90 Day Fiancé is a show where long-distance couples are given 90 days after meeting in person to decide whether they will get married. The series has been successful for ten seasons, and is currently back with Season 11. The premise of this show inevitably causes drama between the couples and fans of reality television love to watch it play out.

Stevi and Mahdi have been captivating viewers’ interest this season. Stevi is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, while Mahdi is from Tehran, Iran. For this couple, much of their drama comes from the cultural differences between them. In Season 11, Episode 11, viewers got to see Mahdi’s discomfort with Stevi’s artistry reach a new peak.

Mahdi Questioned Stevi After Finding Out She Painted Her Friend Nude

Following their memorable beach proposal, Stevi and Mahdi were in full-on wedding planning mode in Episode 11. Stevi was mainly worried about her father walking her down the aisle, since she couldn’t fathom the thought of the ceremony without him being with her. “Dad’s been like super sick and he’s going to get sicker,” Stevi told the producers. “And it’s important to me that dad does that while he’s here because I want him to be able to give me to someone that he knows will take care of me.”

When Mahdi last spoke to Stevi’s father, he asked for his blessing. However, her father told Mahdi that he was unsure about how committed he truly was to his daughter. Stevi brought Mahdi to see her parents so they could tell them the news, and the reaction wasn’t exactly what they wanted. Stevi’s father said he didn’t expect Mahdi to give her the ring so fast, saying he had a “right to be skeptical” in a confessional.

Stevi’s dad said he would walk his daughter down the aisle. However, since the two were planning to move up their wedding date so they could be married in just two weeks, Stevi was nervous about getting everything ready in time for the big day. “I just hope nothing goes wrong because I’m the one who is just like moving everything up,” Mahdi said, admitting he shared similar concerns. “I just hope everything goes right.”

Stevi and Mahdi began searching for the perfect venue, and recruited the help of Stevi’s friend Claire. During their time touring the various venues, Claire mentioned that Stevi once painted her in the nude. Mahdi was aware that women would send Stevi topless photos of themselves for her to paint. However, he claimed not to have known about Stevi painting “girls naked in person.”

“She’s giving me bisexual vibes again,” he said in a confessional. “Women being together is totally wrong in my culture and I’m not OK with it.”

Stevi and Mahdi immediately left the venue, and Stevi began trying to calm Mahdi down. Mahdi said he was upset because he felt like Stevi had been keeping something from him on purpose.

“Right now, I’m just thinking that one, she has kept a secret, she can do it again and she will do it again. And two is I want her to be honest because being bisexual is not OK in my culture,” he told viewers. “And it’s not only about my culture, it’s about my brain also. Like I’m really worried about what if after our marriage she says something like, I want something else. I want something you cannot give me.”

Mahdi confronted Stevi about his concerns and asked her if she was attracted to women, to which she replied that she was not. “I want to know before my wedding, before our wedding, that what type of person I’m getting married to,” Mahdi said in a confessional. “If we don’t come to a conclusion or if I just keep getting the vague answer as the previous times, I think we need to postpone the wedding.”

Stevi Said She Has No Regrets About Sharing Her Story On Reality Television

After the current season production wrapped, Stevi spoke to Hattiesburg American about her journey with Mahdi. She also revealed what made her want to do reality television and pursue a long-distance relationship. They met through an online English class Stevi was teaching when Mahdi was her student.

“The idea was given to me by my students way before (Mahdi and I) ever thought about it,” Stevi told the outlet. “And really, I thought why not, because I really wanted to showcase that love can be found anywhere, even if it’s long distance.”

After falling in love, the couple planned on bringing Mahdi to the United States. Their long-term goal was to explore their relationship in person. According to one episode, Mahdi spent a year trying to get a visa. “It was a neat experience,” Stevi said. “I love Mississippi so much, but this show has really helped me stretch my arms a little bit. And the support I’ve gotten from people has been really great.”

While most people would flat out refuse to share such intimate, personal sides of themselves with the public, Stevi said she was happy to take the opportunity.

“I don’t have any regrets,” she admitted. “I wouldn’t do anything different. I know when you’re watching yourself on TV, it’s a bit weird. You can see all of your flaws and maybe some things you don’t normally see about yourself. But that’s also the beauty of it. We’re all different. I just hope that people can be more vulnerable and live how they want to live, and not do what everyone tells them they should do.”

Mahdi and Stevi first met in Turkey prior to visiting her hometown of Hattiesburg. While in Turkey, the two spent a week getting to know each other face to face. While the series usually films in the fiancés’ home countries, this particular scenario was difficult since the Iranian and United States governments don’t get along.

“I wanted to show that Iranians are not their government,” Stevi said. “Mahdi is a beautiful, kind person.”

The United States and Iran have had extreme tension since the 1980s. This made the relationship between Stevi and Mahdi even more challenging. Stevi chose not to meet Mahdi in Iran due to the political climate. Mahdi, meanwhile, might not be able to return to Iran after being in the United States. He could even face imprisonment if he tries to go back.

The two experienced a wide range of emotions while visiting the Hub City landscape. Viewers local to Hattiesburg will recognize many of the town’s best-known spots, including the train depot, The Lucky Rabbit, Heritage Music Park and Equinox Coffee. “Hattiesburg is full of so many amazing, wonderful places,” Stevi said proudly. “People in Hattiesburg have been really kind to Mahdi.”

Viewers also saw Stevi’s father taking Mahdi to see a monster truck show. Stevi took Mahdi to blow glass at Mohawk Steel and Glass with some of her friends. According to Stevi, her father is well-known in the Pine Belt and has his own storyline on the show. “But you’ll have to watch to find out what happens,” Stevi said.

Cultural Differences Have Been A Challenge For Stevi And Mahdi In The Past

While the couple are in love, there have been cultural differences between the two which have presented challenges. Stevi is an artist who paints in acrylics, and her painting women nude makes Mahdi uncomfortable, beyond his concerns over her sexual orientation. Another aspect of his discomfort has to do with the dress code women must follow in Iran, which is obviously completely different from the climate in America.

Stevi and Mahdi had a conversation while at the Anatomies gym, when he revealed he was uncomfortable working out with women in the same facility. He explained the reason for this was due to it not being allowed in Iran. Mahdi, who works as a personal trainer, asked Stevi if she would feel comfortable if he were to train a female client. Stevi told him that she would be okay with it as long as Mahdi kept things professional.

“It’s definitely different any time you have to blend two different cultures together in a relationship,” she said. “You have to learn a lot about each other. I think that’s kind of the beauty of it.”

When complicated issues like these came up, it would sometimes make the couple wonder if things would work out between them. While dealing with these problems would be tough for anyone, let alone on television, Stevi said they remained true to themselves during the process.

“I think when you’re on TV, you’re kinda opening yourself up to judgment,” she explained. “Most people in these surrounding small towns know people are going to talk anyway. I would really want people to know they should just live their lives even if it’s not on reality TV. Just make your reality one that makes you happy.”