Chances are you’ve invested some significant hours already in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, however, how many of those hours have you devoted to romance? The Elder Scrolls V isn’t just about stabbing wild orcs, but also sowing wild oats – and there are plenty of potential marriage candidates in the kingdom of Skyrim.
This guide will cover all the possible romance options in Skyrim, as well as how to marry them.
How to Get Married in Skyrim
Luring a life partner in Skyrim takes a little bit of work. For starters, letting other NPCs know that you’re even on the market requires a special item called the Amulet of Mara. The Amulet of Mara can be obtained randomly by searching the bodies of enemies you kill in the world, but if you don’t want to leave it to chance you can also grab one from the priest Maramal at the Temple of Mara in Riften. (Note: if he’s not at the temple, Maramel can also sometimes be found at the local inn.)
Once you meet Maramel, ask him to be enlightened about Mara, the Goddess of Love. Push the query further to receive the option to purchase the Amulet of Mara from him for 200 gold. Congratulations, you’re now ready to put a ring on it! Well, an amulet at least.
With the Amulet of Mara equipped, simply speak to an NPC that has previously expressed some sort of interest in you. Typically this interest is indicated by verbal cues such as, “It’s a nice day when you’re around.” Many NPCs will require you to complete a specific quest before they will fall for you.
If there is a relationship to foster, you’ll get an additional dialogue option asking the person whether he or she is interested in you. After you accept it, the NPC will urge you to set up the wedding ceremony immediately and you’ll have a pretty unromantic story to tell your future children about how you proposed.
Return to Maramel at the Temple of Mara to book in a time for your wedding, which is approximately 24 in-game hours from when you first initiate the wedding preparations with your chosen mate. It’s a good idea to stay at the Temple of Mara during that time to avoid accidentally leaving your betrothed at the altar. Once the ceremony has taken place, you’ll earn the Achievement/Trophy ‘Married’.
[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2012/04/30/skyrim-walkthrough-getting-married-achievement-or-trophy”]
Skyrim Marriage Benefits
If you don’t own a house already, getting married will give you the option of moving into your spouse’s residence. Additionally, your husband or wife will give you 100 gold and a homecooked meal once a day upon request. This daily allowance will gradually accrue over time, so if you spend some time away questing around the countryside, you’ll have a nice lump sum waiting for you when you return.
Every time you sleep in the same house as your spouse you’ll earn the ‘Lover’s Comfort’ resting bonus, which increases the speed at which you gain skill experience by 15% for 8 in-game hours.
Lastly, your marriage partner can become a Follower, even if they would not normally be available as one. Followers can accompany you and obey specific primitive commands, as well as help shoulder the burden of carrying heavy loot and other items.
[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/11/22/skyrim-exploit-get-a-house-for-free”]
List of Skyrim Marriage Candidates
Love is love in the land of Skyrim. You’re free to marry anyone of any gender or race. Male Orcs can marry female Dark Elves, female Bretons can marry female Redguards, male Imperials can marry male Argonians. It’s all good!
Note: there are a handful of additional marriage candidates introduced in the Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn expansions not listed here.
Female Romance Options
- Aela the Huntress
- Aeri
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: Aeri’s house
- Found in her house in Anga’s Mill
- Anwen
- Race: Redguard
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Temple of Dibella in Markarth
- Avrusa Sarethi
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: Sarethi Farm
- Found in Sarethi Farm
- Borgahk the Steel Heart
- Race: Orc
- Property owned: Larak’s Longhouse
- Found in the orc camp Mor Khazgur
- Brelyna Maryon
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: A bed in the Hall of Attainment
- Found in the College of Winterhold
- Camilla Valerius
- Dravynea the Stoneweaver
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: A bed in Braidwood Inn
- Found in the mine or the inn in Kynesgrove
- Ghorza gra-Bagol
- Race: Orc
- Property owned: None
- Found in Markarth where she is the town blacksmith
- Gilfre
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: Gilfre’s house
- Found at the Mixwater Mill
- Grelka
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed at Haelga’s Bunkhouse
- Found working in one of the marketplace stalls in the city of Riften
- Iona
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Honeyside
- Found in the city of Riften where she is the Housecarl for the Thane of Riften
- Jenassa
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun
- Jordis the Sword-Maiden
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Proudspire Manor
- Found in Proudspire Manor in Solitude
- Lydia
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Breezehome
- Found in the Dragonsreach castle in Whiterun
- Mjoll the Lioness
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: Aerin’s House
- Found in the Bee and Barb Inn or roaming the streets of Riften
- Muiri
- Race: Breton
- Property owned: The Hag’s Cure
- Found in The Hag’s Cure in Markarth
- Njada Stonearm
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in Whiterun, often in the mead hall Jorrvaskr
- Orla
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Temple of Dibella in Markarth
- Ria
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: None
- Found in Whiterun, often in the mead hall Jorrvaskr
- Senna
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Temple of Dibella in Markarth
- Shahvee
- Sylgja
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: Sylgia’s House
- Found in the village of Shor’s Stone
- Taarie
- Temba Wide-Arm
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Vilemyr Inn
- Found in the sawmill in Ivarstead, or at the Vilemyr Inn
- Uthgerd
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: Uthgerd’s House
- Found in The Bannered Mare in the city of Whiterun
- Viola Giordano
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: Viola Giordano’s House
- Found in the evening in Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm
- Ysolda
- Race: Nord
- Ysolda’s House
- Usually found near the marketplace in Whiterun
Male Romance Options
- Ainethach
- Race: Breton
- Property owned: Karthwasten Hall
- Found in Karthwasten Hall in Karthwasten
- Angrenor Once-Honored
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Candlehearth Hall
- Found inside Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm
- Argis the Bulwark
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Vlindrel Hall
- Found in Vlindrel Hall in Markarth
- Athis
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: None
- Found in Whiterun, inside the mead hall Jorrvaskr
- Balimund
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: The Scorched Hammer
- Found in The Scorched Hammer in Riften
- Belrand
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in The Winking Skeever in Solitude
- Benor
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Morthal Guardhouse
- Found hanging around outside the Guardhouse in Morthal during the day, or the Moorside Inn at night
- Calder
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Hjerim
- Resides in Hjerim in Windhelm
- Cosnach
- Race: Breton
- Property owned: A bed in Silver-Blood Inn
- Found in The Warrens in Markarth
- Derkeethus
- Race: Argonian
- Property owned: None
- Can be rescued from Darkwater Pass
- Erik the Slayer
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Frostfruit Inn
- Found in Frostfruit Inn in Rorikstead
- Farkas
- Race: Nord
- Property inn: A bed in Jorrvaskr
- Found in Whiterun, generally in the mead hall Jorrvaskr
- Filnjar
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: Filnjar’s House
- Found in Filnjar’s House in Shor’s Stone
- Gat gro-Shargakh
- Race: Orc
- Property owned: None
- Found in Pavo’s House in Kolskeggr Mine
- Ghorbash the Iron Hand
- Race: Orc
- Property owned: None
- Found in the orc stronghold of Dushnikh Yal
- Marcurio
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: A bed in the Bee and Barb
- Found in the Bee and Barb in Riften
- Moth gro-Bagol
- Race: Orc
- Property owned: A bed in Understone Keep
- Found in Understone Keep in Markarth
- Octieve San
- Race: Breton
- Property owned: None
- Found in The Winking Seever in Solitude
- Omluag
- Race: Breton
- Property owned: A bed in The Warrens
- Found in The Warrens in Markarth
- Onmund
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in the Hall of Attainment
- Found in the College of Winterhold
- Pavo Attius
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: Pavo’s House
- Found initially at the Left Hand Mine and later at the Kolskeggr Mine
- Perth
- Race: Breton
- Property owned: A bed in Miner’s House
- Found in Soljund’s Sinkhole, a moonshine mine east of Markath
- Quintus Navale
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: The White Phial
- Found in The White Phial in Windhelm
- Revyn Sadri
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: Sadri’s Used Wares
- Found in Sadri’s Used Wares in Windhelm
- Roggi Knot-Beard
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Steamscorch Mine in Kynesgrove
- Romlyn Dreth
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: Romlyn Dreth’s House
- Found in his house underneath Riften, or sometimes at the Black-Briar Meadery or the Bee and Barb
- Scouts-Many-Marshes
- Race: Argonian
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Argonian Assemblage in Windhelm
- Sondas Drenim
- Race: Dark Elf
- Property owned: None
- Found in Goldenrock Mine in Darkwater Crossing
- Sorex Vinius
- Race: Imperial
- Property owned: The Winking Skeever
- Found in The Winking Skeever in Solitude
- Stenvar
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm
- Torvar
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in Whiterun, in the mead hall Jorrvaskr
- Vilkas
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Jorrvaskr
- Found in Whiterun, in the mead hall Jorrvaskr
- Vorstag
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: A bed in Silver-Blood Inn
- Found in the Silver-Blood Inn in Markarth
- Wilhelm
- Race: Nord
- Property owned: None
- Found in the Vilemyr Inn in Ivarstead
How to Get a Divorce in Skyrim… Kind of?
Sometimes people grow apart and a marriage doesn’t pan out, so fortunately Skyrim features a divorce court where a judge can oversee the dissolution of a marriage and the division of any shared assets… Just kidding! The only way to actually ‘divorce’ someone in Skyrim is to straight up murder them or allow them to be killed while they’re following you out on a quest, but even then you’ll be classified as a widow and won’t be able to get remarried to anyone else. In Skyrim, marriage is till death do you part and beyond, so you’d better be doubly sure that whomever you settle down with is the right person, elf, or orc for you!
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
The IGN guide for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was made through a collaborative effort between the entire IGN guides team with great freelancers and community support.
Source: IGN.com Skyrim Marriage Guide: All Partners, Houses, and Benefits