“Wheel of Fortune” host Vanna White has said “I do” to her longtime partner, real estate developer John Donaldson, more than a decade after the duo met at a barbecue at the TV star’s multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills mansion.
The 68-year-old TV personality shared the news of her surprise nuptials in a heartfelt Instagram post, in which she shared a sweet photo of herself and her husband decked out in their wedding finery.
In the snap, White was being carried by Donaldson, 60, as they walked down a corridor that appeared to be inside the “Wheel of Fortune” star’s longtime home.
“Surprise!” wrote the TV host, who was seen wearing a white beaded gown. “We got married!”
She added, “John and I have been in love for more than a decade, and a little while back, we wanted to make it official in a private ceremony. We’re excited to share this new, joyful chapter in our lives with all of you! Love, Vanna and John.”
White and Donaldson met in 2012 when a friend brought him to one of the on-screen starlet’s barbecues, around 10 years after she ha split from her first husband, George Santo Pietro.
In 2019, she gushed about the day they met while speaking to People, telling the outlet it seemed like love at first sight.
“I remember looking at him and thinking, ‘He’s really cute.’ We ended up talking for a long time that night,” she recalled.
Elaborating on their romance, White said that there was a very natural feel to the dynamic between them—explaining that her partner never made her feel like she had to be anything other than herself.
“It just works. He lets me be me, I let him be him … There is no drama in our relationship,” she added.
In October 2023, she discussed their reasons for not marrying, explaining that the duo never felt the need to tie the knot because they already felt like husband and wife.
“I mean, we’ve been together 12 years, and I feel like we are married. Do we have to get married? No, because we feel comfortable in our relationship. You know what I mean? I know that he’s the one. He knows I’m the one,” she said.
The TV tycoon revealed at the time that she and her now-spouse, who owns a construction and development company in California, had yet to even chat about marriage.
“We don’t really talk about it, but you never know. I mean, I guess we could, but in my eyes and his eyes, we are married,” she said.
White also confessed that they are perfect for each other because Donaldson is “the male version” of her, noting, “We are really very similar.
Donaldson hails from Santa Monica, CA, and knew he wanted to work in the development industry from a young age.
Growing up, he packed lumber at a commercial job site to get his foot in the door in the industry.
He eventually landed a job as a head foreman on a luxury home in Hollywood Hills.
Donaldson later earned his contractor’s license and began landing several luxury projects that led him to start his own company, JDC Construction + Development Group.
The 60-year-old is the president and building developer of the company, which was formerly titled John R. Donaldson, Inc.
“JDC prides itself on its tradesman roots and the insight which years of hands on experience provides to property owners, architects and engineers in developing realistic plans for revitalization projects, as well as finding appropriate solutions to renovation challenges,” the company’s website reads.
The company, which is based in Southern California, specializes in “the restoration and rehabilitation of Multifamily properties and now the development of new ground up multifamily projects.”
Donaldson built his company on the “foundations of trust and professionalism,” as per the website.
The developer has built an impressive resume that boasts his work rebuilding properties in the San Fernando Valley after the 1994 Northridge earthquake devastated the area.
“Working on these earthquake-damaged buildings was a great learning experience in understanding how to conduct major repairs and maintain the building’s architectural integrity.
“John says that he finds great satisfaction in being able to help transform old dated buildings and bringing them new life. He adds value to these projects not only through his construction expertise, but through his ability to work closely with architects and others in conceptualizing the creative aspects of the redevelopment,” the company’s website states.
The “Wheel of Fortune” host was previously married to Santo Pietro from 1990 to 2002. They share children Nicholas “Nikko” Santo Pietro, 31, and Giovanna “Gigi” Santo Pietro, 28.
Before the pair divorced, they had been living together in a stunning Beverly Hills mansion that Santo Pietro continued to reside in after their split, before later putting it on the market.
Meanwhile, records show that White is now residing in another nearby mansion, which was last purchased in 1990 for the low price of $934,540, but is now worth upward of $7 million, according to Realtor.com® estimates.
It’s unclear whether White and Donaldson used the property as the venue for their recent wedding.
White has been the co-host of “Wheel of Fortune” since 1982.
She’s made cameos in a number of TV shows through the years, including “Full House” and “King of Queens.” In 2006 the TV icon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.