Ted tells Stella that their wedding has to beat her sister's wedding since her sister stole Stella's wedding ideas but then things for Stella's sister go awry when her fiance cheats on her. Ted telepathically tells Stella that they can pay for dinner and Stella agrees but then Stella suddenly says that they will get married that Sunday so that all of the wedding costs won't be lost.
Ted asks if they are really ready for it and Stella says how Lucy's father was never ready for it. Ted says that he is in and spontaneous, and splashes water on his own face. Future Ted says that you should never invite an ex to a wedding. By an ex, of course, we are referring to Robin. Robin's new job entails very strange things being done to her while she tries to read the news in Japan.
After Ted and Marshall leave, Lily asks why Barney doesn't fight Ted getting married. Basically, Barney wants to get Robin drunk at the wedding and have sex with her again. Everyone gets out to Shelter Island where things are quite strange. For one, there is no alcohol - and then there is no meat. Marshall and Lily hate it and Marshall thinks that the bartender used to be the lead singer of the Spin Doctors.
Stella can't believe that Ted invited Robin. She points out that it is weird since Robin is Ted's ex. She says it would never occur to her to invite Lucy's father and Ted tells her to go ahead and do it Marshall makes an analogy to the Mariners which is funny because I used to live in Seattle. Lily says you shouldn't mess with the bride. Barney says he will call to tell her not to come but he doesn't.
Ted says that he will tell Stella to deal with it and Lily tells her that brides are under a lot of stress before their wedding; somehow she managed to keep it together. Marshall points out that she did not keep it together at all. Lily says that he has to solve a crisis and he finds one in the form of Lucy not being allowed to come by her father. He says he will go and get her somehow.
Ted goes to see Lucy's father and is immediately assaulted. Ted says that he has to put aside his issues and let his daughter go. He gets a big hug as a result. Ted also of course invites him to the wedding.
Lucy tells Stella that Ted invited Tony just moments before Stacy arrives. Stella says she will talk to Robin and he should talk to Tony. Ted says he will talk to Robin and she should talk to Tony. Robin is glad that she isn't going to be at the wedding because of course, there is still stuff between them. Ted says that they both moved on and she got her dream job. She says that she quit her job and he can't marry Stella. He is just disappearing into somebody else's wedding and house and it's not the real Ted Mosby. Ted says if she feels that way, it is good she is not coming to the wedding.
Robin goes to see Barney but of course he has a naked girl tied to his headboard. She gets on the boat going back and suddenly she sees Stella with Tony on the boat kissing, and we get flashback after flashback piecing together that when Stella was telling Ted why it was a bad idea to have exes at a wedding, she was really talking about herself and her fears of reigniting the spark with Tony. Hoo boy.
-- Gordon Davidescu