Skyrim: 23 Best Wives & How To Marry Them (2024)

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.

Luckily, the best wives in Skyrim 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 July 29, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Skyrim is a game lauded for letting players do whatever they want from the very moment they escape their execution and are set on the path to Whiterun. Players can engage enemies in combat however they want and complete a wealth of quests across the various towns and settlements in this Nordic continent to endear themselves to the masses. If the Dragonborn gets their hands on the Amulet of Mara, they can attain the favor of one of the many best wives in Skyrim and take their hand in a holy union. There are many marriage options that players can check out, with each character requiring a favor to be completed for them before they can be asked to marry the player.

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.

23 Viola Giordano

An Imperial Citizen

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 the requirement that players must complete to marry one of the best wives in Skyrim. Rather, the quest to win her approval is as simple as they come.

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.

22 Jordis The Sword-Maiden

A Nord Warrior

Becoming a Thane for one of Skyrim's many towns is pretty easy. All players need to do is complete certain quests and help out the Jarl before this title is bequeathed upon them. Along with these requirements, players must also purchase Proudspire Manor for 25,000 gold if they want to become the Thane of Haafingar, an illustrious position that will help them out when exploring this region.

Players also get appointed a Housecarl called Jordis the Sword-Maiden. Not only can she hold her own in battle, but she's also one of the best wives in Skyrim that players can instantly marry after becoming Thane provided that they have the Amulet of Mara on their person.

21 Aeri

An Nord Lumberjack

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.

20 Gilfre

An Imperial Lumberjack

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.

19 Uthgerd The Unbroken

A Nord Warrior

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.

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.

18 Ria

An Imperial Warrior

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.

17 Njada Stonearm

A Nord Warrior

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 for players to train their Block skill. To marry Njada in Skyrim, make sure Glory of the Dead is completed in the Companion questline.

16 Brelyna Maryon

A Dunmer Mystic

If the Dragonborn's heart beats for a mage, there's no better choice than Brelyna Maryon. She might seem a little unprofessional with her spells, but she shows great promise as a descendant of the Telvanni household. To find her, players need to become member of the College of Winterhold.

Bookish and naturally skilled, Brelyna caps at level 30 which makes her a very nice mage follower to have if someone prefers to be the tanky character themselves. In order to gain her favor, complete her personal quest known as Brelyna's Practice, which involves the Dragonborn helping her test a new spell. After that, she can be spoken to with the Amulet of Mara.

15 Ysolda

A Nord Citizen

Ysolda is a Nord trader who can be found fairly easily and early on in the game in the city of Whiterun. Due to her occupation, she'll usually hang around the marketplace and will even ask the Dragonborn to fetch her a Mammoth tusk in return for some Speech training.

After a Mammoth tusk has been given to her, Ysolda can be married in Skyrim. She's only randomly involved in other quests, although she is implicated in a small side quest about Sleeping Tree Sap. Ysolda is just a civilian, so she's not the most useful spouse when it comes to adventuring.

14 Sylgja

A Nord Miner

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.

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.

13 Senna

A Breton Priest

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.

12 Rayya

A Redguard Warrior

There aren't many Redguards available for marriage, but Rayya doesn't disappoint as a character. Once the player becomes Thane in Falkreath, Rayya will become their Housecarl. Like all Housecarls, she has a decent range of skills and capabilities, and she is most proficient in One-Handed and Heavy Armor.

To become Thane in Falkreath, the Dragonborn should talk to the local Jarl and perform three quests by helping out locals in the city of Falkreath. It's one of the easier Thane titles to gain due to how small the city is. Rayya makes a solid follower and spouse, especially for players who need a tank-like companion. Moreover, Rayya's an essential character, meaning she can't die unless the Dragonborn lands the final blow.

11 Iona

A Nord Warrior

Iona is one of the best Housecarls in the game due to her slightly higher health pool compared to a few other Housecarls. She's a Nord and will be appointed as the loyal servant of the Dragonborn once they become the Thane of Riften no less. After receiving the title, Iona can be found at Riften's Honeyside housing.

Iona can either be used as a fantastic tank-like follower or as an archer, as she has high levels in both Archery and One-Handed combat. However, keep in mind that Iona's not an essential character, and once she dies, she's gone for good.

10 Ghorza Gra-Bagol

An Orc Blacksmith

If an Orsimer woman is one the Dragonborn is after and they prefer strength over beauty, Ghorza just might be the best marriage option in Skyrim. Head over to the city of Markath in Southwest of Skyrim, and it should be easy to find Ghorza working as a blacksmith. To gain her trust, however, players need to help her retrieve a book.

In the quest Skilled Apprenticeship, she will send the Dragonborn off to find the Last Scabbard of Akrash. The book is located in Fort Sungard, which is overrun by Forsworn. Once the player returns, she'll grant them a boost in Smithing and also allows them to access any Orc Stronghold.

9 Taarie

An Altmer Tailor

Taarie may not have the best personality, but after marriage in Skyrim, she becomes much more loving and gentle. Players will find her working at Radiant Raiment in Solitude as a tailor, and to stand a chance of marrying this Altmer woman, the Dragonborn needs to help her with the Fit For A Jarl quest.

Taarie will ask the player to wear one of her outfits during their visit to the Blue Palace to persuade Jarl Elisif to order an outfit from her shop. What's good about marrying her is that if the player has no house, they can use the Radiant Raiment as their temporary home.

8 Shahvee

An Argonian Citizen

Maybe players have always dreamed of meeting an Argonian woman. If that's the case, Shahvee is a great option. She's usually working at a tanning rack by Windhelm Docks, where players can approach her and pick up a quest from her. Shahvee's amulet has been stolen by bandits and is now being held in a random quest location.

After clearing out the bandits and getting the Amulet of Zenithar back, Shahvee can be married, and she'll also reward the Dragonborn with a bit of Light Armor and Lockpicking training if they so wish.

7 Borgakh The Steel Heart

An Orc Warrior

In the Northwestern area of Skyrim, up in the mountains near the city of Solitude, players will come across one of the many Orc strongholds of Skyrim. Travel to Mor Khazgur, led by Chief Larak, and Borgakh can be met there. She'll immediately express her envy towards the Dragonborn and say she'd like to adventure freely as well.

Players can ask her to become their follower, but it will require some persuasion and possibly the payment of her dowry to free her from an arranged marriage. Once she decides to come along with the Dragonborn, she can get married.

6 Camilla Valerius

An Imperial Pawnbroker

Camilla, an Imperial trader, is the most wanted woman in Riverwood. Faendal and Sven are constantly bickering over who truly deserves to be with her, and even after the Dragonborn marries her she will be visited by Faendal regularly. That being said, if the player's heart still beats for Camilla as well, head over to Riverwood and help her brother Lucan get back the golden claw from Bleak Falls Barrow.

Once players return safely from their mission, they can ask for her to become their spouse. Conveniently, if the player has no house to stay in they can live along with her at the shop in Riverwood.

5 Muiri

A Breton Apothecary

Muiri is the victim of a terrible betrayal by her former friend and lover, Alain Dufont, whom she wants to see dead. After joining the Dark Brotherhood, the quest Mourning Never Comes is received from Astrid and will send the player to Markarth, where the woman is currently working as an apprentice alchemist.

Muiri will ask the Dragonborn to kill Alain, but if they also kill his accomplice Nilsine, she will offer her ring as an additional reward. Moreover, she will become a marriage partner in Skyrim if both Alain and Nilsine are assassinated.

4 Jenassa

A Dunmer Ranger

Not many companions are necessarily evil and ruthless in Skyrim, making Jenassa a unique wife in Skyrim. It's evident from the moment the player interacts with her that she's incredibly sad*stic and obsessed with killing. She's among the few companions that don't care if the Dragonborn makes questionable ethical choices, like attacking hold guards or killing innocents.

If that sounds right up the player's alley, they should head over to The Dunken Huntsman Inn found in Whiterun. She can be hired as a follower, after which players can marry her without completing any quests.