History Recap / HowIMetYourMotherS4E05ShelterIsland

* BeingGoodSucks: One of the engaged couple decides to compromise the "no exes rule" which led to a devastating result, as Ted the DisposableFiance soon finds out.
* BlahBlahBlah: When the gang remembers some examples of Lily freaking out before her wedding, by the third "issue", all Marshall could here was Lily crying and babbling, since after a while every other thing became just noise.

* DisposableFiance: Ted is engaged to Stella and about to marry her... but she ditches him right before the wedding. He's devastated but surprisingly, all of his friends senses she was not the right woman for him.

* KickTheDog: Again, one of the series' most infamous example. Ted tries to have everyone reunited on the biggest day of his life, even if that means Tony and Robin attend the wedding. This results in Tony and Stella rekindling their feelings for each other and leaving Ted at the aisle.

** PlayedForLaughs with Barney's hookup. Given how Stella's sister Nora was throwing herself at Barney throughout the episode, it's clearly intended to seem like she is girl who is in his bed when Robin comes by his room. However, after Robin walks away, Nora herself shows up, and it's revealed that the girl is actually the hotel receptionist.

* EverythingIsBetterWithMonkeys: Robin's co-anchor in Japan is a chimpanzee. Not very professional, but comic relief and a joke poked at the Japanese wacky media. This is actually one of the tipping points for Robin to quit her job and return to New York.

* TakeThat: To retro-hippie vegans. Stella's sister almost married to a vegan at a eco-resort, and Ted makes some jokes at their expense, and the gang are horrified to find out that the resort doesn't serve any alcohol.

* FlexibilityEqualsSexAbility: Barney, trying to get straight-laced Ted to agree to have a bachelor party, tells Ted that he's lined up "three of the most physically and morally flexible exotic dancers you've ever seen." When Ted rejects the offer, Barney tells him he's still going to have his night with them anyway.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: In-universe example with the Arc Words. Future Ted thinks this is so important that he mentions it to his kids at the start of the episode, unlike most episodes where he saves the moral for the end.

** In Season 3's [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS3E20Miracles Miracles]], Ted's reason to break up with Stella was because she was inviting him to her sister's wedding in six moths. Said event gets stalled because Nora breaks up with her fianceé, so Stella suggests getting married there so her wedding deposit won't be wasted.

* WhamShot: The person Robin sees on her way back... is Stella, Ted's bride, wrapped up in Tony's jacket on the ferry, travelling with Tony and their daughter Lucy.

** In Season 3' [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS3E20Miracles Miracles]], Ted's reason to break up with Stella was because she was inviting him to her sister's wedding in six moths. Said event gets stalled because Nora breaks up with her fianceé, so Stella suggests getting married there so her wedding deposit won't be wasted.

%%* DramaticWind: Parodied in Robin's "newscast" in Japan.
* EverythingIsBetterWithMonkeys: Robin's co-anchor in Japan is a chimpanzee. Not very professional, but comic relief and a joke poked at the Japanese wacky media.

%%* KickTheDog: Again, one of the series' most infamous example.

* ArcWords: "Never invite an ex to your wedding."
* BeingGoodSucks[=/=]NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: One of the engaged couple decides to compromise the "no exes rule" which led to a devastating result, as the DisposableFiance soon finds out.
* BookEnds: Future!Ted's narration starts and ends with the ArcWords.

* ContinuityNod
** Marshall, Lily and Barney are playing [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS2E17ArrivederciFiero Zitch dog]] on the way to the island.

** Robin is working and living in Japan, something Future!Ted mentioned in the season 2 finale.

* DisposableFiance: Poor Ted...
* DownerEnding: Someone gets left at the altar. This episode is actually considered one of the most downer of all the series' downer endings.
* DramaticWind: Parodied in Robin's "newscast" in Japan.
* EverythingIsBetterWithMonkeys: Robin's co-anchor in Japan is a chimpanzee.
* KickTheDog: Again, one of the series' most infamous example.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Ted, in an attempt to brighten Stella's mood, invite's Tony to the wedding as a way of ensuring that Lucy was present. This directly led to Stella leaving Ted at the altar and going back to Tony.
* ThePlace: Shelter Island is the venue of Ted and Stella's wedding.

* RunawayBride: Stella.
* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: In-universe example with the ArcWords. Future!Ted thinks this is so important that he mentions it to his kids at the start of the episode, unlike most episodes where he saves the moral for the end.
* WhamEpisode: One of the series' biggest.
* WhamShot: The person Robin sees on her way back...
* UnresolvedSexualTension: Discussed. In fact, this is Stella's main basis for her "no exes at the wedding" rule.

** Marshall,Lily and Barney are playing [[Recap/HowIMetYourMotherS2E17ArrivederciFiero Zitch dog]] on the way to the island.

* KickTheDog: Again,one of the series' most infamous example.

* DisposableFiance: [[spoiler: Poor Ted]]...

* RunawayBride: [[spoiler: Stella.]]