How I Met Your Mother S05E23 – The Wedding Bride

How I Met Your Mother S05E23 – The Wedding Bride

Tony's movie, The Wedding Bride, is released. It turns out to be based entirely around the wedding between Ted and Stella and Tony's involvement. However, in the movie, Ted is a villian and Tony is a hero. The gang all see the movie and reflect upon it.

Future Ted discusses with his children how everyone in their thirties tends to have "baggage," which then manifests itself in Ted's mind when he discovers it, and labeled baggage is shown onscreen. He talks about dating a girl named Royce who seems to have no baggage, despite several false starts in his apartment. The gang discuss their own baggage; even Marshall has baggage - he is just too nice and trusting. Ted then sees a new movie called The Wedding Bride with Royce and discovers it is based on his relationship with Stella and was written by Tony, the man Stella left him for, and his character, "Jed Mosely," is portrayed in a negative light (and one of the actors is even heard to call him "Ted Mosby" at the end of the film). He points out several of the aspects which were initially romantic, but twisted so that he comes off as a jerk. Royce also helps him realize that he has his own baggage: being left at the altar. His friends also tell him that he should tell Royce the truth, but Ted believes he can ignore it despite the movie becoming the 5th highest grossing movie of all time. Ted becomes angry and upset as the movie goes on to become a hit, and when Royce's friends talk about going to see the film again he finally snaps and walks out on her.

Marshall ultimately helps him cope with it, reminding Ted that he is fundamentally a nice guy. Ted rushes to the cinema where Royce is again watching the film and admits the film was based on his being left at the altar. He kisses Royce in front of the screen displaying a kiss scene from The Wedding Bride and takes her back to his apartment for pancakes. Royce then reveals her "baggage" - left at the altar three times, has a gambling addiction, and shares a bed with her brother. Ted asks her to leave.