- Sonja Courtis, 49, from Christchurch, NZ, was single, child-free, and had been unlucky when it came to love.
- That was until she met her best friend, Steph’s, cousin, Marcel, at a funeral.
- The happy couple are set to tie the knot in April 2026!
Here Sonja tells her story in her own words.
Walking into the church, mourners took their seats to say goodbye to my uncle Mike.
‘He was the most kind, funny and gentle man,’ I said, hugging my best friend, Steph – Uncle Mike’s daughter – after the beautiful service.
Steph and I had been besties since we were 15. Growing up, to me her mum, Maureen, and dad, Mike, were like family, hence I called him Uncle.
‘He was the most kind, funny and gentle man.’
Like me, Uncle Mike loved to sing, and every family gathering we’d belt out the hit ‘Delta Dawn’ by Tanya Tucker.
Only today, March 24, 2022, I was singing it alone during the wake back at Steph’s home as a tribute.
Aged 74, Uncle Mike had lost his battle with prostate cancer.
‘Delta Dawn, what’s that flower you have on? Could it be a faded rose from days gone by?’ I sang the words to our song.
Afterwards, as nearest and dearest reminisced, I heard laughter booming from the kitchen.
Wandering in there, I saw a handsome man larking around with Steph’s son, Luke, 11.
‘Hi, I’m Sonja,’ I said.
‘I’m Marcel,’ he replied.
I later discovered that Marcel was Steph’s 51-year-old cousin.
‘I can’t believe all these years we’ve been besties, that Marcel and I have never met.’
‘I can’t believe all these years we’ve been besties, that Marcel and I have never met,’ I said to Steph.
Heading home that night, I’d had a few drinks so left my car at Steph’s.
The next morning I went back to get it. When I got there, Marcel had just arrived too.
Before I knew it, we were deep in conversation.
Marcel told me he was amicably separated with three adult children, worked as a linesman for a power company, and lived in Wanaka, a five-hour drive from where we were in Christchurch.
He genuinely wanted to get to know me.
I shared that I worked as an integrated health coach, was single, child-free, and had been unlucky when it came to love.
It turned out, in a strange twist of events, Marcel was not even meant to be at the wake the day before.
‘I really want to see you again.’
‘I was on call for work so planned to head straight home after the funeral, but my car broke down and I had to stay the night at Aunty Maureen’s,’ he said. ‘I’m just here now to sort my vehicle out.’
‘Well, it’s lovely to meet you, even if it was a complete fluke,’ I told him, saying goodbye later.
Back home I couldn’t get Marcel out of my head.
Then the phone rang… it was Steph.
‘You have an admirer,’ she teased. ‘Marcel’s asked for your number.’
‘Yesssss! Give it to him,’ I said enthusiastically.
A few days later when he texted, my tummy went berserk with somersaults.
I really want to see you again, he wrote, adding that he’d be back in Christchurch in a few weeks to help his mum, Marion, 84, move into an aged care facility.
‘Sonja will you marry me?’
When Marcel picked me up for our first date we drove to my local park, got a coffee and walked and talked and talked.
Marcel made me feel so comfortable. I’d never felt this way about anyone before and, as we sat on a grassy knoll, I blurted out a question.
‘If you met the right person, would you consider yourself ready for a relationship?’ I asked.
Pondering, Marcel replied, ‘I’m enjoying my life, but now out on a lovely walk, I feel like I want to do life with someone by my side.’
Locking eyes, we smiled.
I was too nervous to steal a kiss. But in another weird and wonderful twist of fate, I was already heading to Wanaka 10 days later for Easter.
Enjoying a picnic after a walk around Lake Wanaka, Marcel and I shared our first kiss. We’d completely fallen for each other.
And three months later, in September 2022, when Marcel relocated to Christchurch for work, he moved into my apartment with me.
Soon after that, we bought a house together.
Living as a couple was dreamy and as my birthday approached on December 19, Marcel made dinner plans.
‘Be ready by 10 to six,’ he instructed.
Pulling on a pretty dress and hopping in the car, I soon realised we were headed in a different direction to where the restaurants were.
Arriving at the Botanic Gardens, I wondered what was going on.
Marcel led me to the rose garden and stopped at our favourite rose, the Double Delight.
‘I could ask you by the ocean, I could ask you by the hills, but I think this is the most beautiful spot I could ask you before our favourite rose.
Sonja will you marry me?’ he said, as he dropped on one knee and presented me with a gorgeous aquamarine engagement ring.
‘Yes,’ I cried.
‘Now for the next surprise,’ Marcel said back at the car, insisting I put on black-out glasses.
We pulled up at what I thought was the restaurant, but when he took off my glasses I was in my backyard – filled with 40 friends and family.
‘Happy birthday,’ they cheered.
While Marcel was asking me to marry him everyone had snuck in our home for my surprise party.
But they were unaware of Marcel’s proposal plans.
So as they roared surprise, I replied with another surprise and flashed the gem sparkling on my ring finger.
Everyone was thrilled.
We plan to marry in 2026 over the Anzac weekend.
Every day I pinch myself, stunned by how our paths crossed. After all, I did find my fiancé at a funeral.
From the saddest of losses the deepest of love was born. I know Uncle Mike would be so proud he played a part in Marcel and I living our happily ever after.
