Last week I wrote an article on the Skyrim Fansite giving three compelling reasons why players should get married in Skyrim (if you missed the article, you can read it here — also, be sure to read the comments section; Skyrim Fansite member Rodrigo Rocchi mentions a fourth reason to get married). Just like in real life, marriage is a personal choice. If you do want to tie the knot it’s easy, and it only takes a little bit of work. With that said, marriage isn’t as simple as mooching up to the first NPC who catches your fancy and asking “Yo, baby. How about you and me getting hitched?” There’s a right way to woo your perspective soulmate. You don’t need to buy flowers and make reservations at an upscale restaurant, but rest assured there is an easy way to get married in Skyrim.
Easy Way To Get Married In Skyrim
Wanna get hitched? Don’t go to Vegas, head over to the Temple of Mara in Riften
Take A Trip To Riften The very first thing you need to do is go to the city of Riften, located in the southeastern part of Skyrim. If you haven’t been to Riften yet, you’re in for a treat. The city is chock full of adventure, and is home to the Thieves Guild. It’s also home to the Temple of Mara. This temple is your destination. After entering the city through the main gate, keep heading straight down the main street and the Temple of Mara will be on your left (you can’t miss it — the outside wall has two red banners displayed on either side of the gate).
Maramal is the man with the plan if you want to get married
Talk to Maramal Once you enter the temple, you’ll be greeted by a priest named Maramal (if he’s not in the temple, he’ll most likely be in the Bee and Barb, Riften’s most popular inn). Start talking with Maramal and ask him about the Temple of Mara. He’s more than happy to give you the skinny, and he’ll mention that marriages are performed in the temple…
This bling will set you back 200 gold, but you need it
Buy an Amulet of Mara During your chat with Maramal, he’ll explain how marriage works in Skyrim. Basically, life is hard and short, and lovers don’t have time for long engagements. If one is looking for a spouse, they need to wear an Amulet of Mara around their neck. As it just so happens, Maramal will sell you an Amulet of Mara for 200 gold (convenient, huh?). The amulet not only lets potential marriage partners know that you’re single and on the prowl, but also allows Restoration spells to be cast at 10% less.
She really digs that Amulet of Mara you’re wearing
Start Flirting There are a lot of fish in the sea, so to speak, when it comes to potential marriage partners in Skyrim. In total, there are 62 marriage candidates in the game (28 female and 34 male). Once you find someone you’re interested in, start chatting with them (make certain you’ve spoken with Maramal first, and are wearing your Amulet of Mara!). Several marriage candidates are also housecarls or Hirelings (see our previous article Help Wanted: Finding the Best Hirelings in Skyrim).
To get married, a potential spouse needs to be familiar with you. Odds are you’ve had some prior history with many of the marriage partners available. If not, you’ll need to do a few favors or quests to win your true love’s heart. Click here for a complete list of Skyrim marriage candidates and their location in the game, or scroll to the bottom of this article and get to work!
I’m getting married in the morning!
Head Back To Riften Once you and your true love agree to get married, you need to travel back to Riften and speak with Maramal. Tell the priest the good news and he’ll take care of the arrangements. Your marriage ceremony takes place the following day, so you have some time to kill. You can’t have a bachelor or bachelorette party per se, but you can toss back a few bottles of mead or ale at the Bee and Barb. No matter how you decide to celebrate your last hours being single, just make sure you return to the Temple of Mara any time between dawn and dusk the next day.
With this ring, I thee wed…
Say “I Do” When you arrive at the Temple of Mara for your wedding ceremony, your true love will be waiting for you. Maramal presides over the ceremony and asks if you “agree to be bound together in love, now and forever.”
Cold feet? At this point you’re given the option to call off the wedding, but be forewarned: if you jilt your finance at the alter you’re going to upset a lot of people (priest, wedding guests, and spouse-to-be). If you decide to pull the runaway bride or groom act, you’ll never be able to marry that NPC ever again…
Did you say “I do?” Congratulations! You’re now officially married in Skyrim. Maramal presents you and your spouse with matching wedding rings. Like the Amulet of Mara, The Bond of Matrimony ring allows you to cast Restoration spells for 10% less. You’re now ready to decide where you’re going to live with your spouse, and begin your new life together.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, fellow travelers, the easy way to get married in Skyrim. Do you have any marriage tips to share? Who have you married and how did you go about it? Join the Skyrim Fansite if you haven’t already done so, and let your opinions be heard in the Speak Your Mind Section below. Until next time!
Shane Scarbrough is the founder of the Skyrim Fansite. He's a business owner, video game journalist, and role playing game aficionado. When he's not working he enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games. He's currently on his third playthrough of Skyrim, and is playing as a Templar in The Elder Scrolls Online. You can find Shane on Google+ and FaceBook.
Nice article Shane 🙂 The first time I tried getting married was so frustrating! I’d found an Amulet of Mara in a treasure chest in one of my adventures and kept trying to marry Vorstag. I talked and talked, but couldn’t get the marriage dialog options. Only later did I realize that I had to speak to the priest FIRST before the marriage dialog options would appear.
Finally got it to work and had a nice marriage until Vorstag took a bandit arrow to the knee, chest, leg and neck! LOL!
Nice article Shane 🙂 The first time I tried getting married was so frustrating! I’d found an Amulet of Mara in a treasure chest in one of my adventures and kept trying to marry Vorstag. I talked and talked, but couldn’t get the marriage dialog options. Only later did I realize that I had to speak to the priest FIRST before the marriage dialog options would appear.
Finally got it to work and had a nice marriage until Vorstag took a bandit arrow to the knee, chest, leg and neck! LOL!
Thanks, Sansa. Maybe I need to write an article on being a Skyrim widow…
Could someone post the roles they have, im looking for someone who is important and owns a LOT of money.
Thanks for the terrific guide
I’m trying to marry vorstag but the marriage dialog isn’t popping up. I talked to the priest already but nothing is happening