Celebrant or registrar or both?!?

So I filled out a form online and requested a registrar unbeknown to me how much it would be! It is only that price because of our venue so I was a bit taken aback by it. I have booked the registrar because at the end of the day I wanted to be married infront of all my ceremony guests and we have made huge savings on being quite savvy and getting ideas off lovely people on here. It is expensive and I don't blame people for choosing an alternative! My sister in law to be has decided to get married at a registry office before the wedding, but are having a friend who's a priest to do the 'ceremony' infront of guests and say a few nice words (no guests know this yet) so that's an option?

I am the same as Teri, I want to have the legal bit in front of everyone so we have our registrar booked for the venue, which is £650!! As we have saved elsewhere we are comfortable (just about!) that we will pay this. The other thing for us is that if we did it before then our wedding date would not actually be our marriage date so anniversary date wouldn't match up, not a major thing but for us we didn't lie the idea of it. My cousin did it where she married in the registrar office the day before and was £75, they then had an uncle perform a blessing ceremony on the wedding day, which was really nice, As long as they don't say certain things then you can have anyone do it and is more personal if is someone you know and it is free, you don't have to pay for a celebrant. The only bit that is important is the legal part, so it comes down to personal preference on the registrar part. hope you can reach a decision you are comfortable with