Michaele married Tareq in 2003 in a ceremony at Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C. The guest list included 1,836 guests, including Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Margaret Heckler. The wedding, originally scheduled for October 2002, was postponed numerous times, prompting Kennedy to quip that he needed to issue "subpoenas" to the bride and groom.
In September 2011, Michaele's husband Tareq reported her missing and kidnapped after she disappeared and was not at her mother's home as she claimed to be. However, Michaele was located within days and admitted she had run off with Neal Schon, guitarist for Journey, and intended to leave Tareq for good. Michaele had had a prior relationship with Schon, who at this point was two months into a new marriage which he stated he was leaving to be with Michaele. Tareq responded by filing for divorce from Michaele on September 16th.