Skyrim lets you marry one partner at a time, and you initiate it by obtaining and wearing an Amulet of Mara, then speaking with a potential spouse and arranging the ceremony at the Temple of Mara in Riften. You can marry most followers or non-player characters (NPCs) who have completed their personal quests or tasks, and there are more than a dozen viable options across various towns and factions. You cannot remarry if your spouse dies or if you already have a spouse, unless you use mods or console commands. Key points
- Amulet of Mara: Wear this to unlock marriage dialogue with eligible NPCs. Any Amulet of Mara works, including a spare found in a tent east of Dawnstar. This amulet is your signal to start romance options with compatible characters.
- Eligible spouses: The game features a wide range of potential spouses, including Nord, Imperial, elf, and other races. Most marriage candidates are followers or quest-givers who have personal quests or stories for you to complete before marriage becomes available.
- How to initiate: After meeting the requirements and wearing the Amulet of Mara, you’ll be able to propose marriage through dialogue with the chosen NPC. The ceremony is arranged at the Temple of Mara in Riften with Maramal, the priest there, though you don’t necessarily need to talk to him again if you’ve already completed the prerequisites.
- Limitations: Only one marriage is allowed at a time. If the spouse dies, you cannot automatically remarry unless playing with mods or using console commands that bypass this rule.
- Popular options: Many players pursue well-known spouses like Aela the Huntress or Mjoll the Lioness, among others, but there are dozens of candidates across the game. The list and suitability vary by playstyle (house ownership, questlines, combat perks, role-play flavor).
If you’d like, I can tailor recommendations based on your playstyle (mage, warrior, thief, follower/companion preferences) and give you a straightforward step-by-step path to romance and marry a specific character.
