A method of positioning a uterine manipulator within a patient includes applying a deforming force to a colpotomizer cup of the uterine manipulator to adjust the colpotomizer cup from a nominal width configuration to a reduced width configuration, inserting the colpotomizer cup into a vaginal canal of the patient while the colpotomizer cup is in the reduced width configuration, removing the deforming force from the colpotomizer cup to allow the colpotomizer cup to expand from the reduced width configuration to the nominal width configuration, and positioning the colpotomizer cup about a cervix of the patient while the colpotomizer cup is in the nominal width configuration.