Vanna White has spent over four decades turning letters and smiling through thousands of episodes of Wheel of Fortune. We know her gowns. We know her clap. But for a long time, the man standing backstage or waiting for her at home remained a bit of a mystery. Honestly, in a town like Hollywood where relationships usually flame out in eighteen months, Vanna White and boyfriend John Donaldson are a complete anomaly. They’ve been together since 2012. That is a lifetime in "TV years."
People are constantly asking when they’re going to get married. It's almost become a running joke among fans who want to see the iconic co-host in a white dress one more time. But the truth is, they’ve already found a groove that works without a legal contract.
The Barbecue That Changed Everything
It wasn’t some red carpet meet-cute or a high-stakes Hollywood mixer. Back in 2012, a friend brought John Donaldson over to Vanna’s house for a casual barbecue. At that point, Vanna had been divorced from her ex-husband, George Santo Pietro, for about a decade. She wasn't necessarily hunting for a soulmate.
She saw him and thought, "He’s really cute." Simple as that.
They ended up talking for hours that night. They just clicked. John isn’t an actor or a flashy producer looking for a spotlight. He’s a contractor and real estate developer. He owns JDC Construction + Development Group, based in California. He does a lot of work on residential renovations and apartment communities. He’s a "normal" guy—at least as normal as you can be when you're dating a woman who is essentially a living American landmark.
Why Vanna White and Her Boyfriend Won't Walk Down the Isle
The "marriage" question has been a thorn in their side for years. Reporters bring it up constantly. Vanna’s answer is always remarkably consistent: "I feel like we are married."
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She’s told People and E! News on several occasions—most recently in late 2025—that they just don’t need the piece of paper. They live together. They vacation together. He is a father figure to her children, Nikko and Gigi.
"When you've been with someone for so long, you kind of feel like you're already married. You don't have to have that piece of paper." — Vanna White, 2025.
There’s a comfort level there that most married couples would envy. Vanna often describes John as the "male version" of herself. They’re both easygoing. They both hate drama. She lets him be him, and he lets her be her.
Recent Rumors and Reality Checks
Every now and then, a tabloid will run a story about "wedding woes" or "indecision." You might have seen headlines recently suggesting that Vanna’s work schedule is getting in the way of a planned Hawaii ceremony.
Take those with a grain of salt.
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While sources occasionally claim John is "waiting" for her to say yes, the reality Vanna presents is much calmer. Yes, they go to Hawaii every Christmas. It’s their tradition. It’s where they escape the noise of Los Angeles. But just because they’re in a romantic setting doesn't mean there's a secret wedding happening every December.
A History of Love and Loss
To understand why Vanna is so protective of her current peace, you have to look at what she’s been through. It hasn't all been glitter and games.
- John Gibson: In the mid-80s, Vanna was engaged to the soap opera star John Gibson. It was a devastating tragedy when he died in a plane crash in 1986. She’s said that the fan support from Wheel of Fortune was the only thing that kept her going during that time.
- George Santo Pietro: She married the restaurateur in 1990. They had two kids and stayed together for 12 years before an amicable divorce in 2002.
- Michael Kaye: She was engaged to this businessman around 2004, but they never made it to the altar.
By the time John Donaldson walked into that barbecue in 2012, Vanna knew exactly what she wanted. And more importantly, she knew what she didn’t want. She didn't want the pressure of a "Hollywood marriage." She wanted a partner.
The Life They Lead Now
John is deeply integrated into Vanna’s family. If you look at her rare personal Instagram posts, he’s always there during the holidays. He’s standing with her kids. They look like a unit.
John’s business, JDC, is successful in its own right. He’s worked on everything from custom single-family homes to massive apartment complexes with hundreds of units. He understands building things from the ground up, which is a pretty good metaphor for their relationship.
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They share a love for the simple stuff.
- Quiet dinners: Vanna has mentioned that a perfect date is just a bottle of wine and a simple meal at home.
- Holiday traditions: They have a strict "open one gift on Christmas Eve" rule.
- Mutual respect: He handles her fame with zero ego. He’s been seen on the Wheel of Fortune set, but he’s not trying to get in front of the camera.
What We Can Learn From Them
The obsession with Vanna White and her boyfriend finally "making it official" says more about us than it does about them. We’re conditioned to think that a relationship isn't valid until there’s a license involved.
Vanna and John are proving the opposite.
They have survived fourteen years in a town that eats relationships for breakfast. They’ve done it by prioritizing "no drama" over a big party. They’ve focused on the kids and their respective careers.
If you're wondering what's next for the couple, don't expect a televised wedding special. Expect more of the same: more Hawaii trips, more quiet dinners, and more of Vanna being the happiest she's ever been.
Takeaways for Your Own Relationship
You don't need a $100,000 wedding to have a permanent partner. If you're looking for the kind of longevity Vanna and John have, focus on these "Donaldson-White" principles:
- Prioritize Compatibility: Find the "male/female version of yourself" in terms of temperament.
- Eliminate the "Shoulds": Don't get married just because fans or family think you should.
- Integrate the Family: A relationship is much stronger when the kids (even adult kids) are genuinely on board.
- Keep it Private: You don't have to post every dinner to prove you're happy.
Vanna White has spent her career showing us the letters. But with John Donaldson, she’s finally found someone who understands the words between them.