Hello, Community Council!
Note: This topic will be updated with the addition of other topics that are related to this subject.
For many years, various members of the World of Warcraft community have repeatedly expressed the desire for the game to include an official marriage system that allows players to unite.
Among the most popular MMORPGs, World of Warcraft is possibly the only one that lacks such a feature. Therefore, I decided to share some experiences I’ve had in the past with this type of system. I believe that if the WoW development and social teams consider implementing something similar in the future, a considerable number of players would be very pleased with this addition. (You can check this at the end of the thread).
In World of Warcraft, there are a few quests that reference weddings in the game, such as ‘Wild, Wild, Wildhammer Wedding’ in Cataclysm…
…and “Wedding Crashers” in Drustvar during the Battle for Azeroth expansion.
Although there are other quests that reference the union between characters, like the ones mentioned earlier, many game studios have gone beyond simple allusions. They have incorporated elements from the real world, like marriage, turning them into official in-game features. These systems are not limited to roleplay but provide functionalities that players can use optionally, enhancing the social experience in MMORPGs.
In the The War Within, a ring was introduced that creates a bond between players, giving a sense of a marriage-like connection.
A ring that creates a bond of union between two players.
Although this item suggests an attempt to incorporate elements of union between players, it still doesn’t represent a complete and official marriage system in World of Warcraft. The implementation of a more robust system could further strengthen social bonds between players, offering new opportunities for interaction and customization within the game.
I’ve created a small list of games where I’ve tested the marriage system, and in a simplified manner, they can serve as inspiration for creating a wedding/marriage system for World of Warcraft.
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Ragnarok Online (2002)
Ragnarok Online was one of the first MMORPGs to introduce a marriage system. The process is simple: both players must be in the same party, have a Diamond Ring purchased from an NPC, and pay a fee of 1,300,000 Gold (marriage has never been cheap! 
). Once these requirements are met, all they need to do is visit the church in the main city and interact with an NPC to perform the ceremony, which takes place briefly but symbolically.
End of the Ceremony
After the wedding, the couple unlocks the possibility of adopting a third player as a child. To do so, the group leader must invite the player, and by clicking on their character, the option to send an adoption invitation appears.
If the player accepts, they undergo significant changes: their size is reduced, their maximum level is limited, and they lose access to certain abilities they would have had if they were not adopted. This system adds a new layer of social interaction to the game, strengthening the bonds between characters.
Player after being adopted
In World of Warcraft, this would be equivalent to being able to adopt an NPC or another player, and that player would permanently take on the appearance of a child within the game.
A couple of players in WoW with an NPC child
The separation process is equally simple. One of the spouses just needs to approach a specific NPC and request the termination of the bond. The adopted child (the third player) continues playing as usual, maintaining their childlike appearance and the imposed restrictions, without any further changes.
Marriage System
Adoption System
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Ragnarok X: Next Generation (MMORPG Mobile 2021)
In addition to the options already available in the 2006 version, new features have been added that allow players to customize specific locations on various maps in the game, such as instanced environments. This enables the couple to decorate the space for the ceremony, host the guests, choose the event’s soundtrack, and even prepare a banquet for the celebration, offering an even more immersive and personalized experience.
Design Wedding
In this version, the couple also has the option to send invitations to players on their friends list, containing all the details about the ceremony’s location, time, and date. This makes it easier to organize and ensures that guests are well-informed for the big event.
Wedding invitation screen
At the end of the ceremony, the couple parades through the streets of the main city, where they can take photos and throw confetti to celebrate their union. During the parade, the bells of the city’s church ring, announcing to all players present that a wedding has taken place, similar to what happens in Stormwind in World of Warcraft, where the bell rings every hour.
After the event, the couple receives an exclusive mount that increases movement speed when both are riding together. Additionally, they unlock a small talent tree with unique abilities, exclusively for the couple, further strengthening their bond in-game when they are close to each other.
The following two videos show a player explaining the process of marriage and divorce in this version of the game. If anyone from the World of Warcraft team is interested in understanding how the system works, the videos are short, about 10 minutes each, providing a clear and objective overview.
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Rift (MMORPG 2011)
It’s not much different from other MMORPGs, as there is a specific location to start the wedding ceremony. After the event, a banquet is held for the guests, and the couple receives exclusive cosmetic rewards, along with a special title to celebrate their union.
Wedding System Announcement Trailer
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Perfect World International (MMORPG 2006)
In addition to the common features found in other MMORPGs, in this game, you can also prepare an exclusive instance for the wedding ceremony, customizing the venue’s decoration. The couple can invite friends and family, and even use pre-created scripts by the game’s team to add unexpected events to the ceremony, like an NPC invasion trying to interrupt the wedding (all of this is optional, of course! ).
There are some exclusive animations, such as hugging over another player.
Another exclusive animation for married couples allows one player to carry the other in their arms, creating a special and romantic moment, further strengthening the bond between the characters and offering a unique interaction in the game.
And an exclusive mount for married couples, inspired by Chinese culture:
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Final Fantasy 14 (MMORPG 2010)
In Final Fantasy XIV, players have the option to customize certain aspects of the cutscenes during the Ceremony of Eternal Bond (wedding event), based on the plan chosen for the ceremony. There are three plans available: the Standard (free), Gold, and Platinum, each offering different levels of customization, from simple changes to more elaborate options to make the event even more special and unique for the couple.
Gold and Platinum Plans:
- Procession (Entrance): In the Gold and Platinum plans, couples can choose to enter the Ivory Chapel on foot or in an enchanted gondola. The Platinum plan offers three different variations of gondolas for even more unique customization.
- Recession (Exit): After the ceremony, couples have the option to exit on foot or mounted on a ceremonial chocobo, as shown in the image below, adding a majestic touch to the exit and to the event as a whole.
In the video below, you can watch different types of entrance and exit ceremonies.
Not much different from other MMORPGs, players can also buy dresses in different colors from the shop and marry people of the same gender. Everything is optional!
Additionally, the Gold and Platinum plans allow customization of the chapel’s decoration (rugs, flowers, and drapery) and the ceremony’s music. The Platinum plan offers additional color and decoration options compared to the Gold plan.
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Star Wars: The Old Rebuplic (MMORPG 2011)
Unlike other MMORPGs, in this game, the player doesn’t marry or bond with another player but with an NPC Follower. This MMORPG follows a more single-player, choice-driven approach, inspired by games like Dragon Age Origins and Baldur’s Gate 3, or other MMORPGs that frequently use dialogue options, such as Neverwinter and Dungeons and Dragons Online. Depending on how the player’s choices unfold throughout the game, the option to marry the NPC follower may or may not be unlocked.
Marriage Proposal to Lana Beniko Scene
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As you’ve seen, in an MMORPG wedding system, you don’t have to worry about sharing your gold, house, achievements, mounts, pets, or even hiring a lawyer for a potential divorce.
Unlike many MMORPG systems that require constant updates, the wedding system, once implemented, doesn’t demand frequent modifications. It’s a situational system, created to strengthen social bonds between players during special moments, which often become fond memories. This system could be further enhanced by events like Valentine’s Day in WoW. Although it’s situational, post-wedding celebrations could even be expanded to players’ homes, creating a more immersive and personal experience.
World of Warcraft is a game rich in inspirations from ancient and modern civilizations, reflected in various aspects of its world-building, character appearances, social habits, and many others. Unlike other MMORPGs mentioned, WoW’s unique lore offers an excellent opportunity to create different types of union ceremonies. These ceremonies could be adapted to the game’s various races and held in unique locations across the vast and diverse world of Azeroth. With so many cultures, traditions, and iconic locations, the game has the potential to create a personalized wedding experience, deeply connected to the lore and universe of the game, offering even greater immersion for players.
I believe this system aligns with the intentions of the “open letter” sent to the World of Warcraft community, aiming to expand the social aspects both inside and outside the game.
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And if you have doubts about the World of Warcraft community’s interest in this system, here is a small demonstration of that:
2019
2020
2022
2024
2025
2024 Forum Europe
2020 Forum Brazil
2025 Forum Brazil
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Community-Created Wedding Events
Kefir Guild: The Best Wedding in World of Warcraft!
Kefir Guild: It’s a WoW Wedding
World of Warcraft: Marriage event - Stormwind City
WoW Wedding 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKeac84L_I&ab_channel=ClaytonHedgepeth
WoW Wedding 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naWV_GAdzuA&ab_channel=LaurentheWeirdo
World Of Warcraft dances - Epic wedding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-hPKb4pNOs&ab_channel=SreSraSchmitz
There is a community-created event featured in this documentary related to a wedding between players.
