Stardew Valley: The 6 Best (& 6 Worst) Romances

I’m so excited to start a new life in Stardew Valley! I just moved here from the city, escaping a really boring job at Joja Corporation. Pelican Town is tiny, but it feels perfect. And get this – you can actually find love and even get married within your first year! It’s a fresh start in every way, and I can’t wait to see what happens.

With twelve different characters to choose from as potential partners, it can be hard to decide who to marry and start a farm with. Though divorce is possible, and you can even date everyone without consequences using a lucky charm, finding a spouse you really like is a great experience. This guide ranks the best and worst spouses in Stardew Valley, but remember that everyone has different preferences, so all choices are perfectly valid.

Okay, so when I’m looking for the best spouse in this game, I really care about a few things. First, how easy it is to find gifts they love during that first year – I don’t want to spend forever searching! Then, I need to know if their really good gifts after we get married are actually useful on the farm. And honestly? A good story and a personality I enjoy are super important too. It’s gotta be someone I actually like spending time with in-game!

Special Mention: Krobus

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves, , , , , ,
Liked Gifts:All Universal Likes (except Life Elixir and All Cooking other than Seafoam Pudding), Gold Bar, Quartz
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates (except Void Mayonnaise)
Best Gifts After ‘Marriage’: Wild Horseradish, Void Eggs, Quartz
Birthday: Winter 1

Longtime players of Stardew Valley will remember Krobus as the merchant who lives in the sewers and sells useful items later in the game, such as the Iridium Sprinkler, Stardrop, and Return Scepter. A significant update added Krobus as a possible roommate – though he can only be a platonic partner. He’ll move in if you have space, but not if you’re already married, and having him as a roommate prevents you from marrying anyone else.

This character is fairly easy to impress and befriend because he always stays in the sewer. Once you’ve donated sixty items to the museum and gotten the keys, you can always find him in the same spot. He sells some of his favorite gifts, and you can get Wild Horseradish for free during the Spring season.

Even if you marry Krobus, you can still use the Sewer Shop. He won’t leave; instead, his shop items will be stored in a chest in his place.

Worst: Haley

Popular Girl Who Learns to Let Down Her Hair

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves (except Prismatic Shard), , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Vegetables), Daffodil
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates, all Fish, Clay, Wild Horseradish, Prismatic Shard
Best Gifts After Marriage: Maple Bar, Eggplant Parmesan, Bean Hotpot
Birthday: Spring 14

She’s a good reminder that appearances can be deceiving. She initially seems like a stereotypical, somewhat spoiled pretty blonde, which doesn’t quite fit in on a farm where getting your hands dirty and working hard are essential.

It’s pretty easy to become friends with her – she loves receiving daffodils! You can usually find her in town or near Marnie’s farm. However, once you’re married, the gifts she gives aren’t particularly special, mostly just food you can make yourself later in the game. The best gifts she offers are probably the things she gives on rainy days or the Maple Bar she makes for breakfast.

Best: Shane

Cranky Blue Chicken Man With an Emotional Story

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves, , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Pickles), All Eggs (except Void Eggs), All Fruit (except Hot Pepper)
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates (except Seaweed), Pickles, Quartz
Best Gifts After Marriage: Pepper Poppers, Pale Ale
Birthday: Spring 20

Shane, often called the ‘chicken man,’ is a complex character. While he begins as cold and unfriendly, learning his story reveals a struggle with depression. His heart events are the most emotionally impactful in Stardew Valley. Romancing Shane is fairly straightforward; since he works at Joja Mart, you can easily find him there in the mornings or at the Stardrop Saloon in the evenings. Giving him a Beer at the saloon is a great way to win him over, as he really likes it.

Once married, he usually gives players snacks like Pepper Poppers to boost their speed. Sometimes he’ll also gift Pale Ale, which is valuable to sell. The best part is, he’ll start bringing chickens to your farm after you get married!

Worst: Penny

The Generous, Hardworking Daughter of Pam

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves (except Rabbit’s Foot), , , , , , , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Algae Soup, Beer, Mead, Pale Ale, Pale Broth, Piña Colada, Tom Kha Soup, & Wine), all Milk, all Artifacts
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates (except Poppy and Red Mushroom), Beer, Grape, Holly, Hops, Mead, Pale Ale, Pina Colada, Rabbit’s Foot, Wine
Best Gifts After Marriage: Geode, Fried Eel
Birthday: Fall 2

Penny isn’t considered a bad romantic partner because of who she is as a person. She’s actually one of the kindest and most giving residents of Pelican Town, regularly helping Vincent and Jas, and always worrying about her mom. Given how touching her story is, it’s surprising she ranks low as a potential partner.

Penny can be a challenging character to gift because she loves hard-to-find items early in the game, such as diamonds, emeralds, melons, poppies, and special foods like the Red Plate and Roots Platter. Luckily, she’s easy to woo during the first spring by giving her dandelions and leeks. After you marry her, she’ll sometimes gift you geodes or Fried Eel on rainy days, which can improve your luck. However, getting and maintaining a good relationship with Penny often feels like a lot of work for the player.

Best: Harvey

The Sweet Local Doctor Who Has Everyone’s Best Interest In Mind

Loved Gifts: , , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Cheese, Goat Cheese, Blueberry Tart, Chocolate Cake, Cookie, Cranberry Sauce, Fried Mushroom, Glazed Yams, Hashbrowns, Ice Cream, Pancakes, Pink Cake, Pizza, Rhubarb Pie, Rice Pudding), all Fruit, all Foragables
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates, Coral, Nautilus Shell, Rainbow Shell, Salmonberry, Spice Berry
Best Gifts After Marriage: Complete Breakfast, Fried Eel
Birthday: Winter 14

The town doctor spends his days treating patients at his clinic. Although he’s dedicated to helping people, Harvey can be a bit of a stickler when it comes to unhealthy food. He always prioritizes the player’s well-being, which is admirable. Luckily, he’s also relatively easy to win over with gifts – especially foraged items that aren’t hard to find.

Okay, so Harvey’s definitely a bit older than the other guys in town, which is kinda nice to see, honestly. His romance arc isn’t amazing, but it’s surprisingly decent, though he’s a little reserved at first. But seriously, once you marry him, the gifts he gives are amazing. The Complete Breakfast and Fried Eel are top-tier – they give you the best buffs, hands down. I always stock up on those!

Worst: Alex

A Nice Sporty Spouse, With Lackluster Gifts

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves, ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes, all Eggs (except Void Egg)
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates, Holly, Quartz
Best Gifts After Marriage: Survival Burger, Dish O’ The Sea, Fried Eel
Birthday: Summer 13

Moving to Pelican Town, you won’t be greeted warmly by everyone right away. Some residents will be indifferent, and a few might even be dismissive until they get to know you. Thankfully, is immediately friendly, which is a pleasant surprise. On the other hand, Alex’s strong desire to become a professional athlete sometimes comes across as boastful, and that can be a turn-off.

You can usually find him practicing in town, which makes him easy to locate. The tricky part is that he only really likes two types of gifts, and those gifts can be pricey. He loves all kinds of eggs except Void Eggs, so you’ll need a coop to easily give him gifts he enjoys. Once you’re married, the gifts he gives back aren’t anything remarkable, though he does have a few nice treats he offers when it rains.

Best: Maru

A Genius Inventor Who Showers You With Great Post-Marriage Gifts

Loved Gifts: , , , , , , Radioactive/Gold/Iridium Bar, ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Honey, Maple Syrup, and Pickles), Copper Bar, Iron Bar, Oak Resin, Pine Tar, Quartz, Radioactive Ore
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates (except Radioactive Bar/Ore), Holly, Honey, Pickles, Snow Yam, Truffle
Best Gifts After Marriage: Bomb, Cherry Bomb, Quality Fertilizer, Refined Quartz, Warp Totem: Farm, Fried Mushroom, Crab Cakes
Birthday: Summer 10

Maru, the daughter of Robin and Demetrius, is incredibly intelligent and passionate about science and technology. She frequently collaborates with her father at his lab or with Harvey at the clinic. Maru is approachable and friendly, though she does have a fondness for gifts – especially quartz – which makes building a relationship with her relatively easy, particularly during the first year.

Leah’s ‘Ten Hearts’ event is really special, featuring a surprisingly large and intelligent robot. Once you get married to her in Stardew Valley, she’ll give you some incredibly useful gifts that remain valuable throughout much of the game, even as you progress to the later stages.

Worst: Sam

Loved Gifts: , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Dislikes (except Coal, Copper Bar, Gold Bar, Gold Ore, Iridium Bar, Iridium Ore, Iron Bar, Refined Quartz, & Tigerseye), All Forageables
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates (except Joja Cola and Seaweed), Coal, Copper Bar, Duck Mayonnaise, Gold Bar, Gold Ore, and Iridium Bar. Iridium Ore, Iron Bar, Mayonnaise, Pickles, Refined Quartz
Best Gifts After Marriage: Earth Crystal, Geode
Birthday: Summer 17

Sam is one of the first villagers you’ll meet who is friendly towards you. You can often find him walking around town, either heading to or from his job at Joja Mart, or skateboarding near his home. He also hangs out at the inn with Sebastian and Abigail every Friday. Sam is pretty easy to make happy – just give him some Pizza, which you can buy at the inn!

Sam enjoys drinking Joja Cola, which you can find in the trash, while fishing, or by buying it at the inn. As a husband, he tends to give gifts that are more helpful when you’re just starting the game, like earth crystals and regular geodes. He isn’t much of a cook, so he only makes pizza and pancakes. He’s a kind person, but his gifts and cooking aren’t very impressive compared to other options.

Best: Emily

Quirky Crystal Lady With Incredible Post-Marriage Gifts

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves, , , , , , , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Fish Taco, Fried Eel, Ice Cream, Maki Roll, Rice Pudding, Salmon Dinner, Spicy Eel, & Sashimi), Daffodil, Quartz
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates, Fish Taco, Holly, Maki Roll, Salmon Dinner, Sashimi
Best Gifts After Marriage: Bean Hotpot, Cloth, Wool, Omni Geode, Refined Quartz
Birthday: Spring 27

She’s a little quirky, but her vibrant personality is endearing. You can always find her working at the inn, and if you start trying to win her over in the spring, giving her daffodils and quartz will quickly build your relationship.

Okay, so she’s a little pricey to woo, but trust me, it’s SO worth it! Once you marry her, she’s amazing with gifts – I’m talking everything from Duck Feathers to those super rare Omni Geodes! If you’re looking for someone who’ll help you stock up on farm resources, she’s definitely the one to go for.

Worst: Elliott

Handsome Aspiring Author, But Hard to Please With Loved Gifts

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves, , , , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Amaranth and Pizza), All Fruit (except Pomegranate and Salmonberry), Octopus, Squid
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates, Amaranth, Quartz, Salmonberry, Sea Cucumber
Best Gifts After Marriage: Chowder, Fish Stew, Coffee
Birthday: Fall 5

He’s a creative writer who lives in a beachside cabin in Pelican Town and is always working on his next book. You can often find him near the beach or on the bridge leading to it, but he’s a bit hard to impress with gifts. He generally enjoys most fruits, except for salmonberries.

He’s not a very generous partner, offering only occasional treats like seafood or coffee. Honestly, his tendency to overreact makes him not worth the effort. However, if you’re looking for someone gentle, thoughtful, and a bit of a romantic, he can be quite endearing and sweet.

Best: Abigail

The Girl Who Likes Crystals

Loved Gifts: All Universal Loves, , , , , , ,
Liked Gifts: All Universal Likes (except Vegetables), Quartz
Hated Gifts: All Universal Hates (except Sugar), Clay, Holly
Best Gifts After Marriage: Solar/Void Essence, Cherry Bomb, Tom Kha Soup, Lobster Bisque, Fried Mushroom, Crab Cakes
Birthday: Fall 13

Abigail is a popular character, and it’s clear why despite her quirky personality. She loves gaming but can be a bit childish, especially when dealing with her mom, Caroline. Plus, she’s famously obsessed with quartz, making her a relatively easy character to romance early in the game.

What makes Abigail truly special is what she brings to marriage. She gives some of the best gifts in the game, which are worth the cost of keeping her happy. Whether it’s useful items like Cherry Bombs or valuable resources like Void and Solar Essence, her gifts alone make her a wonderful spouse.

2025-11-04 18:38