Throwbacks don’t always have to occur on a Thursday.
American costume designer Arianne Phillips, particularly known for her work on Walk the Line and A Single Man, has delighted social media by sharing two polaroid photos taken backstage at the VMAs in 2003.
The photos show pop princesses Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in full bridal getups shortly before their iconic performance of ‘Like a Virgin,’ starring Madonna and Missy Elliott.
During the rendition, which was voted the most outrageous VMA moment of all time in an MTV poll in 2011, Madonna popped up out of a giant wedding cake wearing a tuxedo, the superstars bumped and grinded and Madonna and Britney shared a kiss (much to the apparent displeasure of Justin Timberlake, who was in the audience watching).
The performance was celebrating the 20th anniversary of ‘Like a Virgin,’ which is now 33 years old. Watch a (grainy) video of the scandalous performance here.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Kate Samuelson at kate.samuelson@time.com