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Inevitably, at some point during anyone's The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim adventures, players will want to 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, this list has gathered here the best wives in Skyrim players can choose to settle down with, along with a small guide on how to unlock the marriage option in Skyrim with them and where to find them in the first place.
Updated on September 3rd, 2021 by Anastasia Maillot: It has been ten years since Skyrim came out, and its anniversary edition is due to be released in November 2021. The event, although yet another opportunity for Bethesda to find an excuse to release Skyrim yet again, is likely to bring players back into Skyrim.
Marriage in Skyrim is one of the best RPG features, as the Dragonborn can choose from a wide range of different spouses. When it comes to wives, these twenty best wives in Skyrim are without a doubt the best choices for players. To get their wonderful modified appearances, check out this amazing mod showcased by Sinitar Gaming.
21 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.
20 Gilfre
- Location: Mixwater Mill, Eastmarch
- Quest: 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 from 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
- Location: The Bannered Mare, Whiterun
- Quest: 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.
Due to her level 30 cap, she's a great choice from the first levels up until that point within 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
- Location: Jorrvaskr, Whiterun
- Quest: 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.
17 Njada Stonearm
- Location: Jorrvaskr, Whiterun
- Quest: 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 questline and become 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
- Location: College of Winterhold, Winterhold
- Quest: Brelyna's Practice (Join the College first)
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 a 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
- Location: Marketplace, Whiterun
- Quest: Rare Gifts
Ysolda is a Nord trader that 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 exactly the most useful spouse when it comes to adventuring.
14 Sylgja
- Location: Shor's Stone, The Rift
- Quest: 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.
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 that can't act as a follower.
13 Senna
- Location: Temple of Dibella, Markarth
- Quest: 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.
12 Rayya
- Location: Falkreath
- Quest: Become Thane Of Falkreath
There aren't many Redguards available for marriage, but Rayya definitely 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 actually die unless the Dragonborn lands the final blow.
11 Iona
- Location: Riften
- Quest: Become Thane Of Riften
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
- Location: Blacksmith shop, Markarth
- Quest: Skilled Apprenticeship
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. In order 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
- Location: Solitude, Radiant Raiment
- Quest: Fit For A Jarl
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 in order 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 in an effort 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
- Location: Windhelm docks, Eastmarch
- Quest: Shahvee's Amulet
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
- Location: Mor Khazgur, Haafingar
- Quest: Pay her dowry or persuade her
In the Northwestern area of Skyrim, up in the mountains nearby 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 says 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 be married.
6 Camilla Valerius
- Location: Riverwood
- Quest: The Golden Claw
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 stills 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
- Location: The Hag's Cure, Markarth
- Quest: Mourning Never Comes (Join the Dark Brotherhood first)
Muiri is the victim of a terrible betrayal by her former friend and lover Alain Dufont, who 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
- Location: The Drunken Huntsman, Whiterun
- Quest: Pay 500 gold to hire her as a follower
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 sadistic 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, 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.
3 Mjoll The Lioness
- Location: Riften
- Quest: Grimsever's Return
For anyone looking for a companion with their priorities set straight, Mjoll is the ideal marriage choice in Skyrim. She's a good-doer and dislikes anything that has to do with corruption, namely the Thieves' Guild and the Black-Briar family. Players will find her in Riften, usually hanging around the Bee and Barb Inn.
In order to marry her, players need to first retrieve her missing unique sword, Grimsever, from the Dwarven ruin of Mzinchaleft. However, in order for her to offer this quest, players must be at least level 14 and gain her trust by agreeing that the Thieves' Guild is evil or by helping the people of Riften with various tasks. After her sword has been returned, she can be married.
2 Lydia
- Location: Whiterun
- Quest: Become Thane Of Whiterun
Considered among the most popular companions and marriage partners, Lydia is an iconic spouse in Skyrim. She's relatively easy to meet since the main quest will lead players her way. Once the Dragonborn fights their first dragon at the Western Watchtower outside of Whiterun and discovers their true nature as the Dragonborn, Jarl Balgruuf will reward them with the position of Thane in Whiterun.
As a result, Lydia will then become the player's Housecarl and she can be taken as a follower. She can now also be married.