The quirky Marshall and Lily on How I Met Your Mother stole the audience’s hearts immediately. From their nauseating nicknames to their weird attractions, everyone rooted for these two all the way to the end. Marshall and Lily had their ups and downs like any couple, but they always worked through them together.
The lovable giant and artistic kindergarten teacher belonged together. So much so that even Barney Stinson, the womanizer who didn’t believe in marriage, wanted them to get married. They were what every couple wants to be. Here are 10 times Marshall and Lily were relationship goals.
Halloween Costumes
Couples’ costumes for Halloween can come off cheesy and eye-roll inducing. But Marshall and Lily always pulled it off. When Marshall dressed up as Jack Sparrow with his weirdly hot eyeliner, Lily dressed up as his trusty parrot, even though it was impossible to go to the bathroom in the costume.
The best part of their couples’ costumes was when they included Ted. Marshall and Lily had such a strong bond to their friend that it was hard to separate the couple from the much-loved third-wheel.
How They Met
Over the show’s run, the story of how Lily and Marshall met went through a few iterations. But the story that was told time and again was that Lily sought someone to help with her stereo and was mysteriously compelled to Ted and Marshall’s dorm room. She knocked on the door, Marshall answered, and the rest is history.
That may not have been exactly how it happened, but it’s the story that they told because it was their perfect meeting. Fate brought them together as college freshmen.
Marshmallow and Lilypad
Couples with cutesy nicknames may be obnoxious to those around them. But like with all other cliches about relationships, Marshmallow and Lilypad make it work. Their constant references to one another by their nicknames shows that no matter how many years pass, they always have affection for each other.
It’s also a sign of when they’re in a fight or annoyed with one another because they’ll call each other by their actual names. But the fights never last and soon they go back to cooing each other’s nicknames.
No Eye Contact High-Fives
The HIMYM gang are known for their enthusiastic high-fiving, but Marshall and Lily are on a whole different level. Without making eye contact and keeping deadpan faces, the couple reach over their heads and land a perfect high-five every time.
They are so in sync with one another that they don’t have to see each other’s movements to know where their hands will land. To have that kind of synchronicity means they’re totally in tune with one another and anticipate each other’s moves. What makes a better couple than that?
Their Traditions
Couple Halloween costumes aren’t Marshal and Lily’s only ridiculous traditions. They also have a ritual of calling each other for lunch and describing their meals to one another. On Valentine’s day, while other couples enjoy romantic dinners, roses, and chocolates, Marshall and Lily stay in to watch Predator.
When one of them takes a trip, the other always picks them up at the airport with a six-pack of beer in hand. One year they planned to break that tradition, but Marshall couldn’t do it, so he showed up with a full orchestra, making that their new tradition.
Marshall Accepts Lily’s Debt
Early in their marriage, Marshall discovers Lily has an incredible amount of credit card debt due to her shopping addiction. They fight over it as it jeopardizes their ability to buy a home of their own. Lily’s solution is to call a divorce lawyer so that they’re only divorced on paper and her debt won’t affect Marshall’s credit.
But Marshall would rather have Lily for rich or for poor. He refuses to divorce the love of his life, even on paper. He even takes a job in corporate America to pay off her debt.
Their Wedding Day
On the day of Marshall and Lily’s wedding, everything goes wrong. The flowers don’t arrive. The harpist starts going into labor. Marshall freaks out when Lily’s cousin gives him frosted tips, so he takes clippers to his head and shaves a line down the middle. Lily’s veil goes missing and shows up destroyed.
It’s all going to hell in a handbasket, so the two find each other outside in the garden and have the private ceremony they’d always wanted. Barney marries them while a random guitarist plays, and Ted and Robin bear witness.
Marshall’s Fantasies
Although Marshall has been told that he’s allowed to have any woman he wants in his fantasies, he is so devoted to Lily that he can’t fathom cheating on her even in his dreams. He has to imagine an elaborate scenario in which Lily dies and an appropriate mourning period passes.
Only then can he fantasize about being with another woman, and even that comes with permission from his dead wife. It’s weird and crazy, but Marshall makes it sound sweet. Lily is the love of his life, no matter what.
Sacrificing for Each Other’s Careers
Marshall and Lily always supported one another in their careers. For so long, Lily remained a kindergarten teacher and sacrificed her artistic aspirations so that Marshall could finish law school and become a lawyer. She encouraged him to take a lower-paying position for a company he felt more aligned with his values.
Later, when offered a position as a judge, Marshall’s newest dream, he put it on hold to follow Lily to Italy. He gave up his dream for a while so his wife could pursue her career as an art curator.
They Redo Their Wedding Vows
The couple’s original wedding vows were sweet and perfect, but they did not reflect real life. After a few years of marriage and their first child, Marshall and Lily made updates for how messy life can be.
Marshall promises to always hug Lily even when she’s covered in vomit, whether it’s baby Marvin’s or her own. Lily vows to always tell Marshall when he was green stuff in his teeth. Most importantly, they vow to always update their vows, “because one set of vows, it can’t cover a lifetime of growing.”
