla Valerius: Riverwood. Fix the love triangle or bring back the Golden Claw.
- Brelyna Maryon: College of Winterhold. Let her practice spells on you.
- Muiri: Markarth. Complete "Mourning Never Comes" for the Dark Brotherhood (and kill both targets).
- Ysolda: Whiterun. Bring her a Mammoth Tusk. She wants to be a merchant. She’s a hustler.
- Uthgerd the Unbroken: The Bannered Mare. Beat her in a fistfight. Simple.
- Jenassa: Drunken Huntsman. Hire her as a mercenary.
- Lydia: Dragonsreach/Breezehome. Become Thane of Whiterun. She’s sworn to carry your burdens, including a wedding ring.
- Borgakh the Steel Heart: Mor Khazgur. Pay her dowry or convince her to leave.
- Shahvee: Windhelm Docks. The only Argonian female you can marry. Retrieve her amulet.
The Men:
- Argis the Bulwark: Vlindrel Hall, Markarth. Become Thane of the Reach.
- Cosnach: The Silver-Blood Inn. Beat him in a brawl. He’s a bit of a drunk, honestly.
- Balimund: The Scorched Hammer, Riften. Bring him 10 Fire Salts. He’s a great smith.
- Revyn Sadri: Sadri’s Used Wares, Windhelm. Return a stolen ring for him.
- Sorex Vinius: The Winking Skeever, Solitude. Deliver some rum.
- Marcurio: Bee and Barb. Hire him. He’s an arrogant mage, but his chain lightning is legit.
- Derkeethus: Darkwater Pass. Rescue him from Falmer. He’s the only marriageable male Argonian.
- Moth gro-Bagol: Understone Keep. Bring him a Daedra Heart.
Why Some People Are "Unmarriable"
It’s a common frustration. Why can’t I marry Serana? She’s the most fleshed-out character in the game. She has actual depth. But Bethesda decided she’s not the marrying type, likely due to her traumatic history with Molag Bal. Even after you finish the Dawnguard DLC, she'll politely turn you down.
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Then there’s Brynjolf. The red-headed thief has a legion of fans, but he’s too busy with "important business" to settle down. Same goes for Vex and Delvin. The Thieves Guild is a lonely place.
If you’re looking at everyone you can marry in Skyrim and feeling underwhelmed by the vanilla options, that’s where the modding community comes in. But in the base game (and Special/Anniversary Editions), you're limited to about 65 specific NPCs.
The Logistics of the Wedding
Once someone agrees to marry you, you have to go back to Maramal. He’ll tell you the ceremony is the next day "from dawn 'til dusk." Do not miss it. If you stand your spouse up at the altar, they will hate you. You can apologize, but it’s a whole thing.
The ceremony itself is short. A few vows, some cheering from whatever random NPCs you've helped recently, and it’s done. You get the Bond of Matrimony ring. It reduces the cost of Restoration spells by 10%. It’s fine, but you’ll probably replace it with a better enchanted ring later. Don't tell your spouse.
Living Arrangements and the "Spouse Shop"
Where are you going to live? If you own a house, like Breezehome or Proudspire Manor, you can tell them to move in there. If they own a house (like Camilla Valerius or Ysolda), you can move in with them for free. This is a great "starving artist" strategy early in the game.
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Every day, talk to them. Ask, "Has the store made any money?" They will hand you 100 gold. This accumulates. If you go adventuring for 30 days and come back, they’ll hand you 3,000 gold. It’s the most passive income you can get in Skyrim. They also become a general goods merchant. You can sell all your heavy dragon bones and ancient Nord swords to your spouse without leaving your bedroom. It’s peak efficiency.
The Dark Side: Divorce and Death
Skyrim doesn't have a divorce lawyer. If you want to marry someone else, your current spouse generally has to... leave this mortal coil. And even then, the game’s "marriage" flag is usually permanent. In the vanilla game, without console commands or mods, you get one marriage. One. If your spouse dies in a dragon attack or a "tragic" accident involving a misplaced Fireball, you are a widow/widower for life.
Choose wisely. Don't marry Cosnach just because you won a brawl at level 3 if you really want to spend your endgame with a powerful sorceress like Brelyna.
Tactical Advantages of Specific Spouses
If you’re playing on Legendary difficulty, your choice matters more. Marrying a follower is usually better than marrying a stationary NPC.
- Ghorbash the Iron Hand: An Orc warrior who can stay with you in combat.
- Vilkas: He’s a tank. He can distract Ebony Warriors while you pelt them with arrows.
- Belrand: He’s in Solitude. He’s a spellsword. He summons familiars. Very underrated.
Marrying a merchant like Revyn Sadri is less useful for combat but great if you live in a city and just want a place to offload loot.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Spouse
To get married right now, follow these steps exactly. No fluff.
- Travel to Riften. Find the Temple of Mara or the Bee and Barb tavern.
- Talk to Maramal. Buy the Amulet of Mara for 500 gold. Ensure you go through the dialogue tree asking about how marriage works in Skyrim, or the quest won't trigger.
- Identify your target. Decide if you want a follower (useful for combat) or a civilian (useful for a home-base shop).
- Complete their Favor Quest. For Ysolda, it’s a mammoth tusk. For Onmund at the College, it’s finding his amulet.
- Equip the Amulet. Talk to them. If the "Is that an Amulet of Mara?" dialogue doesn't appear, you haven't finished their specific prerequisite quest.
- Attend the Wedding. Get to the Temple of Mara within 24 hours of the proposal.
- Collect your Gold. Talk to your spouse once a day (or every few weeks) to collect your share of the shop's profits.
Marriage in Skyrim isn't just fluff; it's a mechanic that provides gold, buffs, and a mobile merchant. Whether you’re looking for a companion to fight dragons or just someone to keep the hearth warm in Tundra Homestead, the options are there. Just remember to keep an eye on Aerin if you pick Mjoll. You've been warned.