Skip to main content
TV

‘90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’: Steven Reveals Why His Russian Fiancé Alina Thought He Was in ‘A Cult’

Newest '90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way' season 3 cast members, Steven and Alina open up about how they met and fell in love online. Steven then revealed that Alina was terrified of him due to his Mormon faith. She thought he was in a cult, and nearly didn't meet with him for their first date.

Steven reveals how he and Alina fell in love in a clip for the upcoming season 3 of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way. He reveals that Alina was terrified of Steven due to a stereotype that most Russians have about people of the Mormon faith. She believed Mormonism to be “a cult” and nearly didn’t meet up with him for their first date because of it.

Alina and Steven post together in the street of Russia on The Other Way
Alina and Steven ’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’ Season 3 | TLC

Who are Steven and Alina?

25-year-old Steven is a devout Mormon from Salt Lake City, Utah. He will be traveling across the globe in hopes of marrying his Russian bride-to-be, 20-year-old Alina. The young couple met on a language app where Steven learned Russian, and Alina was learning English. In a clip of the upcoming premiere of season 3 provided by People, the pair hit it off instantly. Steven said, “I started helping her English a little bit, and she’s helping me with Russian.”

He continued, “From the very get-go, we are kind of interested in each other. So I said something kind of flirty like, ‘Can I have your number?’ That kind of a thing. We started calling each other every day. And since then, we haven’t stopped.”

Why Alina thought that Steven was in a cult

Steven revealed that his Mormon faith has always been “superbly important” to him. When he was 19 years old, Steven went on a mission trip and lived in Eastern Europe for two years, where he learned to speak Russian.

Alina smiling and holding a glass of wine on '90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way' | TLC
Alina on ’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’ | TLC

After Alina found out Steven was a Mormon, she was worried. Steven explained, “In Russia, they kind of see us as a cult,” which made Alina “super nervous” about continuing their relationship. She was so worried. In fact, she was too nervous at first to meet up with him. He said, “She didn’t even want to meet up with me because she was afraid that I was going to sell her organs.” After a bit of persuasion, Alina and Steven finally met in real life (with her mom there as a safety precaution, of course).

What can ’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’ fans can expect this season with Steven and Alina

Eventually, the two end up engaged and are ready to get married as soon as possible. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shutting down the Russian border, their only chance at marriage is to go to Turkey, where they could meet and get married.

Alina and Steven in the airport with masks on.
Alina and Steven, ’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’ Season 3 | TLC

According to the description that TLC provided, “Once there, secrets of Steven’s past and Alina’s suspicions of infidelity begin to threaten their future together, and Alina questions if she truly knows the man she’s about to marry.”

Steven and Alina bring an energetic spirit to the franchise, even just through what’s shown on the teasers. On the other hand, could they be too young to be getting married? 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way premieres Sunday, August 29th, at 8 pm EST.

RELATED: ‘90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’ Season 3 – Meet the New and Returning Couples