Before Emmy Award-winning actor Woody Harrelson, 55, made his millions, he was hustling to make ends meet in New York City.
"I waited tables mostly, but I also did all kinds of weird side gigs," he tells Davy Rothbart of Wealthsimple, an online investing service.
While the actor's relationship with money has since "shifted in some ways," he says, "in other respects, it has stayed the same. … I was raised to be conservative in my spending habits, so I always seek a balance."
Harrelson splurges occasionally, he tells Rothbart, "but often, I've found, the least expensive things can be the most personally rewarding. Take my wedding, for example. The whole event cost a total of $500."
"We didn't feel the need to shell out a ton of cash and do anything over the top," he says. "It was basically just a bunch of good friends getting together in Maui. I paid for some food and drinks, a few hundred bucks, and that was about it."
Granted, the $500 doesn't include getting to Maui or the costs of being there. Plus, their rings cost about $300 each, but the point is that you don't have to break the bank to celebrate your big day.
In fact, Harrelson and his wife, Laura Louie, who met on the set of "Cheers" three decades ago and got married 10 years ago, were ahead of a 2017 trend: frugal weddings. Celebrities such as RuPaul, Alison Brie and Ilana Glazer all got married in discreet, low-maintenance ceremonies earlier this year.
At a time when the average wedding costs more than $25,000, celebs, as well as everyday people, are demonstrating that you can have the perfect celebration for less than $1,000 by forgoing flowers, streamlining guest lists and using venues that are already available and free, among other strategies.
"At the end of the day, it ain't about how much it costs," says Harrelson. "It's about having great people in a beautiful place and just … celebrating."
Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook.
Don't miss: How to have the perfect wedding for under $1000
