Marriage is one of Skyrim's less developed mechanics, but this shouldn't overshadow the fact there are several excellent marriage candidates in the game. Skyrim managed to create a rather impressive world, with plenty of notable NPCs. A few of these NPCs stick out in particular as rather good marriage candidates, both for gameplay and sentimental reasons.
Marriage in Skyrim requires an Amulet of Mara, as well as a good relationship with the player's desired spouse, usually accomplished through completing a quest for them. Marriage provides a few benefits, most notably the player's spouse running a shop and providing them with daily gold income, as well as the ability to provide them with occasional stat buffs either through food or rest. All things considered, marriage is a great investment in Skyrim. While every spouse has these abilities, there are some that are more favorable, usually for personality or story reasons.
Players in Skyrim can marry any of the marriage candidates regardless of gender, so the only restrictions are their own methods of becoming friendly with the player. Some are followers, some are associated with factions, and others are civilians unaffiliated with anything major in Skyrim. However, each of the following candidates has something special about them that makes them especially memorable.
Marriage In Skyrim - Borgakh Is An Orc Warrior Princess
Borgakh the Steel Heart is the daughter of the chieftain of the Mor Khazgur Orc stronghold. She is soon to be married off to another stronghold's chief as per Orc tradition, but is not enthused about the arrangement. However, by either paying her dowry or convincing her to walk away, Borgakh will break off the engagement and become a potential follower and marriage option. With so many side quests to explore in Skyrim, a powerful fighter like Borgakh makes for an excellent follower.
Borgakh as a marriage option may seem odd considering that she joined the Dragonborn in order to avoid an arranged marriage. However, if presented with an Amulet of Mara, she admits that she is intrigued by the player's strength and has come to admire them. Despite her rough, battle-loving demeanor, she is just as affectionate as all of the other spouses in the game. While the player is married to her, Borgakh can still continue to act as their follower and join them on adventures. This actually makes the marriage feel a little more special, as Borgakh and the Dragonborn can continue their quest together. Getting married in Skyrim is not difficult, so there is no reason for players not to go for it.
Borgakh's marriage is also heartwarming in another way. In Skyrim, it is revealed that Orcish tradition places a lot of emphasis on strength and the ability to act. By marrying Borgakh and bringing her on adventures, she is likely living her ideal life. Being able to spend her life fighting alongside the one she loves is probably her exact definition of a happy ending.
Farkas Is A Tough, Soft-Hearted Warrior To Marry In Skyrim
Farkas is a member of the Companions, a warrior guild based in Whiterun and one of the more honest factions in Skyrim. He is likely one of the first members that the player will meet, fighting a giant in one of the farms outside Whiterun. He seems a bit gruff in first impressions, even before the player learns that Skyrim's higher-ranked Companions are werewolves, but he quickly proves himself to be one of the guild's friendliest members, eager to help the player as the newest recruit.
Like most members of the Companions following the completion of their questline, Farkas becomes a candidate for marriage. Like Borgakh, he can also adventure with the protagonist, but the real appeal of his marriage comes from the more mundane side of things. Farkas mentions in his dialogue that most people don't think that he's very smart, and he even admits himself that his brother is smarter than him. In essence, he's pretty sure that the only thing he's good at is fighting. However, when it comes to marriage, Farkas turns out to be perfectly happy with tending the home, even if he isn't brought on adventures. He may not be the smartest, but he's happy with a simple life.
In addition to being a Skyrim follower who can't die, Farkas is popular thanks to his strong, friendly personality, and those same traits make him a great spouse. Of course, he can also be brought into battle as well, where he excels thanks to his long history of combat. Whatever the player chooses, Farkas is one of the most reliable men in Skyrim, and is a perfect marriage partner.
Best Marriage Candidates In Skyrim - Ysolda Is An Aspiring Merchant
Ysolda is another NPC who appears early in Skyrim, although she is not tied to any major quests. Her only request is that the player finds her a mammoth's tusk to trade to a Khajit merchant in order to receive some training in the art of sales. She's polite to the Dragonborn and is more than happy to share a little bit of her bartering knowledge when they help her out. While Whiterun holds many secrets in Skyrim, Ysolda is rather difficult to miss.
Ysolda is a marriage candidate who seemingly doesn't have much going for her, not being a follower nor connected to a major faction, although she is involved in a few of the game's minor quests. This actually makes Ysolda a great marriage candidate in terms of story. She's one of the first potential spouses the player can meet, she's quite nice, and the Dragonborn winds up coming back to her a few times during their travels. In a sense, this makes a romance arc quite believable due to their repeated interactions. Ysolda may not be anyone special in Skyrim, but she can be special to the Dragonborn.
In addition, marrying Ysolda means that she will be able to have her dream of running her own shop, whether it be in a free house in Skyrim's city of Whiterun or wherever else the Dragonborn settles down. Judging by the daily income that she brings in, she appears to be pretty good at it as well. Ysolda's story is not an exciting one, but it doesn't need to be. Sometimes, a supportive partner is all that is really necessary.
Skyrim's marriage system may not be a flashy feature, but it's wonderful for worldbuilding and roleplaying. Getting married can be a great way to further the Dragonborn's story, even in a small way. The aforementioned characters stand out as some of Skyrim's best marriage options in that regard.