Stardew Valley: Concept of marriage - Everything you need to know

Marriage in Stardew Valley is a legitimate part of the game and can be between two players or a player and an NPC. Image via Stardew Valley
Marriage in Stardew Valley is a legitimate part of the game and can be between two players or a player and an NPC. Image via Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley offers its players something unique. Many social simulators have other NPCs that players can form relationships with, even with the ability to improve the relationship. However, what Stardew Valley has that others do not is the option to get married to these NPCs.

There are 12 NPCs in Stardew Valley that players can marry, but it isn't as straightforward as that. Here's everything on marriage in Stardew Valley.


Stardew Valley: Concept of marriage

There are two different ways of getting married in Stardew Valley, one in single player mode and the other in multiplayer mode. In multiplayer, players can marry the person they are playing with. In single player, players can only marry 12 NPCs and they have to be marked as "Single" in the Social tab. These are the 12 that can be married:

  • Alex
  • Elliott
  • Harvey
  • Sam
  • Sebastian
  • Shane
  • Abigail
  • Emily
  • Haley
  • Leah
  • Maru
  • Penny

Before proposing marriage, players need to earn 10 hearts of relationship, which is the maximum, with these NPCs. Each heart is worth 250 points. At eight hearts, players can give them a bouquet, which is the in-game way of asking them to date. The bouquet can be acquired from Pierre's General Store.

Pierre's General Store is the location for players to get the bouquet to ask an NPC out. Image via Stardew Valley
Pierre's General Store is the location for players to get the bouquet to ask an NPC out. Image via Stardew Valley

One of the library's lost books, Marriage Guide for Farmers, is a helpful tool. It tells players that they need to ask them out at eight hearts with a bouquet. In order to propose, players will need a Mermaid's Pendant, the universal proposal item.

Players can find this pendant from the ghost of an old mariner who appears clutching the pendant on stormy days. The pendant will cost 5,000 gold, even though gold is of little use to a ghost. After the wedding, the NPC will leave wherever it is that they normally live and move in with the player.

The weather for the wedding ceremony, regardless of what it was supposed to be, will always be sunny. Married NPCs will now have a maximum of 14 hearts as opposed to 10, and players will need to continue improving the relationship. Gifts are always a good idea for a player's spouse.