Photograph: Charles S. Stratton and M Lavinia Warren taking their vows

Photograph of Charles S. Stratton and M. Lavinia Warren taking their vows at Grace Church. Warren stands on the left center, Stratton right center. To Warren's side is Minnie Warren, her sister, to Stratton's is George Washington Morris Nutt. A priest stands in the center of the photo, and Stratton and Warren hold hands. Photographs like this one were often sold as a part of exhibitions, and in the case of performers whose claim to fame was related to their physical appearance or a developmental disability, the staging in photographs helped to emphasize their differences. This was accomplished by consciously manipulating clothing, props, the backdrop, and all other elements of the photograph in order to draw attention to their particular traits. The question of who was responsible for the staging, be it photographer, manager, or performer, varied greatly. Held on February 10, 1863 at Grace Episcopal Church in New York City, the marriage of Charles S. Stratton - known as General Tom Thumb - and M. Lavinia Warren was also called the Fairy Wedding. It featured not only Charles and Lavinia tying the knot, but fellow Barnum performers and little people George Washington Morris Nutt - known as Commodore Nutt - and Minnie Warren - Lavinia's sister - as the best man and maid of honor respectively. The wedding was promoted relentlessly by P.T. Barnum, and made into a major social event on scale with contemporary celebrity weddings. There was extensive merchandising, especially photographs and illustrations of the wedding party. Mathew Brady, 1863. Measures 2.5 by 4.25 inches.