If players are looking to finally settle down and find love in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, they might be a bit surprised by how many options they have to choose from. So long as they have the Amulet of Mara, pretty much anyone whose trust they have gained will be willing to get married to the Dragonborn and settle down.
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While who the player settles down with is a personal choice, there are a few husbands in particular that are recommended picks as the Dragonborn’s life-long partner. The best husbands in Skyrim are fun to interact with and boast great combat abilities that make them reliable followers. Those who can’t fight have been picked because they prove themselves to be good or otherwise quirky characters.
Updated on November 4, 2025, by Anastasia Maillot: There were a few impostors on the list that have been removed to give more attention to stronger marriage candidates. The list has also been reordered, and proper criteria were included that take into account combat utility, personality, and special interactions. Most importantly, Farkas and Vilkas now have their own, much-deserved entries.
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The first step to getting married in Skyrim is to speak with Maramal in Riften. When players first enter the city, they can find him preaching at the Bee and Barb Inn. He can be approached for some additional information about the Temple of Mara. After finishing the conversation, the Dragonborn can get married in the temple.
On top of Maramal’s blessing, an Amulet of Mara is required as well. The Amulet of Mara can be purchased from Maramal, though it will cost 200 gold. Alternatively, it can be found pretty commonly in random loot or received as a reward at the end of the Book of Love quest from Dinya Balu, a quest-giver found at the Temple of Mara in Riften.
21
Sorex Vinius
The Picky Diva of The Winking Skeever
- Location: The Winking Skeever, Solitude
- Marriage Requirement: Deliver rum kegs to Falk Firebeard at the Blue Palace
A merchant from Solitude who works at the Winking Skeever, Sorex Vinius, has some great stories of his own that players can hear if they interact with him. If players agree to deliver Stros M’Kai Rum kegs to Falk Firebeard at the Blue Palace, he becomes a marriage candidate.
There are so many different layers to unpack when it comes to Sorex Vinius, as he seems to be a bit of a demanding husband. Funnily enough, if players are married to him and have Hearthfire installed, Vinius will seem displeased with every house he’s moved into except for Proudspire Manor in Solitude. Talk about having high standards.
20
Athis
A Dunmer With a Nord’s Heart Just Trying to Do His Best
- Location: Jorrvaskr, Whiterun
- Marriage Requirement: Complete Glory Of The Dead (must join Companions)
It’s a rarity to see a Dunmer in a warrior faction like the Companions, but Athis is living proof of the fact that it can happen. He’s the only Dunmer in the Companions and is seen engaging (and losing) in a brawl as soon as the Dragonborn enters Jorrvaskr for the first time. He’s one of the newcomers, and his massive confidence matches his eagerness to fit in in Skyrim and to embody the Nord lifestyle.
Athis, like most regular Companion followers, is a great option as a follower for the first 25 levels of the game. The bonus of having him as a spouse is that he provides One-Handed skill training. To marry him, the player needs to finish the Companion quest line fully and become the Harbinger.
19
Romlyn Dreth
A Thieving Husband for a Thieving Dragonborns
- Location: Riften
- Marriage Requirement: Complete the quest Under The Table and deliver Black-Briar mead to Wilhelm in Ivarstead
For anyone passionate about mead and wine, Romlyn is the perfect man. He’s a Dunmer working as a bootlegger and living in a house underneath the city of Riften. Players can occasionally find him at the Bee and Barb or even at the Black-Briar Meadery.
Once they meet him, he’ll ask players to help him smuggle some mead to Wilhelm, an innkeeper in Ivarstead. Players can either agree to his plot or sabotage his plan by reporting him to Indaryn. If they help him, he’ll be available for marriage and is a perfect match to any morally grey Dragonborn.
18
Vorstag
A Husband With a Warrior’s Heart
- Location: Silver-Blood Inn, Markarth
- Marriage Requirement: Hire him for 500 gold
Vorstag is another mercenary found in Skyrim. His home is the Silver-Blood Inn over in Markarth, and he can be easily recognized by his Nordic armor and flashy war paint. Vorstag has a typical hiring rate of 500 gold coins, similar to all the other mercenaries in the game.
Since his level is capped at 40, he’s going to serve the players well throughout the majority of the game as they level. Vorstag can be married almost instantly without doing any quests, and like many of the mercenaries, he’s also a candidate for joining the Blades. His warrior character type makes him a pretty decent follower for any ranged character, as he specializes in heavy armor. Like with other hired companions, prepare to listen to some interesting commentary when traveling with him.
17
Gregor
A Spouse of Raw Strength
- Location: Dawnstar
- Marriage Requirement: Become Thane of the Pale (requires the Hearthfire DLC)
Gregor is another housecarl in the game, and his specialty lies mostly in Heavy Armor and One-Handed combat skills. In order to recruit him and eventually marry him, the Dragonborn should become the Thane of the Pale by running jobs for the Jarl in Dawnstar.
Gregor is a strong one as a spouse. His level cap is at 50, so he’ll last the player for most of the game, depending on how long it takes them to complete all quests and DLC in Skyrim. He’s a great, powerful choice, even if he’s just a simple housecarl and might lack a bit of personality.
16
Roggi Knot-Beard
A Simple Man Looking For His Shield
- Location: Steamscorch Mine or Braidwood Inn, Kynesgrove
- Marriage Requirement: Find Roggi Knot-Beard’s Ancestral Shield
There’s nothing tremendously special about Roggi, but he’s a hardworking and honest man. Players can find him at Kynesgrove, working at the Steamscorch Mine and occasionally at Braidwood Inn at nighttime.
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Upon meeting him, he’ll share a fascinating story about how an ancestor of his founded Kynesgrove but met an unfortunate fate inside a cave and lost his shield. Roggi will then send players off to find this fabled ancestral shield and return it to him, after which he’ll be available as a marriage candidate.
15
Sondas Drenim
One of the Most Caring Dunmer in the Province
- Location: Goldenrock Mine, Darkwater Crossing.
- Marriage Requirement: Deliver his note to Quintus Navale
The idea of doing a Radiant Quest to gain a possible husband may sound like a cheap way to marry someone. However, for what it’s worth, players who want to marry a Dunmer can do so by fulfilling a favor for Sondas Dremin. It’s not a small one either, as Sondas is worried for the health of his fellow miners.
All players have to do is take his note and deliver it to Quintus Navale, requesting medicine. Doing this ensures that players can ask for Sondas’ hand in marriage if they wish. He might not be able to join the Dragonborn on their adventures, but his intentions prove he has a kind and caring heart.
14
Belrand
- Location: Winking Skeever, Solitude
- Marriage Requirement: Hire him for 500 gold
Belrand might not be the best-looking spouse in the game, but he makes up for it with his level cap of 40. He’ll serve the Dragonborn well for these first 40 levels and is particularly resilient since he uses a combination of spells and sword skills to outwit his enemies.
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Belrand also shows a rare degree of personality through his dialogue and commentary, making him great company. To marry him, he needs to be hired for 500 gold as a mercenary. After that, he can be married if players have the Amulet of Mara.
13
Calder
A Handsome Redheaded Housecarl
- Location: Hjerim, Windhelm
- Marriage Requirement: Become The Thane Of Eastmarch
Calder is another housecarl in the game, and while housecarls can seem a little lifeless and boring, he has a pretty unique appearance compared to so many other housecarls and human NPCs in the game, which significantly sets him apart.
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Calder’s level is capped at 50 in true housecarl fashion, so he’ll serve as a follower and spouse for just over the first half of the game. He’s not the easiest housecarl to get, however, since achieving Thane status involves rubbing elbows with Ulfric (if the Civil War questline hasn’t been resolved), buying Hjerim (one of the more expensive homes in Skyrim), and doing several minor quests around Windhelm. Only the player can decide if he’s worth all that effort.
12
Halbarn Iron-Fur
Solstheim Island Husband
- Location: Solstheim
- Marriage Requirement: Complete quests Retaking Thirsk, followed by Halbarn’s Supplies (requires the Dragonborn DLC)
Players can travel to Solstheim to meet Halbarn Iron-Fur, a spouse who won’t disappoint. He’s extremely strong and knowledgeable about all things blacksmithing. In fact, once all quests related to him are done, he becomes a pretty decent merchant to visit regularly.
Halbarn can also be married, but this requires two entire quests to be completed. The Thirsk must be retaken from the rieklings, after which he requires the Dragonborn to get him 10 stalhrim ingots and 15 ebony ingots. It’s all worth it, however, since his level cap is extremely high at 60.
