My wife's sister is a celebrity. Marrying into a famous family was surprisingly easy for me.

• I met Sarah online over two decades ago, and I later found out Olivia Newton-John was her sister.

• It was surprisingly easy to be with Olivia, who often hung out with my partner and me.

• Sarah and I finally got married, and we wish the late-Olivia could have been there.

I met Sarah online 22 years ago.

When we started talking, I immediately liked that she and I had similar values. We were also both into books, which helped us connect quickly. I also liked her warm smile and her green eyes. She looked kind and intelligent, which I later learned was true.

I didn't notice her famous surname until we exchanged email messages for over a week. That's when I realized I was falling for Olivia Newton-John's sister.

Joining Sarah's famous family was surprisingly easy for me

Since we met, Sarah has been grounded in her identity, never relying on her sister's celebrity. Sarah made her own way in life, which I respected from the beginning. She never pushed into the spotlight and always behaved graciously. So, I followed her lead and let my relationship with Olivia unfold naturally.

After about two years of dating, I met Olivia. She welcomed me immediately, and we developed a respect for each other.

I had the opportunity to get to know Sarah's sister in her private life. I quickly discovered that she was a down-to-earth, intelligent, funny lady — with a naughty sense of humor.

Olivia relished spending time with us. She enjoyed hanging out in our garden in Spain or dropping over to our little apartment in Sydney for a quiet supper around the kitchen table. She often came armed with a bottle of Grey Goose vodka.

Of course, Sarah was the focus of Olivia's relationship with us, but finding my own space in the circle was easy.

I think my easygoing personality helped me adjust and be myself around all the glitz that followed since Sarah and I got together. Over the years, we've attended special concerts, award ceremonies, and charity gala nights, brushed shoulders with A-listers, and been photographed on the red carpet a few times.

I have met some famous people, and most of them were charming. Some people told me they would have been tempted to get closer to Olivia as a friend. But my primary relationship is with Sarah, so I have remained grounded in my identity and our relationship.

But I won't pretend I didn't indulge in a few "wow" moments. I've sometimes texted my best friend: "You are not gonna believe where I am!"

But I have always respected the family's privacy as I would that of my own.

Sarah and I became local celebrities because of Olivia

Olivia, her husband, Sarah's immediate family, and two mutual friends visited our home in northern Spain in July 2019. We already stood out in the village as foreigners and have lived there happily for six years. But the visit shone the spotlight directly on us, and have been treated slightly differently since.

We hosted lunch at one of the cafés in our little village square, and suddenly, everyone was talking. They were polite and respectful of our privacy, but there was a murmur and photos. It's not every day an international superstar is enjoying food in the square. After that, reporters from the local TV station and press descended, and we were subsequently interviewed, photographed, and appeared on the news.

When Olivia died in 2022, our council office organized a special tribute, showing "Grease" on an outdoor screen in the village square. They were proud that Olivia had visited and had loved the place so much. Our mayor made a speech and presented Sarah with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Even now, people stop and say hello to us in the street, shops, or cafés. Some come up and wish us hearty congratulations.

That's the power of having known Olivia.

Sarah and I finally married — with Olivia on our minds

After many years together, Sarah and I finally got married in May. Three friends were our official witnesses. We then hosted a lunch party at one of our favorite restaurants afterward. It was low-key, modest, and fun.

We just wished Olivia could have been there to celebrate our love with us.

While Olivia was such a big part of our lives for so long, Sarah and I like to think that we are loved and accepted locally because of how we behave toward others and not because of who Sarah is related to. I hope the lovely people who have welcomed us into their lives agree.

Read the original article on Business Insider