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There is no single objectively best wife in Skyrim: the right choice depends on which quests you have completed, where you want your spouse to live, and which character you prefer. Aela is a natural fit if you are progressing through the Companions, Lydia if you have advanced Whiterun and bought Breezehome, and Mjoll if you are willing to complete her Riften quest. Marriage candidates have different unlock requirements, so choose by route and preference rather than a supposed combat ranking.
Which Skyrim wife should you choose?
These five candidates illustrate different routes into marriage. The available guide reports their locations and unlocks; it does not establish a numeric ranking of combat performance or prove that one candidate is best for every player. Pocket Tactics’ Skyrim marriage guide, updated May 20, 2024, provides the candidate details below.
| Candidate | Location and unlock | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Aela the Huntress | Jorrvaskr in Whiterun; progress through the Companions questline. | Players already pursuing the Companions who want a faction-linked spouse. |
| Lydia | Whiterun; become Thane and purchase Breezehome. | Players progressing through Whiterun who want its familiar housecarl. |
| Mjoll the Lioness | Riften; complete Grimsever’s Return. | Players who want a Riften-based option and are willing to complete her quest. |
| Ysolda | Whiterun; bring her a mammoth tusk. | Players who prefer a favor-based unlock. |
| Brelyna Maryon | College of Winterhold; complete Brelyna’s Practice. | Players already spending time at the College. |
The list is a practical shortlist, not an exhaustive roster. The guide also covers candidates such as Camilla Valerius, Jenassa, Muiri, and Shahvee. The Skyrim Wiki’s community-maintained category includes candidate pages, but its page count is editable and is not a definitive count of marriage options or an authoritative statistic: Skyrim Wiki marriage-candidate category.
How to marry someone in Skyrim
The marriage process described in the Pocket Tactics guide combines a shared requirement—an Amulet of Mara and a wedding—with the chosen candidate’s individual unlock condition.
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- Talk to Maramal. Find him at the Temple of Mara or the Bee and Barb in Riften and ask about marriage.
- Obtain an Amulet of Mara. Wear it when speaking to a candidate after meeting that character’s requirement.
- Meet the candidate’s condition. This may involve a faction questline, a favor, or another quest; for example, Mjoll’s route requires Grimsever’s Return.
- Propose and arrange the ceremony. Speak to the candidate while wearing the amulet, then return to arrange the wedding.
- Attend the wedding. After the ceremony, decide whether your spouse moves into your home or you move in with them.
Because the candidate-specific condition comes before the proposal, wearing the amulet alone does not make every character available for marriage.
What marriage provides
The guide lists several in-game benefits: a shared home arrangement, gold, a daily meal, the Bonds of Matrimony ring, and Lover’s Comfort. It also says a spouse is protected from being killed by other characters. These are guide-reported game mechanics; the source is a player guide rather than official documentation.
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How to make the decision
- Choose by quest progress: Aela suits a player already working through the Companions, while Brelyna suits someone completing College of Winterhold content.
- Choose by location: Lydia’s route is tied to Whiterun and Breezehome; Mjoll’s is tied to Riften.
- Choose by unlock effort: Ysolda’s stated requirement is bringing her a mammoth tusk, while Aela’s requires completing the Companions questline.
- Choose the character you like: The available source does not establish a universal winner, a measurable spouse-combat ranking, or a reason to marry a character whose story or personality does not appeal to you.
Is Serana a marriage option?
The cited marriage guide links to Serana coverage but does not include her in its main marriage-candidate roster. The available sources do not establish her base-game marriage status strongly enough to recommend her as a marriageable candidate without mods. For a straightforward, guide-supported choice, use a listed candidate such as Aela, Lydia, Mjoll, Ysolda, or Brelyna.
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