There are several characters you can choose to romance in Stardew Valley. Marriage is not a huge deal in this game as it is for other farming simulators, but your partner does help out around the farm. They also have a unique room that reflects their personality.
With so many partners to pick from, it can be difficult to choose a favorite or to even determine if there’s a “best choice”. We have some specific favorites that we’d love to share with you and recommend when you’re working on your farm. Here’s what you need to know about the best characters to marry in Stardew Valley and what makes them fantastic.
The 6 Best Characters to Romance in Stardew Valley
There are 12 characters that you can romance in Stardew Valley. You can romance Alex, Elliot, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, Shane, Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Maru, and Penny. There are not too many gameplay mechanics that make marrying one person over another important. There are small differences, such as Alex might offer to make you dinner on rainy days, but on rainy mornings Emily offers to give you a helpful tailoring resource. What really stands out between these characters are their unique personality and their different quirks.
The characters we feel are the best to romance and marry are Alex, Sam, Sebastian, Abigail, Emily, and Maru. Here’s a ranking of the six best characters to marry in Stardew Valley.
Alex
Alex is a character who never quite gives up on his dreams and plans to be the first professional gridball player from Stardew Valley. At least, at first. These dreams are difficult to obtain, and he slowly pulls away from them, trying to find other ways to fill the void, but he never stops working out to keep himself in tip-top shape. As you get to know Alex, you learn he did not have a good relationship with his father and prefers being with his grandparents. He’s a soft, caring individual who will make a perfect partner for any player in Stardew Valley.
When you marry Alex, he does his best to help around the house like the other partners. He doesn’t offer to many special items to you, but he has the chance to offer you several meals for dinner, such as the Dish O’ the Sea, Fried Eel, Baked Fish, or a Survival Burger.
Abigail
For anyone interested in romancing Abigail, you’ll find that she has an interest in video games and playing several musical instruments throughout your interactions with her in Stardew Valley. From her interest in video games, she’s always wanted to go out on adventures, and early on in her heart events, she’ll discuss her desire to go out on adventures. Abigail has a full heart and is eager to assist her partner with their dangerous adventures out in the world.
When you marry Abigail and have joined you on your farm, she’ll be playing the flute outside in her personal spot. She has the chance to offer you a variety of useful items every so often, such as Solar Essences, Void Essence, Fire Quarts, Amethyst, Parsnip Soup, Chowder, Lobster Bisque, and several other items.
Emily
Next, we have Emily, the sister to Haley, who works part-time at the saloon in Pelican Town. She’s a warmhearted individual in Stardew Valley who sends you special recipes in the mail as you progress with your relationship with her. She’s a kindhearted individual who goes out of her way to help out anyone that she can, even a poor parrot who injured itself on her window one morning. Some Stardew Valley players might say Emily is one of the easier and less interesting love interests in the game simply because there’s not too much character development, but Emily is extremely useful to have as a partner.
When you marry Emily, she’ll move in with you to your farm and brings to a parrot with her to her room. There’s a good chance Emily might offer a Cloth, Wool, or Refined Quarts on rainy mornings, or she might offer various desserts to you, such as Blueberry Tarts, Chocolate Cake, Rice Pudding, or several other choices. The wide variety of items that Emily can offer you make for good resources if you ever need any for your crafting projects.
Maru
Maru is another one of my favorite romances in Stardew Valley. She lives with her parents in Pelican Town, and is constantly working on experiments and breaking new technology for the town. With a fascination with science, and the stars, many of Maru’s special events revolve around her interests, and how she wishes to know about the world of Stardew Valley and the worlds in the skies above everyone. Although reluctant to her leave her parents behind and start a new life, Maru does it and is happy to share one with your if you wish to become her partner.
When you choose to marry Maru in Stardew Valley, her room reflects her interest in science, with a telescope at the center of it. She has the chance to offer you several gifts that she made in her workshop, such as a bomb, a gate to use on your farm, quality fertilizer, bombs from her scrap pile, or even a Warp Totem. She also has a sweet tooth and may offer you desserts like a Blueberry Tart, Chocolate Cake, or Rice Pudding.
Sam
Another one of the better romance characters for you to pick in Stardew Valley is Sam. Sam looks like he’s been watching too much Dragon Ball Z, but really he’s trying to get the right look to be in a band. Over the course of your budding relationship with Sam as he takes care of his little brother, you’ll slowly watch his band’s dreams come together, bringing Sebastian and Abigail on to help him out. Eventually, they get to perform in a concert together.
When you choose to marry Sam and he moves into your Stardew Valley home, he’ll bring with him some of his instruments and his favorite books. He’ll also create a skating area where he can practice outside. Although he doesn’t offer a variety of items to you, such as the Cactus Fruit, Coconut, Geode, or makes a Pizza for you, he does have a great musical taste, and eventually offers a unique boombox for you to carry around.
Sebastian
My final favorite romance character in Stardew Valley is Sebastian. He’s someone who enjoys tinkering with programs on his computer as a freelancer, and he might also spend time working on his motorcycle, keen to take others with him on rides. Even though Sebastian does not spend too much time with friends, he’s a kindhearted individual with a bit of a edgy streak, who enjoys keeping to himself.
When you marry Sebastian, he’ll bring his computer setup to the farm, and he has his motorcycle outside that he regularly works on. There is a chance that he may offer you a cup of coffee, Obsidian, Void Essence, Frozen Tears, Cave Carrots, and several other items that he found while exploring the caves.
How Marriage Works in Stardew Valley
To get married to someone in Stardew Valley, you have to follow a series of steps:
- Increase Your Friendship Level: The first step is to establish a strong bond with your chosen partner. This can be done by engaging in regular conversations, giving them gifts they love, and participating in special heart events. Your goal is to achieve a friendship level of 10 hearts with them.
- Give Them a Bouquet: Once you’ve reached 8 hearts with a potential partner, you can express your romantic interest by giving them a Bouquet, which can be purchased from the General Store. This gesture signifies that you have deep feelings for them and wish to take your relationship to the next level.
- Ask Them to Marry You: After you’ve achieved a 10-heart relationship with your partner, you can propose marriage by giving them a Mermaid’s Pendant.
Once you’re married in Stardew Valley, your spouse becomes a part of your daily life on the farm. They’ll assist with tasks such as watering crops, caring for animals, and repairing fences. Additionally, they’ll react differently when you give them gifts, and their conversations with you will reflect your marital status.
