Vanna White has spent more than forty years being the most famous letter-turner on the planet. Honestly, you've probably seen her in your living room more often than some of your own relatives. But while her professional life with Pat Sajak (and now Ryan Seacrest) is basically an open book, people always seem to get confused about her personal life. Specifically, everyone wants to know who Vanna White married to right now.
The short answer? Nobody.
The longer, more interesting answer is that Vanna has been in a committed, "basically married" relationship for over a decade, but she hasn't actually signed a marriage license since the early 2000s. It’s one of those classic Hollywood situations where the "husband" isn't actually a husband at all, even if they share a life, a home, and holiday traditions.
The Only Man Vanna White Actually Married
When people search for her husband, they are usually thinking of George Santo Pietro. He’s the only person who officially holds that title in her history books. They got married on New Year’s Eve back in 1990. At the time, George was a high-profile restaurateur and real estate developer. He owned a famous Italian spot in Bel Air called Santopietro’s—basically the place to be if you were an A-lister in the late 80s.
Their marriage lasted about twelve years.
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During that time, they had two kids together, Nicholas (who everyone calls Nikko) and Giovanna (Gigi). It wasn't always easy, though. Most fans remember the heartbreaking moment in 1992 when Vanna announced her pregnancy through a puzzle on Wheel of Fortune, only to suffer a miscarriage shortly after. It was a very public tragedy for a woman who usually keeps things pretty light. By 2002, Vanna and George decided to call it quits. The divorce was amicable, and they’ve reportedly stayed on good terms for the sake of their children.
Why John Donaldson is the Husband Who Isn't
Fast forward to today, and if you see Vanna at a red carpet event or on her Instagram, she’s likely with John Donaldson. They met in 2012 when a friend brought him to a barbecue she was hosting. Vanna has gone on record saying she thought he was "really cute" right away. They’ve been together for about 14 years now.
Because they’ve been together so long, people naturally assume they’re married. Vanna even told People magazine in late 2023 that in her eyes, they are married. They just don't feel the need to make it official with a piece of paper.
John isn't a TV guy. He’s the president of JDC Construction + Development Group. He spends his days working on luxury homes and restoration projects in California, not hanging out in front of a camera. Vanna has described their relationship as "no drama." He lets her be her, she lets him be him. It works. Even though engagement rumors fly every time she wears a ring on that finger, they seem perfectly content with the status quo.
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The Tragedies and Near-Misses
Before George and John, Vanna’s love life was actually marked by a pretty heavy tragedy that many newer fans don't know about. In the mid-80s, she was engaged to John Gibson, a soap opera actor. They were the "it" couple of the moment. Then, in 1986, Gibson died in a tragic small plane crash. Vanna has talked about how devastating that was and how the fans of the show helped her get through that period of mourning.
She also had another brush with marriage in 2004. She got engaged to a businessman named Michael Kaye. They were together for about two years, but they eventually realized it wasn't the right fit and broke things off before actually saying "I do."
A Timeline of Vanna’s Main Relationships
To keep things simple, here’s how the timeline actually looks without all the tabloid noise:
- John Gibson (Mid-1980s): Engaged, but he tragically passed away in 1986.
- George Santo Pietro (1990–2002): Her only official marriage. They have two children.
- Michael Kaye (2004–2006): Engaged for a couple of years, but never married.
- John Donaldson (2012–Present): Long-term partner. No wedding bells yet, but they consider themselves a family.
Why the Marriage Question Keeps Coming Up
We live in a world where people love a wedding. Since Vanna is "America’s Sweetheart," there’s this constant pressure from the public for her to have that "happily ever after" wedding photos moment. But Vanna is 68 years old now. She has a career that’s legendary, grown children she’s obsessed with, and a partner who has been by her side for nearly a decade and a half.
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The misconception that she’s married to John Donaldson stems from how they present themselves. He’s at the holiday dinners. He’s in the family photos. He’s her plus-one for everything. In the world of celebrity gossip, "long-term partner" often gets shortened to "husband" by mistake.
Honestly, the most important takeaway here is that Vanna White has found stability after some pretty rocky years. Whether she ever officially marries John doesn't seem to matter much to her. They’ve built a life that works without the legalities.
If you are looking to keep up with Vanna’s current life, your best bet is to follow her occasional updates on social media where she shares glimpses of her travels with John and her kids. You can also track her latest career moves as she continues her record-breaking run on Wheel of Fortune alongside the new host transition.