Best Skyrim Marriage Candidates, Ranked

How marriage actually works

After completing a short quest for the Temple of Mara, you get the Amulet of Mavloch. Wear it, raise a candidate's disposition high enough, and most eligible NPCs will offer to marry you regardless of your character's race or gender, the system is fully open in that respect.

Best for a follower who can actually fight

Aela the Huntress is a Companions member and skilled archer who makes an excellent standing follower on top of being marriageable. Mjoll the Lioness is similarly capable in combat and comes with her own attached questline before she becomes available.

Best for a useful home base

Lydia, your very first housecarl, is marriageable and already has a strong attachment point to your early game. Ysolda is a merchant with genuine trading value if you marry into a spouse who can run a shop for passive income.

Best for a mage-focused playthrough

Marcurio, a sellsword mage found in Riften, doubles as both a marriage candidate and a genuinely strong combat mage follower. Brelyna Maryon, a College of Winterhold student, fits a similar niche for players who spend most of their playthrough around the mage college storyline.

Best fan favorites

The Companions' twin warriors, Farkas and Vilkas, are consistently among the most requested marriage candidates in the community, largely for their loyalty and combat reliability as followers. All four Companions members mentioned here share that same appeal: strong in a fight, and already woven into a questline you'll likely complete anyway.

Building a character around one of these candidates? Pair the right spouse with the right playstyle using our best race for every build guide.