A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.
When Ted's best friend Marshall proposes to his girlfriend, Lily, Ted realizes he'd better get a move on if he hopes to find true love. Ted soon meets Robin in a neighborhood bar, immediately becomes smitten and scores a first date. But when Ted can hardly wait to see her again, his eagerness threatens to scare her away.