The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim presents players with a massive open world and plenty of flexibility. While creating a character, developing skills, and finding loot are the main elements, gamers can also enjoy the home life. Marriage is one of the more down-to-earth aspects of Skyrim, and offers a different way to engage with the universe.
While it may seem unnecessary for the Dragonborn to get hitched, it can be one of the many reasons to play Skyrim. The developers at Bethesda manage to make the process somewhat deep, involving loot, quests, and conversation. Due to the complexity behind marriage, interested players will want to follow this guide to learn all the details.
The first thing a lovestruck Dragonborn will need to do is locate the Amulet of Mara item. This is key to marriage in Skyrim, and fortunately there are multiple ways to collect the piece. One of the easiest is to just buy it outright. Head to either the Bee and Barb or Temple of Mara in the mysterious Riften. From there, speak to Maramal and purchase the amulet for 200 gold. If the cost is too great for a poor Dragonborn, there are other ways as well. For instance, look for the Lover's Tent on a beach north of Dawnstar and the piece can be found there. Other than that, players can finish "The Book of Love" quest or find the amulet as random loot.
Now that the necessary item is safely in possession, the Dragonborn must head back to speak with Maramal. Ask about marriage, and then the options about the Amulet of Mara will appear in Maramal's dialogue. From there, the player needs to locate their one true love of the best wives and husbands. Make sure to wear the amulet and finish the main quest for this character. Upon meeting those requirements, the player can choose to ask the partner for his or her hand in marriage.
Speak to Maramal once more, and the Dragonborn can initiate the wedding ceremony. The characters of Skyrim will need to prepare, so wait around 24 hours of in-game time before the event can start. From there, the player chooses to affirm the marriage for the final time, and the ceremony begins. Afterwards, Maramal will provide The Bond of Matrimony ring as the sign of an eternal love between characters.
While the quest is fairly straightforward, it does provide a bit of a chase for the Dragonborn. Skyrim is all about making personal decisions and figuring out how a player's unique Dragonborn interacts with the world. While marriage is a fun side activity, there are some limits to romanceable characters. For instance, there are no Khajiit, Bosmer, male Redguard, or male Altmer that can join hands in holy matrimony. In addition, make sure the partner chosen is the One, because there is no official option for divorce. Even so, players should be able to enjoy this aspect of the game along with all the other classic adventures.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One.