The Divines have blessed a total of 30 female marriage candidates and 37 male marriage candidates in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and official expansions.
Well, the first one adds more 'details' to the wedding but the 2nd one support more wives (50 instead of 11). As I am trying to play with practically all custom voiced female follower mods (+Serena and a few modded vanilla NPC) in a single play through, it become a tough choice for me as 11 is surely not enough. From TES Wiki, 'Marriage - Divorce (PC)' article. Trying to breakup with partners is, for some reason, impossible without the console. Searching for help 'breakup' 4 will bring up dialogue and quests that show reference to what must have been the original intention of breaking up with a spouse. RELATED: Skyrim: 5 Best Romanceable Characters (& 5 To Avoid) More Potential Marriage Candidates will add 36 new men and women for the player to sweep off their feet. This includes some previously unromanceable races like Khajiit so long as you can handle the fact that they'll sound like an Argonian or a Nord. 4 Hearthfire: Multiple Adoptions.
For certain NPCs, the marriage/follow options will not appear until you reset the NPCs dialogue options, to do so, type the following lines into the console. Disable Enable 4. If you just want to marry an NPC, you're done after the last step, the 4th step only pertains to people who are making NPCs followers. The guy who made the 'Marriable Serana' mod for skyrim is working on a port. This is what he said: With the Skyrim special edition coming out I will be returning to the game and as such be doing a complete overhaul of the mod.
You can marry anyone regardless of your Dragonborn’s race or gender, so long as you’ve fulfilled whatever conditions make them your friend. Housecarls will be wiling to wed you as soon as they enter your service, mercenaries must be hired first, and other candidates have fetch quests or other requirements.
You’ll also need to exhaust the dialog options with Maramal, the priest in the Temple of Mara in Riften, and be wearing an amulet of Mara in order to initiate a marriage proposal. It does not have to be an amulet purchased from Maramal, any amulet of Mara will do. There’s a free one in a tent along the shoreline east of Dawnstar. Others appear at random throughout the game.
Skyrim allows one marriage and only one per Dragonborn, even if your spouse is killed — unless you use mods or console commands. There’s a persistent rumor that players can kill their spouses and remarry, but I suspect that’s a feature added by the Unofficial Skyrim Patch that PC players frequently download, or possibly a very early gameplay bug that was patched in subsequent updates, so don’t assume it will work for you. Choose your spouse wisely.
There’s only one Altmer and one Redguard, both female, who can be married. The Hearthfire DLC adds a second Redguard female. There are no Bosmer (wood elves) or Khajiit (cat people) to marry, at all, male or female, unless using mods or console commands.
After the wedding, all male and female spouses will give you a homecooked meal and 100 septims a day. You can live in your spouse’s home or move them into one of your homes, though some spouses may leave — such as Camilla taking over her brother’s shop if he dies or Ysolda taking over the Bannered Mare if Hulda dies. I’ve also read that only spouses from the Dragonborn DLC can be moved to Severin Manor on Solstheim, but I don’t have confirmation of this.
The main differences between spouses, other than appearance and voice, are where they live, whether or not they can be followers, and how likely they are to be killed. I recommend marrying someone who is a follower, even if you don’t take them with you on adventures, because you can access their inventory and give them weapons, armor, staffs, enchanted items and health potions, to help keep them alive. Towns and Hearthfire homes do get attacked, and death does happen, unless your spouse is one of the few programmed “essential,” or unless you’re using mods and console commands.
For more about marriage in Skyrim, see this Elder Scrolls wiki page or this Unofficial Elder Scrolls wiki page.
Let’s take a look at our choices…
COMPANIONS
The Companions are a warrior guild in Whiterun and for many players the first faction of friends and potential marriage candidates you’ll meet. Some are both teachers and followers, which allows you to buy skill training and then access their inventory and take back the gold, essentially getting training — and level ups — for free.
All live in Jorrvaskr, where you can live anyway if you join the guild, so you won’t gain additional housing through marriage. Several players have also reported glitches in which steward or married Companions return to Jorrvaskr instead of living in the Dragonborn’s home.
Aela is Supreme Werewolf Queen of Side-Boob, which makes her almost as popular a wife choice as cranky Lydia. Aela and Njada are both Nords and trainers, in archery and blocking respectively. Ria is an Imperial. All three are skilled warrior women and possible followers, but Aela’s level cap is 50, while the others max out at 25.
Between Vilkas’ tear-streaked emo eyeliner and Farkas’ dumb-yet-endearing-jockishness, the Brothers Werewolf are popular husbands.
Vilkas is a two-handed trainer, follower, spouse and steward. Farkas is a heavy armor trainer, follower and spouse. Both are level capped at 50. Torvar is a potential follower and spouse who is a surly drunk. He’s capped at 25.
All three are Nords. There’s also a Dark Elf in the Companions who can be married, but I’ve listed him with the Dunmer, below.
HOUSECARLS
All housecarls are Nords, except Rayya who’s a Redguard. All begin with the same armor, weapons and stats, except Valdimar who is a spellsword, while the rest are classified as warriors. They live in houses that belong to you, so you won’t get a bonus house through marriage.
All are possible spouses, stewards and followers who will defend you unto death. They are all level capped at 50, so should be able to stick with you through most of the game, assuming you continue to improve their weapons, armor and other gear. Don’t forget to put health potions in their inventories.
From left to right: Lydia (Breezehome in Whiterun), Iona (Honeyside in Riften), Jordis (Proudspire Manor in Solitude). and Rayya (Lakeview Manor, added by the Hearthfire expansion).
The basic game gives us Argis the Bulwark (Vlindrel Hall in Markarth) and Calder with the groovy mutton chops (Hjerim in Windhelm). Hearthfire evens up the score with two more male housecarls — Valdimar (Windstad Manor) and Gregor (Heljarchen Hall).
DUNMER
There are several gray-skinned Dunmer to marry, perhaps because of the popularity of Morrowind?
Avrusa Sarethi is an alchemist with her own farm.
Brelyna Maryon is an apprentice mage at the College of Winterhold (no bonus house there) and she can also be a follower, level cap 30.
Dravynea the Stoneweaver is an Expert Alteration trainer who works in the Steamscorch Mine and lives in Braidwood Inn in Kynesgrove.
Skyrim Se Marriage Mod
Jenassa is a mercenary follower living in the Drunken Huntsman, level cap 40.
Revyn Sadri is a merchant in Windhelm and a speech skill trainer, but will only marry or train the Dragonborn if you help him with his request to return a stolen ring. If you don’t side with him, it is possible to marry Viola instead (see below).
Romlyn Dreth is a bootlegger with a small home under the city of Riften.
Sondas Drenim is a food vendor at Darkwater Crossing, a mining camp.
Athis is a member of the Companions who can be a follower or spouse, as well as one-handed skill trainer, level capped at 25.
HOTTIES
Anwen (Redguard), Orla (Nord) and Senna (Breton). All of these ladies live in the Temple of Dibella, goddess of love, in Markarth. Note: There’s a reported bug with Orla where she refuses to leave the temple to live in anywhere else.
While not devotees of a love goddess, these three seem to be popular hunky husband choices for their looks, personality and skills.
Marcurio the sassy Imperial mage mercenary can be hired at his residence, the Bee and Barb in Riften, and is level capped at 40.
Onmund is a sweet apprentice at the College of Winterhold who is a potential mage follower (level cap 30) and steward, whose Nord family does not supporting his interest in magic.
Vorstag is a warrior mercenary who can be hired from his residence, the Silverblood Inn in Markarth. He has a sweet disposition while also being a badass fighter, and possesses one of the softer Nord voices in the game.
AND MORE HOTTIES
Camilla is sister to the proprietor of Riverwood Trader and the Imperial creamy center of a love Oreo between Faendal the Bosmer archer and Sven the Nord bard. If you marry her, her “friends” will continue to visit her at your home, wherever you live. She may also return to Riverwood and take over the family business if her brother dies.
Muiri is a Breton alchemy assistant who inherits the Hag’s Cure in Markarth if her employer is killed (and who also has an interesting love life, too, which you will hear about while doing the Dark Brotherhood questline).
Ysolda is an enterprising Nord drug dealer with her own tiny house in Whiterun, who takes over the Bannered Mare if Hulda the innkeeper is killed. She was made “essential” by one of the official updates (which are automatically included in some versions of the game), so cannot die, I assume because of her role in the quest “A Night to Remember.”
Sylgja manages to retain her youthful beauty in spite of being a hard-working Nord miner, and her big bust apparently doesn’t get in the way of swinging a pickaxe all day at Redbelly Mine in Shor’s Stone.
Sorexis an Imperial whose father owns the Winking Skeever in Solitude, involved in a love triangle with Vivienne Onis and Roggvir until the latter was beheaded. After marriage, he may continue flirting with ladies who enter the inn and he hates every home except Proudspire Manor.
Quintusis an Imperial alchemist who takes over the White Phial shop in Windhelm when his employer dies. I don’t know if he qualifies as a hottie (maybe if he lost that hat), but he’s young and seems to be kind.
Wilhelm owns the Vilemyr Inn in Ivarstead. While the Nord cannot be a follower, he possesses pickpocket skill and is marked “essential” so he can never be killed.
Roggi Knot-Beard is a Nord miner in Kynesgrove, drunk and in debt, who can be a potential spouse, steward and follower, though his skills are minimal and his level is capped at 20.
MATURE SPOUSES
If you prefer your spouse to be a little older and wiser, we have…
From left to right: Aeri, Nord owner of Anga’s Mill and her own house. Gilfre, Imperial owner of Mixwater Mill and her own house. Temba, Nord mill owner in Ivarstead. Uthgerd the Unbroken, Nord mercenary, level cap 30, for hire in the Bannered Mare and owner of a decent house in Whiterun.
Ainethach is a prominent Breton who runs the Sanuarach Mine and owns a farmhouse in Karthwasten.
Balimund is a blacksmith and smithing skill trainer with a house and forge in Riften, which he shares with his adopted son Asbjorn Fire-Tamer.
Filnjar is a Nord blacksmith with a house in Shor’s Stone.
Stenvar is a Nord warrior mercenary with a decent sense of humor who may be hired from his home, Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm. He has the same voice as Farkas and Balimund. I married him in my first playthrough. He makes an excellent follower but is capped at level 40 and I had to retire him to Proudspire Manor with our kids sometime between levels 45-50.
ORCS & ARGONIANS
If you like the kind of spouse who has green skin and tusks, we have the orcs or “Orsimer” of Skyrim.
Female orcs: Borgakh the Steel Heart is the daughter of the Chief Larak of the Orc stronghold of Mor Khazgur and a potential follower, level cap 30. Ghorza is a blacksmith and smithing trainer in Markarth, who lives with her brother in Understone Keep.
Male orcs: Gat Gro-Shargakh is a miner who lives in Kolskeggr Mine, east of Markarth. Moth gro-Bagol is Ghorza’s brother and also a blacksmith, working and living in Understone Keep in Markarth. Ghorbash the Iron Hand is an Orsimer living in Dushnikh Yal and is the brother of Chief Burguk. He is a potential follower (capped at level 30), spouse and steward.
Or if that isn’t exotic enough for you, the Argonian spouses…
One lizard lady, Shahvee, and two lizard gentleman, Derkeethus and Scouts-Many-Marshes.
Scouts-Many-Marshes is a light armor trainer but not a potential follower, so you probably can’t retrieve your gold from his inventory after training. He and Shahvee live in the Argonian Assemblage bunkhouse in Windhelm, if you marry and move in with one of them.
If rescued from Darkwater Pass, Derkeethus can be a follower (ranger class, level cap 30 and the only Argonian follower in the game) and potential marriage candidate. After being rescued, he will move back to the small mining camp of Darkwater Crossing and might get killed by Falmer who spawn there.
DRAGONBORN DLC SPOUSES
One male and two female marriage candidates are added by the Dragonborn DLC. All are Nords. From what I’ve read, these are the only spouses who can live with you in Severin Manor, but I’m not sure if they are limited to Solstheim or can move to Skyrim, too.
Halbarn Iron-FurandHilund are residents of Bujold’s Retreat/Thirsk Mead Hall and Morwen has her own home in the Skaal Village. Halbarn and Hilund are level capped at 60, but I’m not sure if any of them can be followers or not.
SPECIAL SPOUSES
These are the final three eligible females, but there’s much more to discuss on the male side. I’ll follow up with that in a sec.
Mjoll the Lioness is a Nord who lives with Aerin in Riften. She is a skilled fighter who can be a follower, and while capped at 40, what makes her special is that she cannot be killed. Even after her quest is finished, she will not die. Keep in mind that wherever she goes, Aerin will follow.
Taarie lives in the Radiant Raiment shop in Solitude, which is pretty special if you decide to move in with her, but what makes her really special is that she is the only Altmer (High Elf) marriage candidate in the game.
Viola is special because she appears to be the only old female marriage candidate, as well as an Imperial living in Windhelm (Ulfric Stormcloak’s city) with a very large home that rivals Hjerim.
THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Omluag is a Breton who lives in the Warrens (basically the homeless shelter) of Markarth.
Odfel is a Nord who shares a small house with an orc and whose claim to fame is a unique pickaxe called Rocksplinter.
Perth is a Breton miner in Soljund’s Sinkhole who looks like he should be following Dorothy and Toto to see the Wizard. He shares a house with Tuthul (who is kind of hot looking and has a cool mohawk, but isn’t a marriage candidate – why?).
Pavo Attius seems to be the best catch of the bunch, since the Imperial owns the Kolskeggr gold mine and a house outside Markarth, but he will remain in miner’s clothes unless you have a PC mod. Forsworn might also invade from time to time and can kill him when you’re not around, unless you move him to another home.
Angrenor Once-Honored is a homeless Nord war veteran who lives on the streets of Windhelm.
Belrand is an old spellsword for hire in the Winking Skeever.
Benor is a Nord thug who lives in Morthal and has been denied a job with the city guards but still lives in the guardhouse anyway. Beat him up to win his heart.
Cosnach is a drunk whose heart can also be won by a brawl. In my experience, he’s a decent follower with some funny dialog about “aiming for the one in the middle” (since he’s drunk, get it?). He lives in the Warrens of Markarth.
Octieve is a retired old Breton veteran who offers some two-handed training. He gambles, drinks, and lives with his grown daughter Evette in Solitude.
I WISH I COULD HAVE MARRIED
Multi Marriage Skyrim Seed
Blazing badass Teldryn Sero fills all top ten of my list. My heart is forever broken that the Dunmer spellsword can neither marry nor become a steward so we could have at least lived together. It might have been nice to marry Faendal, the sweet Bosmer archer of Riverwood, or black leather clad bad boy Brynjolf of the Thieves Guild.
Really, just about any of the Thieves Guild members would have been acceptable partners. Partners for what, exactly? Yeah, I guess they’re not really the marrying type.
Alas, they are all unavailable, unless you’re rocking a mod on PC. I’ve been playing on PS3.
~ J.L. Hilton
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Lydia
“Is that an Amulet of Mara? I’m surprised someone like you isn’t spoken for. – [Interested in me, are you?] – Well, yes. Why wouldn’t I be? Are you… interested in me?”
Lydia’s mARRIAGE Dialogue- Gender: Female
- Race: Nord
- Class: Warrior
- Faction: Potential member of The Blades
- Location: Dragonsreach in Whiterun
- Trainer: No
- Follower: Yes
Ah Lydia, love her or hate her Lydia is one potential spouse that has probably been interacted with by more players more than any other. Or at the very least, the Housecarl from Whiterun is likely one of the first followers that you’ve spent time with. This is mainly because you meet her so early in the main questline.
Multi Marriage Skyrim Secrets
Whether or not you want to marry Lydia is most likely going to come down to personal preference (as is any marriage choice in Skyrim). There are some players who are absolutely sick of her and bemoan her habit of blocking you by standing around in doorways. Other people are completely attached to her having spent 100s of hours adventuring together.
Luckily for those in the latter category, you can easily marry Lydia and take your relationship to the next level. As soon as you meet her she is basically a marriage candidate straight away as you only meet her when she has already been presented to you as Housecarl after completing the quest Dragon Rising and becoming Thane.
Multi Marriage Skyrim Mod
How to Marry Lydia
Skyrim Se Multiple Marriage Mod
- Complete the quest Dragon Rising, which is given to you by the Jarl of Whiterun when you first visit Dragonsreach, by defeating your first dragon.
- Return to Dragonsreach and speak with the Jarl and he will make you Thane of Whiterun. He will appoint Lydia as your Housecarl.
- You can now recruit Lydia as your follower and she is also a marriage candidate who can be married via the usual method.
- Purchase an Amulet of Mara from Maramal in Riften. If you haven’t visited Riften before you’ll find Maramal in The Bee and Barb, otherwise try the Temple of Mara.
- Make sure you’ve discussed marriage with Maramal (dialogue won’t trigger otherwise), wear the Amulet of Mara and go talk to your beloved. The marriage dialogue option will now be available – “Interested in me, are you?”.
- After agreeing to get married, visit Maramal again and he will set the date for your wedding for the next day. Walk outside and wait 24 hours.
- Walk back into the temple of Mara. Your spouse will be present and the wedding ceremony will commence.