The ring Mary is wearing looks much simpler and without gemstones to me. 

And another thing I found some time ago. Now we finally have the right thread for this (if not I put it over in the comprehensive JLG):

The floral arrangements at the wedding contain green carnations among other flowers. While I read that green carnations have been quite popular for about ten years there is another assocation: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Carnation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_symbols

"In ancient Rome, as in 19th-century England, green indicated homosexual affiliations. Victorian men would often pin a green carnation on their lapel as popularized by author Oscar Wilde, who often wore one on his lapel."

Scientific research. I love it. 

Harriet wrote:

So Mary says: We are not yet engaged, but intending to get ("once we...", -> future). We were interrupted the last time and didn't have another occasion yet.
Otherwise she would have said "now that we actually got engaged..."
 

Once can refer to the past. You know, once upon a time? Once we got engaged=after we got engaged, this happened.

Mary

The actual sentence reads: "Well, once we’ve actually got engaged."

IMO this leaves not doubt whatsoever that they have not become engaged yet. Especially as the sentence is followed by Mary stating that they were interrupted last time. 
 

Last edited by SusiGo (June 3, 2014 7:29 pm)

I've been trying to tell you it's a conjunction 

maryagrawatson wrote:

OMG. Just OMG. It's a conjunction, meaning 'as soon as'. As in, "As soon as we got engaged, we were able to set a wedding date."

Or maybe as in: As soon as we get engaged, we'll be able to set a wedding date.
 

For the sake of correctness. I always rely on Ariane DeVere's transcripts as do most people in the fandom and she has this:

MRS HUDSON: Oh! Spring wedding!
MARY: Yeah. Well, once we’ve actually got engaged.
JOHN: Yeah.
MARY (looking pointedly at Sherlock): We were interrupted last time.
JOHN: Yeah.
(Sherlock smiles at her.)
LESTRADE: Well, I can’t wait.
(He raises his glass in a toast.)

I think the engagement is happening only now, in this very moment. 

Last edited by SusiGo (June 3, 2014 8:39 pm)

A delayed and strange engagement... Mary is sitting on the sofa, John leaves the room together with Sherlock. That's what I call romantic!

We also see Sherlock "walking down the aisle" twice. In 221B, when he's in his room and then walks towards John; and during his weeding speech, when he once again walks up to John, saying "It's always you, John Watson, you keep me right...".