Getting married in Skyrim might seem like a trivial feature for an open-world role-playing game, but there are benefits and rewards only earned through marriage. Skyrim has dozens of potential partners for the Dragonborn, many of whom the Dragonborn meets along their adventure. Most of these eligible spouses require a specific task or quest to be completed beforehand, essentially building a rapport between the Dragonborn and the resident of Skyrim.
Skyrim's marriage ordeal is initiated by wearing an Amulet of Mara, an enchanted amulet that reduces the cost of Restoration spells by 10%. Mara is one of the nine divines in Skyrim, and is known as the goddess of love throughout the Empire of Tamriel. In Skyrim, Mara has a temple that is dedicated to her in Riften, and while players can find an Amulet of Mara randomly throughout their adventure they can also purchase one from a priest named Maramal for 200 gold. If he isn't found in the Temple of Mara then that means he's at the Bee and Barb, both located in Riften.
The Dragonborn must speak to Maramal about marriage first before anything relating to the Amulet of Mara comes up for a dialogue option. 200 gold is easy to find in Skryim, and there are plenty of ways for the Dragonborn to earn lots of gold early in Skryim as well. However, he doesn't have to be spoken to before getting married. As mentioned, an Amulet of Mara can also be found as random loot in chests or on corpses, but it can specifically be found in the Lover's Tent or by completing "The Book of Love" quest.
How To Get Married In Skyrim
After acquiring the Amulet of Mara, have the Dragonborn place the amulet around their neck. For players who have already carved out a small to medium amount of quests, they may have already helped out some potential spouses. Whenever a character is "ready to be proposed to," they will start acknowledging the Dragonborn more in passing by saying dialogue like "It's a fine day with you around." Wearing the Amulet of Mara and talking to one of these characters will give the Dragonborn the option to propose to them. Afterward, the Dragonborn must speak with Maramal to arrange the wedding.
The wedding will take place no sooner than 24 hours after the arrangements have been made, but the ceremony can take place at any time. Missing the wedding on that day will result in everyone leaving the ceremony, canceling the wedding for the time being. Skyrim's Dragonborn can address their fiance once more and ask for another chance, and ask Maramal to host another ceremony the next day. Once married, the only way to leave the marriage is for the partner to die or through PC mods.
After the marriage ceremony is finished the spouse will ask the Dragonborn where they would like to live. Skyrim homes can be improved or changed later on, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Depending on the spouse, some of the options available are the property that the spouse owned prior to the marriage, or any property that the Dragonborn owns.
One of the benefits to being married includes temporary regeneration boosts to magicka, health, and stamina that can be applied once a day. Ask the partner for a homecooked meal to receive and food that will provide these boosts. The Dragonborn and their partner receive the Bond of Matrimony, a ring that has the same effect as the Amulet of Mara. Additionally, players can receive another temporary bonus called "Lover's Comfort," boosting the rate of skill-learning by 15% for eight hours. However, if the Lover Stone is active, or if the Dragonborn has become a werewolf, this bonus is unavailable. The last bonus also allows the spouse to work as a vendor, and the Dragonborn can collect a small amount of gold from their partner daily.
Skyrim: Who The Dragonborn Can Marry
There are many potential spouses to propose to in Skyrim, each of which has a different role to play. Some of the spouses are also followers that can aid in combat, while others may be thieves, priests, blacksmiths, or any other of the professions found throughout Skyrim. Below is a list of every available partner to propose to, and their prerequisite:
- Aela The Huntress: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest, one of the side quests in Skyrim
- Aeri: Chop firewood for her
- Ainethach: Convince the Silver Blood Thugs to leave his mine
- Angrenor Once-Honored: Give him a piece of gold
- Anwen: Complete "The Heart of Dibella"
- Argis the Bulwark: Become Thane of Markarth
- Athis: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest
- Avrusa Sarethi: Collect 20 Jazbay Grapes for her
- Balimund: Give him 10 Fire Salts
- Belrand: Hire his services
- Benor: Win a brawl against him
- Borgakh the Steel Heart: Pay her dowry or convince her to leave her home
- Brelyna Maryon: Complete "Brelyna's Practice"
- Calder: Become Thane of Eastmarch
- Camilla Valerius: Complete "The Golden Claw" quest
- Cosnach: Challenge and beat him in a brawl
- Dravynea the Stoneweaver: Provide her with Frost Salts
- Derkeethus: Rescue him
- Farkas: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest
- Filnjar: Complete the "Mine of Yours," another side quest in Skyrim
- Gat gro-Shargakh: Complete the favor to Pavo Attius
- Ghorbash the Iron Hand: Pay his dowry or convince him to leave home
- Ghorza gra-Bagol: Provide her with the Last Scabbard of Akrash
- Gilfre: Work for her by chopping firewood
- Gregor: Become Thane of The Pale
- Halbarn Iron-Fur: Complete the "Retaking Thirsk" and "Halbarn's Supplies" quests
- Hilund: Complete "Retaking Thirsk" and collect 50 Riekling Spears for her
- Iona: Become Thane of The Rift
- Jenassa: Hire her
- Jordis the Sword-Maiden: Become Thane of Solitude
- Lydia: Become Thane of Whiterun
- Marcurio: Hire him
- Mjoll the Lioness: Retrieve her sword Grimsever
- Morwen: Freel the Skaal and deliver her mother's amulet to Runil
- Moth gro-Bagol: Bring him a Daedra heart
- Muiri: Complete the "Mourning Never Comes" quest. Despite the name, this is not a disappointing quest in Skyrim
- Njada Stonearm: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest
- Octieve San: Help the gamblers pay off their debts
- Omluag: Talk to Mulush gro-Shurgurz in Markath about the smelter workers
- Odfel: Complete the "Mine of Yours" quest
- Onmund: Recover his Amulet from Enthir
- Orla: Complete "The Heart of Dibella" quest
- Pavo Attius: Complete his favor
- Perth: Clear Soljund's Sinkhole
- Quintus Navale: Complete the "Repairing the Phial" quest
- Rayya: Become Thane of Falkreath and buy the deed to Lakeview Manor
- Revyn Sadri: Bring back the stolen ring to Viola Giordano
- Ria: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest
- Roggi Knot-Beard: Recover his family shield
- Romlyn Dreth: Deliver Black-Briar Mead Keg to Wilhelm
- Scouts-Many-Marshes: Talk to Torbjorn Shatter-Shield about the Argonian dockworkers in Skyrim
- Senna: Complete "The Heart of Dibella" quest
- Shahvee: Recover and return her lost Amulet of Zenithar
- Sondas Drenim: Deliver his note to Qunitus Navale
- Sorex Vinius: Deliver kegs of Stros M'Kai Rum to Falk Firebeard
- Stenvar: Hire him
- Sylgja: Deliver her satchel to her father in Darkwater Crossing, then return it
- Taarie: Complete "Fit for a Jarl," have the Investor perk on the Speech tree, and invest in Radiant Raiment
- Temba Wide-Arm: Giver her 10 bear pelts
- Torvar: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest
- Uthgerd the Unbroken: Challenge and beat her in a brawl
- Vilkas: Complete the "Glory of the Dead" quest
- Viola Giordano: Gain Revyn Sadri's favor and rat him out to Viola
- Vorstag: Hire Him
- Wilhelm: Complete the investigation of Shroud Hearth Barrow
- Ysolda: Kill a mammoth in Skyrim and give her a mammoth tusk
Skyrim is available on PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.