'Wheel of Fortune' co-host Vanna White reveals why she hasn't married boyfriend of 12 years
White said she and Donaldson 'are already married' and described the real estate developer as 'the male version of me'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Wheel of Fortune" co-host Vanna White opened up about why she hasn't married her longtime love John Donaldson.
In an interview with People magazine, the 66-year-old television personality explained she and the real estate developer are in no rush to walk down the aisle since their commitment to each other is already rock-solid.
"I mean, we've been together 12 years, and I feel like we are married," White said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vanna White explained why she hasn't married her boyfriend of 12 years, John Donaldson. (Rich Fury/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
"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."
While White didn't completely rule out the possibility of tying the knot with Donaldson one day, she told the outlet marriage isn't a priority for the pair.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We don't really talk about it, but you never know," the South Carolina native said. "I mean, I guess we could, but, in my eyes and his eyes, we are married."
The "Wheel of Fortune" co-host said it's like "we are married." (Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
White attributed the longevity of their relationship to their similarities, describing Donaldson as "the male version of me."
"We really are very similar," she added. "We get along so well. He's easy. He's easy, and he lets me be me, and I let him be him."
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The "Vanna Speaks" author also shared her thoughts on the secret to finding lasting love. She emphasized the importance of authenticity and advised people against settling for an unsatisfying relationship out of loneliness.
"Don't be in a relationship because you're lonely, because if you're not happy, you're still lonely," White said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}White described Donaldson as "the male version of me." (Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images)
"Just be who you are, and don't let anybody change who you are," she added. "It's nice when they make you feel good about yourself, or they love who you are as a person and don't want to change you. It's got to be easy."
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White was previously married to restaurateur and film producer George Santo Pietro from 1990 to 2002. The former couple share son Nicholas "Nikko," 29, and daughter Giovanna "Gigi," 26.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Before she married Santo Pietro, White was engaged to 'The Young and the Restless" star John Gibson, but he tragically died in a small airplane crash at the age of 37 in 1986.
The couple first met in 2012 when a friend brought Donaldson to one of White's cookouts. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Chrysalis)
In 2004, White announced her engagement to businessman Michael Kaye, but the two went their separate ways in 2006.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}White first met Donaldson in 2012 when a friend brought the JDC Construction + Development Group president to a barbeque she was hosting. In a 2019 interview with People, the former model shared that she was instantly attracted to the contractor.
"I remember looking at him and thinking, 'He's really cute,'" White recalled. "We ended up talking for a long time that night.
"It just works. He lets me be me, I let him be him. There is no drama."