Tying the knot, whether it be in real life or in a virtual farming sim, is a big deal, and considering how much timeStardew Valleyfans pour into Eric Barone’s ever-evolving masterpiece, it’s practically on par in terms of monumental life events. Plus, speaking from experience, it’s cheaper. Much cheaper.
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The life of a bachelor or Bachelorette in Stardew Valley is fun. But eventually, you’ll probably want to settle down, and that means picking the right person for you. So by weighing up their personalities, loved gifts, schedules and stories, we have ranked all the Best Stardew Valley Marriage Candidates. Meaning if you like it, you can put a ring on it without hesitation.
As a writer and creative typemyself, I’m always wary of how I can come across as verbose or pompous. But you know who doesn’t worry about that?Elliott. Elliot is the resident windswept and interesting bard type, with a penchant for the arts. He is a textbook traditional romantic, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking of him as the guy who smugly corrects grammar any chance he gets.
Then, as for the gameplay side of things, all the items he likes are tough to get your hands on regularly early on. He lives by the beach, so he’s not easy to access unless you go out of your way to do so, and his regular gifts when married are lackluster. So, unless you crave a Pride and Prejudice sort of love, Elliot is the one I would recommend least.
From a thoughtful and well-read fellow, to a troubled jock archetype.Alexis someone I could never connect with, because, despite the fact that we learn why his behavior sucks, due to his relationship with his family, unlike other people’s story arc, he never actually gets more likable or nuanced as a character. He begins as a bonehead jock, and never evolves beyond that.
Then, much like Elliot, his loved items are not things you will come across early in the game. Really, the only reason why he doesn’t take the wooden spoon here is that his marriage gifts likeDish O' The SeaandFried Eelare actually useful when planning a day of fishing or hitting the mines. Plus, he’s usually hanging in the center of town, meaning you won’t need to go off the beaten path to find him.
If she were a color, she would be beige. If she were a spice, she would be flour, and if she were a sport, she would be cricket. It may sound harsh, and perhaps it is, butPennyis just boring. I have to give her credit for being altruistic, helping out the kids in town, and looking after her mother,Pam, but much likeShane, it’s a lot of baggage to take on.
Her storyline is one of the weaker ones on offer, and she’s a real personality vacuum. Not to mention, her marriage gifts aren’t all that special either. But she lifts herself out of the bottom two places because if you growMelonin the Summer, you can win her affection real fast with minimal effort, and some people might see her as the ‘girl next door’ type. So, if that’s your thing, then maybe Penny is for you, but not me.
If you’ve seen the movie Mean Girls, then just think of Haley as Regina George, and if you haven’t, go watch it, get some culture.Haleyis your typical too-cool-for-school type who talks down to you from the moment she meets you, and it makes her a hard sell for anyone looking for a life partner. She finds herself edging toward the middle of the pack because unlike Alex, however, she softens to allow for a rather lovely redemption arc.
As for gameplay, she’s relatively easy to win over if you plantSunflowerin the Summer, but her marriage gifts are underwhelming, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag. But the main takeaway here is that although she’s a bit of a meanie, there’s a softer side of Haley worth getting to know. So when she calls your clothes horrendous, don’t take it to heart. Or marry and divorce her out of spite. After all, it’s your playthrough.
If you consider yourself an academic, thenMarumay be a marriage candidate you’ll want to consider. I’ve placed her right in the middle of this list because, however, because in all honesty, she’s got a certain dry, robotic quality that’s hard to connect with. This is perhaps why she’s so good at robotics; she can relate to them on a personal level. Jokes aside though, Maru is a nice girl with ambition, drive and a supportive family behind her. But even this is somewhat marred by her father,Demetrius, not seeing you as good enough for her daughter and more of an unwanted distraction.
In my eyes, she’s easily one of the safer, boring options, but in terms of gameplay benefits, she has a lot to offer, as her loved gifts are all easy to acquire if you spend a lot of time in the mines. Plus, when married, you have the chance of being givenCherry Bomb’s andBomb’s, which will help you zip down the mines at record speeds. Not to mention aWarp Totem: Farmto get you back home before you pass out. In short, she’s a little dull, but a great utility partner if you want to view your marriage as more of a perk on a skill tree than a loving relationship.
Maru is sweet and all, but of the two lovable nerds in town,Harveyis my preferred option. Not only because he’s such a calm, sweet-natured and gentle soul, but also because his Heart Events offer a relationship that feels mature and grounded, unlike some other options. He’s a timid guy, but he’s so appreciative of your company and genuinely adores your companionship, which is all you can really ask for in a partner. His heart events allow you to slowly ease him out of his comfort zone, and by the end, he is the model, doting husband.
There’s not much narratively I can mark Harvey down for, but the core issue many will have with marrying him is that he spends so much of his time in the Clinic, making him inaccessible for large periods of the evening. Plus, it will take some time before you’re able to get the livestock and tools needed to makeTruffle OilorCoffeeregularly, so it could take some time to build a relationship with him. That being said, even if he is a recluse, I would urge you to try and marry him at least once, because he’s such a nice guy, and deep down, all we want is to be with someone nice, right?
Leahwas actually the first person I married in Stardew Valley all the way back in 2016, and being the kind of gamer who goes out of their way to Min-Max, I’m ashamed to say that it was a tale of convenience as Leah is easy to build a relationship with on account of regularly visiting the Stardrop Saloon, where they just so happen to sell one of their loved items,Salad. But looking back, I still have fond memories of our time together.
She’s a calm, thoughtful presence with a penchant for artistic flair, and throughout the time you get to know her, you see her blossom from an insecure artist unsure of her abilities, to a confident and successful creator. Sure, she’s a little cliché, and her Tinder bio would include, ‘I love long walks on the beach and feeling at one with nature,’ but she’s nowhere near as insufferable as Elliot. Aside fromCoffee, her Marriage Gifts are a little underwhelming, but if you may make your peace with that, she makes a great partner, and one that you won’t have to go out of your way to win over.
Next up isSam, the skater boy of Pelican Town. But you won’t want to say ‘see you later boy’ to him, because he’s an excellent marriage candidate, albeit one that feels a little more in line with a young-adult romance novel. Firstly, in terms of his storyline, there are a few standout moments, but of all these, the most fun is that you get to influence the genre of music his band plays and then later get to see what choice pays off at their gig in Zuzu City. This is one of the rare times when your choices have a sizable effect on Heart Events. Plus, he’s just a big ball of energy who is a lot of fun to be around.
He’s also easy to build a relationship with as well, as you can get one of his loved items,Pizza, from the Stardrop Saloon, and you can even gift himJoja Cola, which is essentially junk, but he seems to like it regardless. His drawbacks are that the relationship is a little teen-bop drama at times, and his marriage gifts are probably the worst of anyone on this list. But even still, in terms of the fun and ease with which you build the relationship, Sam is one of the better Marriage Candidates.
Just missing out on the podium places, we have the spiritual representative of Pelican Town.Emilyis a kooky character with a bubbly personality and a fun-loving attitude that is infectious. Which is perhaps why you won’t be the only one trying to court favor with her. But don’t worry,Clintisn’t exactly stiff competition. Of all the Heart Event storylines within the game, I would say that in terms of production value and unadulterated fun, few can rival Emily’s. Which makes getting to know her a blast.
Stardew Valley: Beach Farm Guide
This guide will navigate you through the unique aspects of the Beach Farm, helping you to harness its potential and overcome its obstacles.
But even if we look at the Gameplay benefits of marrying Emily, there’s plenty to love. In terms of winning her over, her Heart Events will offer fewer opportunities to win Friendship Points, but this is fine, as she loves accessible items likeWooland a variety of different gems and minerals found commonly in the mines. Not to mention, you have the chance of being giftedCoffeeor anOmni Geodecourtesy of her Marriage Gifts. The only downside is that you’ll have to deal with breaking Clint’s heart, but as they say, the course of true love never did run smoothly.
3Sebastian
Sometimes, despite all the logical, nice options there are, romantically you can’t help the tractor beam pulling you towards the ‘bad boys.’ Well, could I tempt you to a ‘sad boy’ in the shape of Sebastian?Sebastianis a tough nut to crack, as he’ll often spend most days locked away in his room, and isn’t much of a conversational savant. But considering thatAbigailandSamare so keen to be his friend despite his reclusive ways, that should be a good indicator that he’s a good guy underneath all that angst. He’s a geeky gamer who is a romantic at heart, you just have to gradually tease it out of him.
When you do, though, you’ll uncover a rich backstory whereDemetriusonce again shows what a jerk he is. But more importantly, Sebastian shows what a sweetheart he is, despite his strange family dynamic. Not to mention that would makeRobinyour mother-in-law, which is about as good a deal as you’ll get in-law-wise. Then, as for winning him over, he likesFrozen Tear, which are accessible early on if you get some way down the mines, so you won’t be locked on the outside of his bedroom staring hopelessly at him for too long. Like all emos, he’s a softie underneath all those dark clothes, so if that sounds like your bag, Seb is a great option.
