I was just wondering, as I would be really interested in marrying Aela since I am the leader of the companions, and am still a very active werewolf. I think it would mean more to the marriage if I could be with another werewolf, plus it does not hurt how good looking she is. However I was wondering if there were other people who would be more beneficial to marry. Also I am on xbox without the most recent patch in case that has anything to do with responses I might get.

I believe Mjoll is essential, which is something of a perk, although most Companions and mercs are pretty hardy. Mjoll is quite chatty, which is fun at first but it does get a bit annoying after a while, particularly if she pipes up while others are talking. Thankfully you can run around with Mjoll as a follower for a while before you commit.

Olfina grey mane if you have PC

Hm that is something to ponder, I have been meaning to get that sword but with all the quests I have I keep forgetting. Plus thinking about it I would much rather have an adventurer for a wife, since I don't think I would be able to handle coming home from tough battles and not being able to get my exploits honored accurately.

"How was your day honey"
"Had a run in with some Falmer, and one of the Charus nearly got my sword arm, just another day"
"What are those?"

Not sure how many conversations like that I would be able to handle before "misplacing" my blade of woe.

As far for story goes, I think Aela at least provides a lot of quests.. to give some presence compared to other marriage options. That is, if you're a werewolf. I don't know if that means anything, other than it's benefit to at least seem like a marriage, where she isn't just sitting around waiting for you to come home.

Other options are good for different reasons. Some have cool houses, or look differently, etc..

Aela is a good choice both from a theme standpoint and a 'practical benefits' one.

Do you plan to bring her along as an adventuring partner? If so, there are a couple of considerations:

1) She favors archery and light armor. This may not be the best match if your character prefers to have someone else to hide behind.

2) AFAIK, NPCs still do not fully level up even in the current patch, which means that her abilities will be locked to the level at which you first met her. If that was at low level then she won't have much fighting power or staying power as your level goes up, and once the Companions/Totems quests are done, she CAN die permanently. PC users can fix this, but Xbox users can't.

If you don't plan to bring her along as a follower then neither of these should be a concern.

I did not know that upon completion of the totem quests she becomes unessential, but I remember someone posting about a way to get the followers to get their stats up to the current level your on using the Wabbajack. Does anyone else know what I am talking about, as I can't quite remember all the details.

Sonja gets married......say... to Balimund

Balimund: How was yer day hon?
Sonja: Oh, ya kno, the usual. Had to run me through a couple bandits, oh and thanks for sharpenin' that sword a bit extra, eh. Decapitated one real good. Ya betcha it did."
Balimund: I made up this stew. I hope you like it. Found some pretty hard to get ingredients. It should help with your problem.
Sonja: And what problem is that?
Balimund: Well it's just that I've been noticing these little bites on my skin that itch like hell.
Sonja: Well if ya bathed now and then.
Balimund: Hey, you know I do. I've also noticed you've been biting yourself and scratching your head in your sleep more than usual. So I went and talked with the woman down at the alchemy shop and she suggested this stuff for fleas after I showed her my bites.
Sonja: I thought you were keeping our secret, ya lug head!
Balimund: Look, I told her we were taking care of a dog. The guards have been talking about "our dog" anyway, so I figured what's the harm, ya know?
Sonja: So you're telling me you fed me something that gets rid of fleas in dogs? And by that are ya inferrin that I'm a dog?
Balimund: But I'm only trying to help.
Sonja: You know where you're sleeping tonight.
B: I'm sorry. I only thought...
S: Thought? Thought? Ya ever think about askin me first, eh?
....silence....
S: Just bustin your chops. Pour me another cup o mead will ya?
B: Then I'm not sleeping...
S: Of course not. This is a strange situation, ya know it. Me bein' both this "Dragonborn" and a werewolf. You know you should give the second a bit more thought. We've got that nice back door and all, and can be out of sight of the guards in no time.

ROFL!! Oh, Sonja, I DO like you!

Why would you steal her from Jon?

Because he is from CLAN BATTLE-BORN, A NAME YOU WILL SURELY KNOW!!!!11

But he's nice!

Don't dip your pen in the company ink.
If you two have a falling out, you still have to see each other everyday.

Just throw her a porkchop bone and rub her belly. She'll forgive you.

Aela is the best. Best looking, best back story, best follower. All around the best

No one would want to have a falling out with the Alpha Male of the pack especially one very close to his dead Mother if you get the meaning

It seems the women you want to marry, you can't (xbox 360), I like Eola as a companion and would marry her if she was available. May have to do the Companions quest and check out Ria

Obviously Shahvee. Fishmongers are dangerous.

I played this like a sitcom scene in my head. Brilliant.

I'm a fan of Eola. Not only did she survive my play style (so few followers do) but I enjoy her...tastes...in things. Too bad I'm on a PS3 and can't mod her for marriage.

I decided to marry a woman who is not a fighter.
Just wanted something nicer to look at every time I come in from work than a woman in armor.
My preference would be to marry somebody in one of the sleezy barmaid outfits but I didn't find any willing to cozy up with me.

A thin as the marriage option is it is best to choose someone that is as "multi-faceted" as possible. The three Companion leaders are good - they give quests, train and have more dialog options than many others. For hire followers can be good as well since you will have their services for free from that point on (and they're chatty while following you - lots of comments on locations).

I married a small random farm girl named Sylgia, essentially, as soon as I got the quest, I put on the amulet of mara (instead of Savos Arens amulet, which is a lot better) and just did questing as normal until I got a marriage offer from a girl who seemed reasonably attractive (not super hot, just not ugly, so no orcs.) Sylgia was the first person to fit that requirement, so I married her, she's living in Solitude, I'm wearing my favorite amulet, Not a lot of thought put into my decision, but it was more for the achievement/completionist OCD tendancies anyway. I was going to marry either Lydia or Mjoll, my two favorite followers, but they are both with the Blades, so marraige was out of the question

To prevent a classically tragic ending in which he gets exiled, she fakes her death, he sneaks back, thinks she's really dead and kills himself, and she wakes up from being "dead", finds his body and kills herself? Followed by Balgruuf making a long speech about "tales of woe"?

Doing them all a favor, really.

Ugh I find her repulsive.