Vanna White marries John Donaldson after more than decade together in private ceremony

Vanna White has married her longtime partner John Donaldson, announcing the news in a surprise update shared on Instagram on Wednesday, January 21.

The Wheel of Fortune star, 68, revealed the marriage by posting a photo from the ceremony alongside a caption that read: “Surprise! We got married!”

She later added that the couple had been together for more than a decade and had decided to make their relationship official in a private ceremony, describing the moment as the start of a new chapter in their lives.

White and Donaldson first met in 2012 after being introduced by a mutual friend at a barbecue hosted by White. Speaking in a previous interview, White recalled noticing Donaldson immediately and spending much of the evening talking with him.

She later described their relationship as easy and free of drama, saying that they allowed each other to be themselves.

Despite their long-term relationship, the couple had previously shown little urgency to marry. In October 2023, White explained that she already felt married to Donaldson and questioned whether formalising the relationship was necessary.

He added that both of them knew they were committed to one another. At the time, she also said the topic of marriage was not something they discussed often.

Donaldson is a real estate developer who owns a construction and development company in California. White has previously said that their compatibility comes from their similarities, describing him as the male version of herself.

Both White and Donaldson have been married before. White was previously married to restaurateur George Santo Pietro from 1990 until 2002. They share two children, Nicholas “Nikko” Santo Pietro, 31, and Giovanna “Gigi” Santo Pietro, 28.

The couple’s announcement was met with widespread congratulations from fans following the social media post confirming their marriage.