ok, here's a sample pic i just drew up of the cake we plan on making for the wedding... i just got all my cake pans in the mail and we're going to do a test one so i heard something like the plate that the cake sits on has to be 4" bigger... but then won't the plate show??? if anyone can help me out here... i labeled where i thought each plate has to go... the "sticks" i tried to draw are the pillars... i'm not exactly sure how big those should be either... these are 2" pans that i'm using and making double layers... thanks everyone for your help

You need to have cake plates at least 2" larger than the cakes that you are making. So if your bottom tier is 12" your cake plate should be 14".

I have a 10" stacking plate that I use for a base for my 8" practice cakes, and honestly, it's way too big for a separator size, with a big margin even after a good coat of BC and a border.

My personal preference is a plate that's 1" wider in measurement than the cake for anything under a 9" pan size. That way, after a decent coat w/ the 789 icer and a proportional border, it looks good with just a big of the edge peeping out. 10" and up, I would use a 2" plate since they need a bigger border to look proportional (imho).

Just my $0.02!
Illy

the bottom layer should be two inches bigger. the other layers depen on if you want to see the plate or not. If you dont want to see them them a-10, b and c are 8 and d=6. If you want to see them then a=12, b and c=10 and d=6.

I agree with Cake Confections, the exception being if that bottom cake has a really large border than you want to go to 4 inches bigger than the cake. With a stacked cake you are trying to get the board as close to the size of the cake that is sitting on it, as possible and you cover up whatever shows with your border.
The other information is what you use when the cake isn't stacked. generally 2-4 inches bigger than your cakes. Keep in mind that 2 inches bigger in diameter than your cake, means that you have about 1 inch all around the cake for your border to sit on, so with a really large border, you want to go with the larger, 4 inches bigger size.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Can I ask something without offending anyone? Please, please if I am mistaken I will apologize! I am stepping out here on a limb I know SquirrellyCakes, and this is almost what you have advised also, but on plate A & D shouldn't they be cake boards wrapped to keep out the moisture and be the same size as the cake that is resting on them? And like you say, depending on what type of border there will be you don't want it to show. And, B & C be the 2 inch (or 1 inch if they exist) larger separator plates, one for the pillars to set on (which would be B) and one plate to set on the pillars (plate C)? Unless you have the push in pillars, you wouldn't need the separator plate B.
Maybe I've just got the whole thing going wrong in my head tonight because I've been making plans with my sister-in-law today for a cake similar to this one and I want to get it right!
Thanks for helping me out also here, and like I said, if I'm mistaken I will apologize.
P.S.

jscakes- I believe you are on the right track.

...WHEW...Thank you Dawn, and if I have to I'll jump off this track if it aint right!
Now I can go back to the paper and pencil plan I've been working on, my niece's wedding cake May 1st.

Well get the old brawd new glasses.
Sorry, I looked at the diagram and thought that there was an eight inch cake on top of an eight inch cake with dowels in it and that the "B" was an eight. So I thought that the whole cake was all stacked, not pillars, haha! My apologies.
Be right back.
Hugs Squirrelly

Ok, sorry about that, I just saw it as a cake that was all stacked.
D is a 6 inch and should be on approximately doubled 6 inch boards.
C is an 8 inch and this one may indeed cause problems. You would have to try it on an 8 inch separator plate and fit this likely with an additional 8 inch separator plate on top of the 10 inch cake.
then the 10 inch on double ten inchers.
the 12 on a 14 or 16 inch heavy duty cake stand base or 1/2 inch plywood with a double cake board that the cake rests on.
Yes, I always completely cover the cake boards, or take two silver foil covered boards and gluegun or tape them together, good sides facing out.
Thanks for clearing that up, I saw the sticks as dowels not pillars and didn't pay attention to the lettering.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I love this place!

Good point to mention SquirrellyCakes...the dowels needed in the cakes.....

Heehee, well I love it too! How funny was that, I was wondering why she made the two eight inch cakes a different size, duh, that should have been my first clue, haha! Then I thought it was an odd design, putting an eight inch on top of another eight inch, but then, what do I know, haha!
Regarding covering the boards, well I didn't dare mention that because of the last discussion on to cover or not. I always assume people will cover them.
Hugs Squirrrelly

Yes, this sucker is going to need dowels in every layer but the top one and if there is a heavy topper than it needs dowelling too.
Regarding the pillar size, not sure if you mean height or dimension of them, but if you are putting them on an eight inche separator plate, some of them may be too big around, so try them out first. Also, the height of them is a big factor in terms of keeping the proportions right. Sometimes people go with the super high ones and it makes the cake appear out of proportion. Bigger isn't always better.
Hugs Squirrelly

thanks everyone, this definetely helps me out! about covering the bottom board... what do you cover it with?

Do you mean the plywood base that supports the whole cake?
Well, I generally cover it with material and use quilting batten, much the look that Earlene's cake bases have at www.earlenescakes.com. Or with material alone that I glue gun on the back of the board. I wash dry and iron the material I will be using - lace, or material with organza or tulle or a velvet, brocade, curtain lace etc.
You can get the Wilton foils or the florist foils or any type of foil wrap that doesn't state that it contains lead.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

I've just learned something new! I wondered how that look was done, don't know why I hadn't figured it out before.(quilting batten) Thanks SquirrellyCakes!

JSCakes, use the cheapest filler you can find, to save money, even some of the Christmas "snows" work well for this or the batten, whatever comes cheap as some of these products are super expensive! If the fabric is delicate or sheer or loose weave, you may want to line with a cheap cotton over the batten so that it doesn't come through the material that shows.
Don't laugh but I do a bit of upholstery and started experimenting with using fabric before I ever saw Earlene's puff bases. Hers are really lovely, but when I saw them, I thought, hhmn, wonder if she is using the same thing!
For some fabrics I cover the top part where the cake will sit with that clear contact/shelf plastic stuff, if I think the material may stain, but you know, generally I don't really find it to be a problem. Just stay away from any fabric that will bleed when wet and anything that tends to shed fibres.
Sometimes I use upholstery remnants that are really cheap to buy. I like putting organza over a different coloured fabric for an unusual look.
Meant to say that most fabrics can just be glued, stapled or taped to the bottom and they are fine.
Oh yeah and for a different look, you can screw or glue little feet to the bottom of the board and raise it up enough to put flowers underneath. Generally though, this works best with at least 3/4 inch plywood. Heehee, almost an ottoman cake stand!
Hubby always makes some comment about having a cake stand that doubles as a chair or footstool, haha! I have to stop watching those designer shows, geesh!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

What a great covering! Does the bride keep the board, or do you ask for it back? I did ask for the last one back that I made, was that in bad taste? (It was for a friend's daughter and I know she would never use it for anything anyway) Those designer shows are great, hubby and I watch many of them together!

Not in bad taste at all, in fact most folks take a deposit for the boards as they aren't cheap and like you said, not much use to the bride, except maybe as a stool, haha!
I remove the fabric and re-wash it and it can be used again or for something else.
Funny thing, I found organza material really cheap on sale and once I found out how durable it is, well I bought several yards and made sheers for my daughter out of it. It is so much more durable that the actual curtain sheer fabric, it doesn't pull easily and it has such a nice sheen to it, I just love it. Gosh, I got it for less than a dollar a yard.
I also do this with the foil covered boards, doubled or tripled for lighter weight cakes, I cover them with fabric and sometimes the batten underneath and do a braid trim along the side or a ribbon.
I sew so I always have some fabric remnants around and that way nothing goes to waste. Sometimes I find that it is cheaper than covering with foil or some form of paper.
When you use the batten, the easiest way to get a neat job is to treat it like an upholstery job and to staple and pull the fabric in 4 opposite corners to get it smooth and then just pull and tighten and stretch the fabric and staple the rest down. Or glue the rest down.
Heehee, that is what we should do with fondant, put batten under it and staple it, it might be easier to smooth, joking!
Yes those shows are addictive and dangerous!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes