Inevitably, at some point during anyone’s The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim adventures, players will want to find a more permanent home and maybe even a permanent companion. By acquiring the Amulet of Mara, players have the option to approach any character they’re interested in marrying, provided they’ve completed any of their personal quests and gained their trust. However, finding the right person can be tricky when there are about 65 different romance options to choose from.
Skyrim: The 21 Best Husbands In The Game (& How To Marry Them)
Skyrim features a litany of husbands available for the player to marry. Here are the best ones and how the Dragonborn can wed them.
Luckily, the best wives in Skyrim that players can choose to settle down with are numerous. Of course, players must also learn how to unlock the marriage option in Skyrim and where to find these marriage prospects in the first place. Sure, the marriages in Skyrim may not be all that in-depth, but players won’t mind as long as they get to make the most of this role-playing opportunity.
Updated on November 5, 2025, by Anastasia Maillot: The ranking of these spouses has been adjusted to take into account whether or not they have distinct personalities, how fun they are to interact with, and their capabilities in combat. For those who can’t be followers, their personalities and backgrounds play a greater role.
How To Get Married In Skyrim
Before players can get married in Skyrim, they need to speak with Maramal. He can be found in Riften, giving a speech at the Bee and Barb when the player first arrives in the city, or at the Temple of Mara. Ask him about marriage in Skyrim to unlock the dialogue option for marriage.
After speaking with Maramal, players need to get their hands on an Amulet of Mara and equip it before speaking with a potential spouse. The dialogue option for marriage will only appear if the spouse’s personal quest has been completed, so make sure to help them first with whatever they need to get done.
Njada Stonearm
A Fiery Temper Hides a Gentle Heart
|
Location |
Jorrvaskr, Whiterun |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Glory Of The Dead (Join the Companions first) |
Njada isn’t the nicest person out there. In fact, as soon as the Dragonborn enters the faction, Njada seems to have something against them. That being said, Njada will eventually warm up to the Dragonborn if they manage to prove themselves by completing the faction’s main questlinbecomingbecome the Harbinger.
Njada, much like Ria, caps at level 25, which makes her a great follower for that portion of the game. After that, she’s better off left at home to tend to a store or to cook food. Shield users will definitely like Njada since having her around allows players to train their Block skill. To marry Njada in Skyrim, make sure Glory of the Dead is completed in the Companion questline.
Dravynea the Stoneweaver
A Dunmer Who’s An Expert At Alteration Spells
|
Location |
Kynesgrove, Eastmarch |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Dravynea’s Frost Salts |
When players meet Dravynea the Stoneweaver, they’ll quickly learn that her job in the town where she resides (Kynesgrove on Eastmarch) is to help safeguard the Steamscorch Mine and ensure that it remains safe for the workers inside it by preventing a collapse through thorough maintenance.
Dravynea explains that she came to Skyrim after the eruption of the Red Mountain in Morrowind, which forced both her and her people to flee the area and relocate. She will ask the Dragonborn to find her some Frost Salts, and in exchange, she will increase players’ Alteration skills by one point and become a candidate for marriage.
Aeri
A Nord Lady With a Request
|
Location |
Anga’s Mill, The Pale |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Chop Wood/Delivery radiant quest |
Despite seeming like nothing more than a run-of-the-mill lumberjack, there’s more to Aeri than what meets the eye. Calling her one of the best wives in Skyrim may be a stretch, but there are more than enough redeeming qualities for her to qualify as the Dragonborn’s bride in the eyes of many.
She lost her father in the Great War and was burdened by the debt he left behind. To gain her approval, players must either sell her some firewood or deliver her letter to the Jarl of Dawnstar. Both tasks are fairly easy to accomplish and make it easy for the Dragonborn to secure their bride in no time.
Avrusa Sarethi
A Skilled Apothecary Leading a Slow Life
|
Location |
Sarethi Farm, The Rift |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Smooth Jazbay |
Calling Sarethi Farm her home, Avrusa Sarethi lives with her sister and leads a peaceful life. Once an alchemist in her own shop in Morrowind, Avrusa, like many other Dunmer, was forced out of her homeland by the eruption of Red Mountain in Morrowind. It’s no secret that non-Skyrim locals are not always treated nicely by the Nords, and the Dunmer know this very well.
Regardless, Avrusa tries her best to fit into her new home and do what she does best. Players can unlock the option to marry her after the Dragonborn completes the quest “Smooth Jazbay”, which requires giving her 20 Jazbay Grapes to use in the cultivation of Nirnroots in her garden.
Viola Giordano
A Mature Lady and a Concerned Citizen
|
Location |
Candlehearth Hall, Windhelm |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
That Was Always There (Tell on Revyn Sadri) |
The Butcher of Windhelm is a deranged serial killer that Viola Giordano is deathly afraid of. Players can always hunt down this killer in a memorable quest, but this is not a requirement that players must complete to marry one of the best wives in Skyrim. To win her approval is much simpler.
After being tasked with stealing Viola’s ring by Revyn Sadri, all players have to do is betray the quest giver and tell Viola about this theft attempt. The Jarl will be warned about this criminal act, increasing Revyn’s taxes and letting the Dragonborn ask for Viola’s hand in marriage.
Gilfre
A Hardworking Imperial Lumberjack
|
Location |
Mixwater Mill, Eastmarch |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Chop Wood radiant quest |
For those looking for a spouse in Skyrim who focuses on keeping the household together, Gilfre is the one to speak with. She’s a lumberjack by trade and an Imperial woman who will take a liking to the Dragonborn after they’ve accepted her quest to chop some wood for her.
To find her, head over to the Mixwater Mill, which can be found south of Windhelm by following the river that carves through Eastmarch towards the Rift. Make sure to have a woodcutter’s axe on hand to chop some wood and sell it to her to complete her quest.
Uthgerd The Unbroken
A Tough-as-nails Nord Warrior
|
Location |
The Bannered Mare, Whiterun |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Win against her in a bar brawl |
Spouses aren’t just meant to keep the house together, not always at least. Someone like Uthgerd the Unbroken will serve the Dragonborn much better in battle than at home, as she’s the perfect tanky two-handed and heavy armor specialist. Uthgerd is an exiled Companion who accidentally killed someone she was meant to fight against, which goes to show she’s one tough woman.
Skyrim: 10 Fun Ways To Make Your Stealth Build Unique
Crafting a stealth build has always been enjoyable in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but there are a few methods to make it ten times more fun.
Due to her level 30 cap, she’s a great choice from the first levels up until that point in the game. She pairs well with characters who prefer to fight from a distance, such as mages and archers. To marry Uthgerd, head to The Bannered Mare in Whiterun, where she sits at the back. Beat her in a brawl, and she’ll have a newfound respect for the Dragonborn.
Ria
A Welcoming Companion and a Fellow Warrior
|
Location |
Jorrvaskr, Whiterun |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Glory Of The Dead (Join the Companions first) |
Upon joining the Companions, Ria is among the nicest ones towards the Dragonborn since she’s a new arrival to the faction as well. Ria’s an Imperial woman and has a decent character build. She likes to use a steel sword from Eorlund’s legendary Skyforge in combat and is a follower that will serve the player well for the first 25 levels of the game.
To marry Ria, make sure to complete the entire Companions quest and specifically complete Glory of the Dead. After being promoted to the position of Harbinger, the Dragonborn can ask to marry Ria, just like most of the other Companions available. She has many purposes, which can range from being a follower to even joining the Blades, as well as being a Steward.
Sylgja
A Humble Nord Miner
|
Location |
Shor’s Stone, The Rift |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
Special Delivery |
Living in the small mining town of Shor’s Stone, deep in the Rift and north of the city of Riften, Sylgja is a Nord miner from a humble background. Most of her days are spent working hard at the local Redbelly Mine, where she can most often be found if not around town.
Skyrim: 10 Things You Never Knew About Draugr
From the legendary Red Eagle to females with flowing beards, here are 10 facts many don’t know about the Draugr in Skyrim.
To marry Sylgja, the player needs to deliver her satchel of letters to her family located in a small settlement named Darkwater Crossing, located northwest of Shor’s Stone. After the quest is completed, Sylgja can be married and will also reward the player with a random necklace. Unfortunately, Sylgja is a spouse who can’t act as a follower.
Senna
Dibella’s Finest Follower
|
Location |
Temple of Dibella, Markarth |
|---|---|
|
Marriage Requirement |
The Heart Of Dibella |
Senna is a priestess of Dibella. A Breton living in the southwestern city of Markarth, she spends the majority of her time working at the local Temple of Dibella. During the Sanguine Daedric quest A Night to Remember, the Dragonborn will wake up to her being quite annoyed by their drunken misbehavior.
To marry Senna in Skyrim, the player must complete The Heart of Dibella quest by either picking a door at the temple or by speaking to Degaine, the drunkard living in Markarth. She won’t be available as a follower, unfortunately.
