Former ESPN host Sage Steele and businessman Dave Barbuto were married in an outdoor ceremony at Diamond Creek Farm near Nashville, Tennessee, over the weekend, Steele announced Monday on Instagram. Steele, 52, and Barbuto, 49, posed for images shared from the celebration that showed the couple walking down an outdoor aisle, embracing near horse stables and laughing together.
Steele wore a strapless gown by YSA Makino featuring a full skirt, lace florals and a corset-style top with sheer side panels. She carried a red bouquet, wore a white flower in her hair and a diamond cross necklace. Barbuto, the chief executive of the electronic repair chain uBreakiFix, wore a black tuxedo with a red rose corsage. "SNEAK PEEK of the day I got to marry the love of my life with the best, most wonderful family and friends in the world by our side," Steele wrote in the Instagram caption. "God is so good. I love you Dave Barbuto."
Photos indicate the ceremony took place outdoors against a backdrop of rolling hills and farm grounds at the venue. Guests and commenters left well-wishes on Steele's post; responses included public figures such as Meghan McCain, actor Donnie Wahlberg and model Amber Rose.
Steele's marriage to Barbuto is her second. She was previously married to college sweetheart Jonathan Bailey for 27 years; the former couple share two children.
Steele is a former ESPN anchor who was suspended by the network in October 2021 after remarks she made about former President Barack Obama and the COVID-19 vaccine. She sued ESPN in April 2022, alleging the suspension violated her First Amendment rights and Connecticut free-speech laws. The parties reached a settlement in 2023; the terms were not disclosed. Media reports have said ESPN at one point offered $501,000 to resolve the dispute.
In recent months Steele has been active in Republican political circles. She has publicly supported former President Donald Trump and has appeared on the campaign trail, including joint appearances with racing driver Danica Patrick in Georgia where they wore "Women for Trump" shirts and met other Republican figures. Steele also moderated an event for Trump in Lancaster last October in which the former president misspoke and called her by the wrong name; that clip drew attention from Democratic campaign officials.
There has been reporting and speculation in conservative media about potential future roles for Steele; she has been mentioned in some outlets as a possible press secretary choice, a development Steele has not confirmed publicly.
Steele and Barbuto's wedding photos as posted on social media offered attendees and followers a glimpse of a private celebration that combined rustic outdoor elements with formal attire. The ceremony follows several years in which Steele's public profile was shaped by her departure from ESPN, subsequent litigation and increased visibility on the conservative political circuit.