Love That Began in Africa Celebrated With a Horon in Trabzon

A relationship that began on social media led to a colorful wedding in Trabzon, where Kenyan bride Stella Chepkoech joined her new family in the horon, a traditional Black Sea dance.

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We met through social media about five years ago.

Selçuk Ege Aker, a 34-year-old software engineer from Trabzon, met Chepkoech about five years ago while working in Canada. Chepkoech, 30, lived in Kenya at the time. After maintaining their relationship and visiting each other, they decided to marry and held the ceremony in Aker’s hometown.

The wedding brought together Black Sea music, horon dancing and guests from Kenya. Chepkoech and her family toured Trabzon and were impressed by the region’s culture and cuisine. Aker said they particularly enjoyed Trabzon pide.

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My family welcomed her very warmly. There had never been an African bride or groom in our family. She was the first, and everyone is very happy.

Aker said his family welcomed Chepkoech warmly, making her the first African bride or groom in the family. He added that people who saw the couple often wanted photographs with her and sometimes asked to touch her hair. The couple said they encountered no difficulties while traveling in Istanbul, Ankara and Trabzon, and plan to live together in Canada.

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Selçuk is a kind and gentlemanly person. It is very easy to talk to him and understand each other.

Chepkoech said she had felt worried before coming to Türkiye, but those concerns disappeared when she met Aker. She said she loved Istanbul and Trabzon, enjoyed İskender kebab and described Aker as kind and easy to talk to.

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I loved Istanbul and Trabzon. I was delighted by İskender kebab. It is a good thing Selçuk exists.