One of the most famous wedding dresses in television history was almost - black. When Carrie Bradshaw was meant to marry Mr. Big in the "Sex and the City" film nearly two decades ago, the costume designer first imagined a very different picture from the one the world remembers.

The idea was for Carrie to wear a black creation - a design that ultimately ended up on the character Charlotte in the film. Costume designer Patricia Field later explained: "I think I was inspired by her unpredictable relationship with Mr. Big, with all its ups and downs. Somehow it became a dress for mourning." Given how the scene ends - Big doesn't show up, leaving Carrie on the library steps - the choice of black suddenly sounds almost prophetic.

The idea was nevertheless dropped in favor of the lavish white creation that became an icon. The dress came from Vivienne Westwood's autumn-winter 2007 collection, bearing the designer's signature: a sharp corset neckline, ivory silk, and a voluminous two-layer skirt - the top of silk duchesse, the bottom of stiff silk taffeta. The look was rounded off with a champagne-colored veil, a hair ornament with a bird and blue feathers, and snakeskin sandals.

When the dress arrived in stores in 2009, it sold for 6,774 euros - and sold out almost immediately, such was the demand from fans. That's the moment when a film costume stops being a prop and becomes a fashion reference with a life of its own.

Proof that the influence hasn't faded: the dress reappeared in 2023, when Carrie wore it for the Met Gala in the show's sequel. Seventeen years later, a wedding dress that was almost black still inspires brides. And the story behind it is a reminder that even the biggest fashion moments are often a decision made at the last minute - and that the alternative that never happened sometimes says as much as the one that won.