Who Is Jillian Michaels' Wife? All About DeShanna Marie Minuto

Jillian Michaels and DeShanna Marie Minuto got married in July 2022

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Updated on June 28, 2023 12:14PM EDT

She and Michaels met on Raya

Jillian Michaels and DeShanna Marie Minuto — DeShanna Marie Minuto Instagram

According to Women's Health, Michaels and Minuto met on Raya, the members-only dating app for celebrities.

The pair began dating in 2018, a few months after Michaels announced that she and her former fiancé Rhoades had split.

That Christmas, Minuto shared a black-and-white selfie of her and Michaels laughing and drinking wine on Instagram. A few days later, the fashion designer shared another picture with the fitness star and wrote, "I ❤️ YOU @jillianmichaels."

She's a fashion designer

Born in New York City, Minuto is a fashion designer. She started her own line of clothing in 2019 called Letterino, which sells custom-reconstructed vintage jackets.

She was a college athlete

Minuto is a former D1 college athlete and she works out with her fitness-loving wife. However, Michaels previously told PEOPLE that Minuto found her workouts challenging.

"What's interesting about DeShanna is she was like, a D1 athlete — some crazy great athlete … and is very fit, very lean, and was like, 'Okay, I'm going to start working out,' " Michaels shared in 2021. "And so I was like, 'Alright babe.' "

The celebrity trainer continued, "I gave her a little routine and she was like, 'I can't walk, I've been zombified, I hate you' and then, over a couple of weeks … she's like, I just ran my mile in seven minutes and 15 seconds."

She's an animal lover

Along with fitness, the couple also share a love of animals. Minuto enjoys riding horses in her spare time. In addition, she's responsible for several of the couple's current pets.

During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Michaels told host Jennifer Hudson that Minuto not only adopted their second dog during COVID, but she also found an abandoned kitten on the highway in Miami and rescued him.

They got engaged in 2021

In November 2021, Michaels proposed with a 7-carat emerald-cut diamond ring which was designed by a family friend at H&H Jewels in Miami. She announced the news on Instagram, writing, "1153 days... here's to thousands more. She said 'yes' ❤️."

Speaking to PEOPLE about the engagement, Michaels said, "It's easy to stay together when everything is going great, but when real life sets in and things get messy, challenging, scary, and even downright ugly — that's when the truth reveals itself. And this woman has revealed herself to be strong beyond measure, wise beyond her years, and loving beyond my wildest dreams."

In the summer of 2022, the two made it official with a courthouse wedding in Miami.

She and Michaels eloped in Africa

Following their courthouse ceremony, Michaels and Minuto flew to Africa to elope in a private ceremony in Namibia with the Himba Tribe.

"We both love Africa. From the minute our feet touch the ground on that continent we feel at peace," Michaels told PEOPLE exclusively, adding, "and Namibia in particular is a very special place."

Their wedding was officiated by the tribe's chief and roughly 100 members of a nearby Himba village joined them as they got married "under the stars."

"Their culture is inherently different than ours," Michaels explained, saying that being gay wouldn't have been accepted previously. "D and I felt that them allowing us into their community, performing our ceremony and teaching us about their way of life was incredibly special."

A few days later, Minuto shared a post-wedding message on Instagram, writing, "We did it! 👰‍♂️ Jillian Michaels, I love you madly. And I'm right where I belong, home where the heart is with you , Lukensia & Phoenix. Thanks to our family and friends for the support you've shown us over the course of our relationship. Look forward to celebrating with you guys Venice 2023! DeShanna Marie Michaels 🥂."

She and Michaels had a third wedding in Italy

After getting married at a courthouse and saying "I do" in Africa, Michaels and Minuto tied the knot for a third time on June 24, 2023, in Italy.

The couple had a three-day celebration at the Aman hotel, a palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice. During the ceremony, Minuto wore a boat neck mermaid Zuhair Murad gown while Michaels chose a black dress with sheer sleeves.

“She's beautiful, she's funny and she's so creative," Michaels told PEOPLE of her wife. “But all that shiny stuff in the beginning doesn't last. So what makes you say to yourself, 'I want to walk alongside this human for the rest of my life.' And I take that really seriously. I'm 49. I've never married anyone. I just didn't believe that there was a human I could do that with until DeShanna."

She's a stepmom to Jillian's two kids

Michaels has two children whom she shares with ex-fiancé Rhoades. Her daughter Lukensia was adopted from Haiti in 2012, and her son Phoenix was born the same month.

On her podcast, Keeping it Real, Michaels spoke with Dr. Wednesday Martin about Minuto becoming a stepmom, saying, "She's come through well, but wow, talk about a lose-lose in the beginning."

They've traveled the world together

Since their relationship began, Michaels and Munito have traveled all over the world together. Based on their Instagram posts, the pair have been to Belize, Japan, Spain, Morocco, Finland, Mexico, Galapagos Islands, Africa and Dubai. They also frequently travel to Colorado and Wyoming where they enjoy snowboarding and horseback riding.

In April 2023, Michaels looked back on their many trips together in an Instagram post that marked Minuto's birthday. "Happiest birthday to my wifey @deshannamarie - from Ultra Miami to the Stage Coach Bar in Jackson. From the beaches of Galapagos to the Namibian Desert, Yankee Stadium to our living room couch," Michaels captioned photos of their various trips. "You are my always and forever. My one and only. I love you Smooshie - to the moon and back again."