Never-ending adventures can get exhausting. And a Dragonborn wants someone they can return to at the end of the day.
So if you’re ready to settle down there are plenty of ladies to woo. Toughest part is making the choice!
Getting married comes with several perks depending on who you select. And some of the potential wives in Skyrim can also remain your followers after the wedding ceremony and fight by your side.
To help you decide I’ve put together this list of the best wives in Skyrim. This should help you make a choice and tell you everything you need to know about your potential spouse.
20. Sylgja
Sylgja is a Nord miner who lives in a small village called Shor’s Stone. She owns a house there and earns her money in the Redbelly Mine.
Sylgja is very close to her parents who are also miners and they exchange letters regularly.
However, she got injured mining so at one part of the game she asks you to deliver a satchel to her father. This is the beginning of a quest called Special Delivery.
You will be able to marry Sylgja after completing this quest. You can also move into her house and use the items found inside which is a huge bonus.
19. Orla
Beautiful and mysterious, Orla is a Nord priestess serving Dibella, the goddess of love.
This priestess spends her days in the Temple of Dibella doing various chores.
If you have your sights set on Orla and you want to wife her up then you need to complete a quest called The Heart of Dibella.
Like all choices on this list, there are a couple of advantages and disadvantages of this marriage.
Orla will provide you with a daily income but she will not leave the temple after the two of you get married.
It doesn’t matter if you have your own home or not. Therefore you will not receive the Lover’s Comfort when you sleep near her which is a bit of a bummer.
18. Ghorza gra-Bagol
Just like her name suggests, Ghorza gra-Bagol is an orc blacksmith.
She runs her own forge located in the very heart of Markarth.
Besides being really good at making weapons and selling them, Ghorza can be a smithing trainer as well.
She has her own apprentice who often annoys her, but Ghorza is patient and willing to teach a thing or two from her years of experience.
If you want to marry her you need to complete the quest called Skilled Apprenticeship. You will be asked to retrieve a certain book and you should also have your Amulet of Mara with you.
17. Ysolda
Ysolda is a Nord tradeswoman who hangs around Dragonsreach. She often visits the marketplace because, well, that’s her job.
Ysolda is polite and treats other characters with respect. She will offer you a quest called Rare Gifts and you will be asked to find her a mammoth tusk.
This quest is required if you want to unlock the option to marry Ysolda.
But if you want to make your wedding ceremony more jovial you can also complete the Ysolda’s Shipment quest. You will get a whole Khajiit caravan as wedding guests, which is super interesting.
16. Avrusa Sarethi
If you find yourself at The Rift maybe stop by Sarethi Farm. There you will find Avrusa Sarethi, a Dunmer apothecary who lives in this rural place with her sister.
What makes Avrusa stand out from other potential wives is her personality and amusing dialogue.
Avrusa will offer you a quest called Smooth Jazbay and you need to complete it if you want to marry her. Once again, the Amulet of Mara is necessary before you two can make that sweet holy union.
15. Aeri
Aeri is a tough Nord lumberjack who inherited a mill from her late father.
Unfortunately she also inherited his debt, so Aeri is working hard to pay it off.
You will find Aeri in The Pale and she will give you two simple quests to complete. Once you’re done Aeri will become a candidate for marriage.
There are a couple of extra benefits to marrying Aeri, such as the ability to cut your own wood for free since she’ll pay for it.
14. Dravynea the Stoneweaver
Dravynea the Stoneweaver might not be the prettiest wife on this list, but she knows how to help people in need.
She is a Dunmer mage working in the Steamscorch Mine located at Kynesgrove, Eastmarch.
Her duty is to keep the miners safe by preventing accidents. Dravynea is also an expert alteration trainer.
A Dragonborn has to complete a short quest given by Dravynea in order to unlocker her as a candidate for marriage. You need to get her some Frost Salts, and that’s basically it. So all in all a pretty easy catch.
She will not become a follower during marriage so she will not join into your fights at all. But she will open a shop that can be used to buy and sell items.
13. Lydia
Powerful and unstoppable, Lydia is a really good follower and life partner.
She is a Nord warrior who prefers melee fights. Lydia can become your housecarl if you complete the quest called Dragon Rising and purchase Breezehome.
You can find her in Whiterun so remember to wear your Amulet of Mara if you are going there to ask Lydia to be your wife.
Once the wedding is over, Lydia will open her little shop and give you 100 gold every day. Talk about a sweet allowance!
She will also move into the Breezehome and make you a homecooked meal regularly. I don’t know about you but that sounds like a great deal to me.
12. Jordis the Sword-Maiden
Jordis the Sword-Maiden can become your follower, housecarl and wife if you complete various quests in Solitude.
She is a Nord warrior who can wield one-handed weapons and is quite good at archery.
The process of getting Jordis is a bit lengthy, and you will need to complete five quests in Solitude as well as a personal request from Jarl Elisif.
Not to mention that you need to buy Proudspire Manor for this one. A Dragonborn can ask for her hand in marriage only once all these crazy criteria are met.
Once she becomes your wife Jordis will open up her own shop. Keep in mind that she will ask you if you want to move into her house, but even if you agree, Jordis will wait for you at your own place.
11. Muiri
If you are more concerned about looks then Muiri is the woman for you.
She is an apothecary’s assistant who spends her days at the Hag’s Cure in Markarth.
Don’t let her badass tattoos fool you because Muiri is not very skilled at fighting and can only reach level 6. This means she will not be a good follower, like at all.
But there are many benefits to this union because you will be able to purchase and sell various potions in Muiri’s shop.
Plus a Dragonborn will get a room in the Hag’s Cure that you can share with her. Keep in mind that you need to join the Dark Brotherhood and complete a quest called the Mourning Never Comes for any of this to unfold.
10. Camilla Valerius
Camilla Valerius is undoubtedly beautiful and she already has two suitors, Faendal and Sven, fighting for her attention.
She is an Imperial pawnbroker living in Riverwood with her brother.
If you want to make Camilla your spouse, your Dragonborn has to complete a quest called the Golden Claw. Then you can ask Camilla to marry you before anyone else can snatch her up.
There is another nice spacious bonus to this marriage as you get a room in Riverwood.
Camilla can also move to your place, but keep in mind that Faendal will still visit her no matter where she is. The guy simply refuses to let her go.
9. Taarie
Taarie is a unique marriage candidate because she is the only Altmer who can become your wife.
She works at Radiant Raiment, which is a clothing store located in Solitude.
Even though her attitude is a bit harsh, she claims it is because of her honesty.
All you need to do in order to marry Taarie is complete the quest called Fit for a Jarl and invest in her shop. But make sure you don’t invest in her sister Endarie’s shop because the marriage option will disappear. Which seems a bit touchy but hey, she really does not want you hitting on her sister.
Fun fact: Taarie will start a new shop once she becomes your spouse even though she already owns Radiant Raiment.
8. Ria
If you love fearless women then Ria is definitely your type.
She is a member of the Companions so you can find her at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, which is their headquarters.
Players who need deadly warriors by their side will be thrilled to discover that Ria knows how to fight, and she does it exceptionally well.
She doesn’t have a home of her own so you will not get a place to live if you two get married.
However that doesn’t mean you won’t get any bonuses.
If you sleep near Ria you will get the Lover’s Comfort which will add a 15% bonus to your skills. All you need is a place to sleep first.
But before you can ask Ria to marry you, a Dragonborn has to complete the Companions’ questline.
7. Brelyna Maryon
Brelyna Maryon is a mystic and an apprentice at the College of Winterhold.
She can be recruited as a follower and can be a marriage candidate as well.
As a follower, Brelyna deals a significant amount of damage to enemies and she cannot be killed by them.
She is a great option for players who are at the beginning of their Skyrim journey and need assistance right away.
So what do you need to do in order for Brelyna to become your wife?
The process is very simple actually. Just complete a quest called Brelyna’s Practice and if you are wearing the Amulet of Mara she will mention marriage to you.
Once Brelyna becomes your wife you two can share her room at the College of Winterhold. Cozy gig getting setup in a college just like that.
6. Jenassa
Jenassa is both a valuable follower and an amazing wife. She is a Dunmer mercenary and you can find her in the Drunken Huntsman located in Whiterun.
Considering that she is a mercenary, you don’t have to complete any quests for her to become your follower or wife.
Recruit her for 500 gold and she will be your companion for as you go on adventures.
Jenassa is an outstanding combatant, highly skilled in archery. She will remain a loyal follower even after you two get married. Jenassa will also open up a shop and give you 100 gold on a daily basis so she comes with a whole lot of goodies.
5. Njada Stonearm
For those of you who want to improve their fighting skills Njada Stonearm is a great wife choice.
Yes, she doesn’t have her own house. But Njada is an impressive fighter and will train you to become one as well.
You will surely learn how to block properly with Njada’s help.
Also worth mentioning Njada is a member of the Companions and you can find her at Jorrvaskr which is in Whiterun. You can marry her once you complete Glory of the Dead.
4. Mjoll the Lioness
Mjoll is a very useful follower but she can be a wife as well!
She is a Nord vigilante who hangs around at the Bee and Barb inn located in Riften.
However she is a package deal, and even if you decide to marry her Aerin is tagging along.
If you want to marry Mjoll you need to be at least level 14. Then start a conversation with her and say that you don’t like the Thieves Guild.
Mjoll will then give you a quest called Grimsever’s Return. Once you complete it you can ask her to marry you. Not all that difficult but you will have to level up first.
Mjoll comes with a nice perk too similar to many other wives: she will open up a shop and send you 100 gold every day.
3. Borgakh the Steel Heart
Players that want to get the most of their marriage will find Borgakh the Steel Heart is the perfect choice with a ton of benefits.
You can find Borgakh in Mor Khazgur, an orc stronghold. And yes, Borgakh herself is an orc but don’t be intimidated by her tough looks.
If you marry her you will get a laundry basket of benefits.
For instance, you will be able to move into Borgakh’s house and live in the stronghold. This means you’ll have access to merchants and trainers.
Plus you will always be safe and protected whenever you’re there. So if your heart is set on Borgakh all you need to do is recruit her as a follower. The marriage option will be available if you are wearing the Amulet of Mara so it’s really one of the eastest wives you can woo.
2. Uthgerd the Unbroken
If you are just starting out then Uthgerd will prove to be very useful companion.
You can find her at the Bannered Mare inn which is located in Whiterun.
But here comes the tricky part: you have to defeat Uthgerd in a brawl in order to get the option to marry her.
If you’re high enough level this should be easy enough to complete. And once she’s your wife she gives you that classic allowance of 100 gold per day.
Luckily the fight itself is not very complicated, and you can win pretty easily with some preparations, of course.
Uthgerd is a great character that can tank as well as deal damage to enemies. If you do decide to marry her, Uthgerd has her own home in the Whiterun’s Wind District which is a huge plus.
1. Aela the Huntress
Aela is probably the most popular wife in Skyrim for good reason. Players choose to marry her because she is both an outstanding follower and a beautiful girl to wife up.
You will be able to join forces with her fairly early in the game so the two of you can explore the world from the very start.
As a matter of fact, she can reach up to level 50!
Aela is a skilled archer and can use one-handed weapons with precision like you’ve never seen. Not to mention that she knows how to sneak around without being detected.
Aela is located at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun. Once you complete the questline regarding the Companions you can ask her to marry you.
Aela will then move into your home if asked. She can also continue to be your follower after the wedding ceremony so with Aela you’re getting the best of both worlds.
