Free Guide to Getting Married in Skyrim

Understanding Marriage in Skyrim: The Basics

Marriage in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim works differently than in most other role-playing games. The game offers a straightforward marriage system that allows players to marry certain non-player characters (NPCs) under specific conditions. Unlike some fantasy games where marriage is purely cosmetic, marriage in Skyrim provides tangible benefits to your character and changes your gameplay experience in meaningful ways.

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The marriage system in Skyrim involves around 60+ potential marriage candidates spread across the game world. These candidates come from various backgrounds: merchants, guards, hunters, innkeepers, blacksmiths, and others. Each candidate has their own personality, daily routines, and location within the game world. Some candidates are easier to marry than others, depending on your character's choices and progress through the game.

When you marry an NPC in Skyrim, your character receives several ongoing benefits. You gain a 10% increase to your experience gain rate with all skills—this is called the "Lover's Comfort" bonus and persists as long as you sleep in a bed with your spouse. Your spouse may also generate income for you depending on their occupation. For example, if you marry a merchant, they'll continue their business activities and contribute to shared finances. Some spouses offer special dialogue options and travel with you if you request it.

The marriage process itself requires an Amulet of Mara, which you must wear to signal your romantic intentions. Once you obtain this amulet and meet the personal requirements for your chosen candidate, you can propose marriage. The wedding ceremony takes place in a specific location and involves attending a brief in-game event. After the ceremony concludes, you gain the married status and can move in with your spouse or have them move in with you.

Practical takeaway: Before pursuing marriage, identify your preferred candidate and research what tasks or conditions must be met for that NPC. Different candidates have different requirements—some need you to complete quests, others need you to reach a certain reputation level, and some require you to join specific factions. Planning ahead saves time and prevents wasted effort pursuing candidates you cannot actually marry.

Finding and Obtaining an Amulet of Mara

The Amulet of Mara is the essential item that enables marriage in Skyrim. This amulet signals to potential marriage partners that you're interested in marriage. Without wearing this amulet, NPCs will not respond to marriage proposals, regardless of how much they like you or how many quests you've completed for them. The amulet appears as a golden pendant worn around the neck and is visible on your character model when equipped.

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There are several ways to obtain an Amulet of Mara in Skyrim. The most straightforward method is to purchase one from Ysolda, a Khajiit merchant in the Drunken Huntsman tavern located in Whiterun. Ysolda sells the amulet for 75 gold—an affordable price for most players at any stage of the game. This is the most reliable method because Ysolda is always available, and the amulet is always in stock at her merchant inventory.

Alternative methods exist for obtaining the amulet. You can find one as loot in various locations throughout Skyrim, though this requires exploration and luck. The amulet appears in several chests and as dropped items from certain NPCs. You might also receive the amulet as a reward for completing the Temple of Mara quest, which involves helping the priest Maramal. This quest provides information about marriage and serves as an introduction to the system.

Some players obtain the amulet by pickpocketing NPCs who wear them, though this method is unreliable and may damage your reputation with certain factions. A few NPCs throughout the game wear Amulets of Mara as part of their equipment. If you're skilled at pickpocketing, this provides another option, but purchasing from Ysolda remains the most straightforward approach for most players.

Once you acquire the amulet, equip it immediately and keep it equipped whenever you're interacting with potential marriage candidates. The amulet must be worn for NPCs to recognize your marriage intentions. Some players create separate playthroughs specifically for marriage with different candidates, while others maintain long-term marriages with a single character throughout their game.

Practical takeaway: Buy the Amulet of Mara from Ysolda in Whiterun's Drunken Huntsman for 75 gold as soon as you have the funds. This straightforward purchase is cheaper and more reliable than searching for one as loot. Equip it before approaching your chosen marriage candidate to signal your intentions clearly.

Popular Marriage Candidates and Their Requirements

Skyrim features numerous marriage candidates with varying requirements and benefits. Some of the most popular choices among players include characters with unique personalities, useful skills, or appealing backstories. Understanding what each candidate requires helps you plan your marriage strategy and ensures you meet all necessary conditions before proposing.

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Lydia, a Nord housecarl who serves you in Whiterun, represents one of the easiest marriage candidates to pursue. After the main questline begins, Lydia becomes available for marriage with minimal requirements. Many players marry Lydia because she's present early in the game, travels with you, and has a straightforward personality. Lydia doesn't require specific quests or faction membership—simply having her as a follower and wearing the Amulet of Mara is sufficient to propose marriage.

Camilla Valerius, who works at the Riverwood Trader, requires you to help resolve the love triangle between her, Soren, and Camilla's brother Lucan. This involves speaking with both Soren and Camilla about their relationship. Once you've discussed this with her and she feels you support her romantic interests, wearing the Amulet of Mara allows you to propose. She works as a merchant, so marrying her provides ongoing income from her trading business.

Serana, a vampire who plays a major role in the Dawnguard DLC questline, represents a more complex marriage option. To marry Serana, you must complete the entire Dawnguard questline and resolve certain story elements related to her character arc. She's one of the most unique marriage candidates because her dialogue and interactions evolve significantly based on your choices during her questline. Marrying Serana as a non-vampire character creates interesting dynamic possibilities.

Yennefer and Triss from The Witcher series appear in Skyrim through mods, but vanilla game candidates include characters like Uthgerd the Unbroken (a shield maiden who requires you to defeat her in hand-to-hand combat), Sylgja (a Nord worker at the Goldenglow Estate who requires specific dialogue options), and Mjoll the Lioness (a Nord warrior in Riften who requires you to help her with personal quests). Each candidate has unique requirements tied to their individual stories and character development.

Some popular male marriage candidates include Farkas and Vilkas, the two Nord brothers who are members of the Companions faction. Marrying Farkas requires joining the Companions and building a relationship with him. Vilkas has similar requirements but also involves his personal storyline. Khajiit merchants like Kharjo offer different gameplay experiences since they're part of the Khajiit caravan. Marrying Kharjo requires completing his personal quest first.

Practical takeaway: Make a list of three to five marriage candidates that appeal to you based on their location, personality, and profession. Research the specific requirements for each candidate—some need faction membership, others need personal quests completed, and some need just a conversation while wearing the Amulet of Mara. This research prevents you from pursuing a candidate you cannot actually marry.

Meeting Requirements and Building Relationships

Different marriage candidates have different requirements that must be fulfilled before they'll agree to marry you. These requirements range from simple conversations to complex questlines. Understanding what each candidate needs ensures you don't waste time pursuing someone you cannot marry in your current playthrough.

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Many candidates require you to join a specific faction. For example, the Companions faction candidates like Farkas and Vilkas require you to be a member of the Companions guild and achieve a certain rank. Similarly, Dark Brotherhood candidates require Dark Brotherhood membership. College of Winterhold candidates require College affiliation. Thieves Guild candidates in Riften require Thieves Guild membership. If you want to marry someone