German-Turkish couple gets married in swimsuits in Turkey’s northwest

BALIKESİR

A German woman and a Turkish man got married in their swimsuits in the northwestern province of Balıkesir, after swimming in the Aegean off the province’s historic district of Ayvalık. 

The wedding ceremony of Maike Ehrlichmann, 37, and Fırat Cumalı, 37, started with the bride and groom entering the sea at separate spots, meeting halfway in the sea, swimming together to the shore, and getting married. 

“For us, the sea means a place where you can get close to nature and yourself. Being close to the sea while making a big decision gives you a feeling of peace, trust and determination. That’s why we chose to be close to the sea,” Cumalı, a civil engineer, told the Doğan News Agency on July 12.

“We love the sea very much. We spend a lot of time in the sea, surfing, swimming and sailing. The idea of getting married after swimming came from Maike. We are planning to continue our lives traveling between Hamburg and Ayvalık,” he added. 

“We hope the guests of Ayvalık will continue to respect this important area, which has hosted great civilizations throughout history,” said Ehrlichmann.

The couple first met in Germany’s Göstrow 18 years ago at a youth camp and they have lived together in Macedonia, Latvia and Germany.