Introduction
Marriage in Stardew Valley allows players to form a lasting relationship with one of twelve eligible candidates, each with unique personalities, routines, and heart events. The Stardew Valley marriage candidates include Alex, Elliott, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, and Shane among the bachelors, while Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Maru, and Penny are the bachelorettes. Strengthening your bond requires building friendship through daily conversations, completing heart events, and offering loved gifts, which significantly boost affection. Once your relationship reaches ten hearts, presenting a Mermaid’s Pendant seals your commitment, leading to marriage.
After marriage, your spouse moves into the farmhouse, redecorating a small space and occasionally helping with farm tasks like feeding animals or watering crops. Each spouse has unique dialogue, morning routines, and occasional gifts for the player, adding depth to the relationship. Marriage in Stardew Valley enhances the gameplay experience by providing companionship, special interactions, and additional cutscenes that reveal more about your partner’s personality and past. Choosing the right spouse shapes your farm life, making it an important and personal decision in Pelican Town.
Getting Ready for Marriage
Before you can get married in Stardew Valley, there are several important steps to follow to ensure a successful relationship with your chosen partner. Marriage is a meaningful part of the game, offering deeper interactions, unique dialogues, and even gameplay benefits. Your future spouse must be one of the twelve marriage candidates, who include Alex, Elliott, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, and Shane among the bachelors, while the bachelorettes are Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Maru, and Penny.
You can check their eligibility in the social tab of the pause menu, where their name will be marked as “single.” Each candidate has a distinct personality, schedule, and preferences, which means that getting to know them and winning their affection requires effort and dedication.
To begin a romantic relationship, you must first raise your friendship level to at least eight hearts. This can be done by talking to them daily, completing their heart events, and giving them gifts they love. Every marriage candidate has specific loved and liked gifts, with loved gifts providing the most friendship points. You can give each candidate two gifts per week, with an additional gift allowed on their birthday, which significantly increases your friendship.
Once you reach eight hearts with a candidate, Pierre’s General Store will begin selling bouquets for 200g. Giving a bouquet to a candidate signals your romantic interest and officially starts the relationship, allowing you to continue increasing their heart level up to ten. You can date multiple candidates at once by giving multiple bouquets, but be warned—if they find out, they will confront you about it during a group heart event.
Once you reach ten hearts, you’ll need to obtain the Mermaid’s Pendant to propose marriage. This item is only available from the Old Mariner, an NPC who appears on the east side of the beach on rainy days. However, he will only sell the pendant to you if you have upgraded your house at least once and have reached the ten-heart relationship milestone with a candidate. The pendant costs 5,000g, and once given to your partner, they will immediately accept the proposal. After three in-game days, the wedding ceremony takes place, marking the beginning of your married life.
After marriage, your spouse moves into your farmhouse, bringing their own unique room and setting up a small outdoor area behind the house where they can sometimes be found. The friendship meter with your spouse extends beyond ten hearts to a maximum of fourteen, allowing for even deeper interactions. To maintain a happy marriage, you should continue talking to your spouse daily and giving them gifts they love. A happy spouse may help with farm chores, such as feeding animals, watering crops, and occasionally repairing fences. They may also prepare meals, which you can find on the kitchen counter.
At 12.5 hearts, your spouse will give you a Stardrop, a rare item that permanently increases your maximum energy. If you have upgraded your farmhouse to include a nursery, your spouse may eventually ask if you’d like to have or adopt children. If you agree, a child will arrive after a few days, adding another layer of family life to your farm. However, it’s important to be mindful of your spouse’s feelings, as they can become jealous if you give gifts to another marriage candidate of the same gender while maintaining a high friendship level of eight hearts. While this won’t affect your relationship permanently, it can lead to temporary negative interactions.
Marriage in Stardew Valley is more than just a cosmetic feature—it provides new interactions, special cutscenes, and valuable assistance on the farm. Choosing the right partner can influence your daily routine and add more personality to your home. Whether you’re looking for companionship, extra help on the farm, or just someone to share your virtual life with, marriage offers a rewarding experience that enhances the depth of the game.
The Bachelors of Stardew Valley
For those seeking a male partner, Stardew Valley offers six bachelors, each with a unique personality, backstory, and aspirations. Alex is the town’s athletic enthusiast, often seen as a confident jock, but he harbors a more sentimental side revealed through his heart events. He lives with his grandparents, Evelyn and George, and dreams of becoming a professional gridball player. His favorite gifts include Salmon Dinner and Complete Breakfast. If you marry Alex, his indoor room will feature sports equipment and a bench press, while his outdoor space will include weights where he exercises. His birthday falls on Summer 13.
Elliott is a reclusive writer who resides in a small beachside cabin, dedicating his time to crafting novels. His poetic and artistic personality makes him a romantic choice. His favorite gifts include lobster, pomegranates, squid ink, Tom Kha soup, duck feathers, and crab cakes. Marrying Elliott adds a book-filled study to your farmhouse, reflecting his literary lifestyle, and a small garden outside. His birthday is on Fall 5.
Harvey, Pelican Town’s doctor, is known for his caring and responsible nature. He runs the town’s clinic, dedicated to keeping its residents healthy, though he harbors a passion for aviation. His favorite gifts include pickles, coffee, truffle oil, wine, and the Super Meal. After marriage, he adds a small indoor space with a radio and model airplane collection, and outside, he sets up a modest garden. Harvey’s birthday is on Winter 14.
Sam is an energetic and creative bachelor who enjoys skateboarding, playing guitar, and video games. He lives with his mother, Jodi, and younger brother, Vincent, while his father, Kent, is away in the military at the start of the game. His favorite gifts include cactus fruit, maple bars, pizza, and Tigerseye. When married, Sam decorates his room with a keyboard, computer, and bookcase, and he builds a half-pipe for skateboarding outside. His birthday is on Summer 17.
Sebastian is a reserved and independent bachelor who spends much of his time in his room, working as a freelance programmer. He lives in the mountains with his mother, Robin, his stepfather, Demetrius, and his half-sister, Maru. He enjoys riding his motorcycle and has a love for darker aesthetics. His favorite gifts include Frozen Tears, obsidian, pumpkin soup, sashimi, and void eggs. After marriage, Sebastian moves his computer and stylish black couch into the farmhouse, and outside, he parks his motorcycle, which he occasionally works on. His birthday falls on Winter 10.
Shane, at first, struggles with depression and alcoholism but undergoes significant personal growth as your relationship develops. He lives with his aunt, Marnie, and his goddaughter, Jas, south of your farm, working at JojaMart until its closure. His passion for chickens becomes more prominent as you grow closer. His favorite gifts include beer, hot peppers, pizza, and pepper poppers. When married, Shane decorates his space with a TV and video game console, and outside, he builds a coop for his beloved chicken, Charlie. His birthday is on Spring 20.
Each bachelor in Stardew Valley brings a unique story to your farm life, shaping your experience through their heart events, personal growth, and interactions after marriage. Choosing a partner is a key part of your journey, allowing you to build a life together in Pelican Town.
The Bachelorettes of Stardew Valley
For those interested in a female partner, Stardew Valley presents six bachelorettes, each with distinct personalities, interests, and stories. Abigail is an adventurous and free-spirited young woman with a passion for the occult, playing her flute, and exploring the mines. She lives with her parents, Pierre and Caroline, though she often expresses frustration with their expectations. Abigail loves gifts such as amethyst, banana pudding, blackberry cobbler, chocolate cake, pufferfish, pumpkins, and spicy eel. After marriage, she adds a room to the farmhouse featuring a hamster cage, a drum kit, and a TV, and outside, she sets up a small garden where she enjoys playing her flute. Her birthday falls on Fall 13.
Emily is an energetic and creative bachelorette with a passion for tailoring, gemstones, and meditation. She works at the Stardrop Saloon and lives with her sister Haley. Emily’s favorite gifts include wool, cloth, aquamarine, amethyst, jade, ruby, emerald, and the Survival Burger. After marriage, she decorates her room with a sewing station and vibrant decor, while outside, she creates a crystal meditation garden where she spends time reflecting. Her birthday is on Spring 27.
Haley, Emily’s sister, initially comes across as vain and materialistic, but as you build a relationship with her, she reveals a more thoughtful and kind side. She has a love for fashion, photography, and warm, sunny days. Her favorite gifts include coconuts, pink cake, sunflowers, and fruit salad. Marrying Haley adds a bright and stylish room to the farmhouse featuring a makeup vanity and a tropical aesthetic, and outside, she creates a small flower garden where she sometimes practices photography. Her birthday is on Spring 14.
Leah is a nature-loving artist who embraces a rustic, independent lifestyle. She lives alone in a cozy cabin in the Cindersap Forest, where she spends time sculpting and foraging. Leah enjoys gifts such as truffles, salad, stir fry, goat cheese, poppyseed muffins, vegetable medley, and wine. After marriage, her room in the farmhouse features a warm, artistic space with a red rug, a large plant, and various art supplies, while outside, she continues working on her wood sculptures. Leah’s birthday is on Winter 23.
Maru is an intelligent and ambitious inventor with a passion for science, robotics, and astronomy. She lives with her parents, Robin and Demetrius, and works part-time at Harvey’s clinic. Her favorite gifts include battery packs, gold, iridium bars, radioactive bars, rhubarb pie, pepper poppers, cauliflower, cheese cauliflower, the Miner’s Treat, strawberries, and diamonds. After marriage, she adds a high-tech room filled with gadgets, blueprints, and a telescope, and she sometimes works on a project in the backyard. Her birthday is on Summer 10.
Penny is a kind-hearted and studious bachelorette who spends her time teaching local children and reading. She lives in a trailer with her mother, Pam, and dreams of a better future. Penny’s favorite gifts include diamonds, emeralds, melons, poppies, Tom Kha soup, sandfish, poppyseed muffins, the Roots Platter, and the Red Plate. After marriage, she decorates her room with bookcases and a small reading area, while outside, she maintains a quiet garden where she sometimes relaxes with a book. Her birthday is on Fall 2.
Each of these six bachelorettes brings a unique perspective and personality to a relationship, making marriage in Stardew Valley a deeply personal and rewarding experience. Whether drawn to adventure, creativity, intellect, or kindness, each partner adds depth to life on the farm, shaping your story in Pelican Town.
