First let me say this in my first post...I have lurked around CC for a long time and love everyone's talent, suggestions and beautiful cakes. I have only taken the Wilton class I and II so I don't have a ton of experience. I never have used fondant as a cover, just for decorating. Just some background info on my experience.
I am doing my first wedding cake for the 5th of July...outdoors wedding in Texas heat. 
I can keep the cake inside the house before the bride and groom serve it, but I am still worried about the heat as I am serving it.
Here are a few questions:
I am making the cake buttercream as per the brides request, but I am putting roses on the top tier of the cake should I do this in royal instead of buttercream?
How long ahead of time should I bake the cakes?
I am doing a large square cake 18x18 for the base and three rounds, 10, 8 and 8. Are these large enough to feed 175 people?
Do I freeze the cakes after I put the glaze on and before I frost or after?
I am so confused and a little scared if I can pull this off. 
Thank the Lord this is for a friend, so she will offer me some grace. I just want to do the best I can for her.
Help!!!
I'll let those in Texas give you the best advice re; outdoor Texas weddings.
Is the 18x18 a single or double layer? If single layer, and assuming you are cutting in the standard 2x2x2, then you will be cutting this cake in 9 rows by 9 columns = 91 servings. If double layer, then you will be cutting pieces that are 1x2x4, so the cake will be cut in 18 columns by 9 rows = 162 servings.
10" round (2-layer) serves 35; 8" round (2-layer) serves 24 ... x 2 = 48.
48 + 35 = 83 + 91= 174 ..... OR ....
48 + 35 = 83 + 162 = 245.
First of all you'll do great!! First wedding cake's can be very scary, but because it's for a friend the stress is alot less!
If it were me, I would use Royal icing instead of buttercream. That buttercream always makes me nervous especially with heat.
Secondly you can definatly make your cakes ahead of time and freeze them. I usually start a week before and take one day and bake all the cakes. Then I trim them and level them and then wrap them several times in saran wrap. Step one out of the way, then each day I do something else...make frosting, make fondant, cut boards, make cake topper or decorations. It always helps to have it all done so I am not stressed and it's not last minute.
When you get ready to do the cake let them defrost in the fridge over night and keep them wrapped until their fully thawed so they don't dry out. Then I would frost them.
If you go to the Wilton website, they have a feeding chart accoring to pan size.
Good luck!!
One last thing nobody ever tells you...bake the cakes at night after dark. Trust me...I learned after doing my third wedding cake. I'm doing one this week. In Texas, if you keep the oven on for that long (no matter how good your AC is) your house will be like a sauna!
Don't Panic - it's cake
Frosting - don't use any butter or it may melt
Roses - take this off your plate, go to Albertsons or Walmart and get fresh
You plan is more than enough cake, I find people don't eat as much in the Texas heat
Check your oven, will an 18 inch square fit?
This is my timeline for a Sat wedding: Prepare boards on Tues, bake on Wed (misdawn is right, do it at night), torte, fill and crunt coat in Thurs, and final coat and decorate on Fri. Deliver on Sat.
Good luck 
Hi and Welcome on your 1st post, TexasTam. 
Here's an everything you ever wanted to know about your first tiered cake thread:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-5958955-.html
HTH
I'll let those in Texas give you the best advice re; outdoor Texas weddings.
Is the 18x18 a single or double layer? If single layer, and assuming you are cutting in the standard 2x2x2, then you will be cutting this cake in 9 rows by 9 columns = 91 servings. If double layer, then you will be cutting pieces that are 1x2x4, so the cake will be cut in 18 columns by 9 rows = 162 servings.
10" round (2-layer) serves 35; 8" round (2-layer) serves 24 ... x 2 = 48.
48 + 35 = 83 + 91= 174 ..... OR ....
48 + 35 = 83 + 162 = 245.
Typo..... the "91" should be "81" so subtract 10 from the totals. 
...Do I freeze the cakes after I put the glaze on and before I frost or after?...
What do you mean by glaze? Do you mean the crumb coat?
One thing I've learned about making a smooth cake in texas heat is to decorate at night. The last two wedding cakes I made I napped during the day and then started to work after the kids went to bed and the house cooled down. Working during the wee morning hours actually let me finish more quickly than working during the heat of the day.
You will also find that it helps to throw you piping bags into the freezer for a few seconds every now and then to stiffen you icing back up. It tends to get thin when you've been holding the bag in your hand for a while, especially if the room is already hot as Hades.
Yes, I mean crumb coat I usually use apricot preserves...do you use something else?
Apricot glaze is traditionally used to adhere the fondant layer and the marzipan layer to each other and to the fruit cake below. I mean it's dynamite to use on any cake but usually not done for american cakes.
What kind of cake are you making?
For a crumb coat I just use my buttercream applied like mayonaise when you're dieting.
[
What do you mean by glaze? Do you mean the crumb coat?
Yes, I mean crumb coat I usually use apricot preserves...do you use something else?[/quote]
Apricot glaze is traditionally used to adhere the fondant layer and the marzipan layer to each other and to the fruit cake below. I mean it's dynamite to use on any cake but usually not done for american cakes.
What kind of cake are you making?
For a crumb coat I just use my buttercream applied like mayonaise when you're dieting.[/quote]
I agree! It is so crazy to me that when you buy your first Wilton fondant or read your first book when starting to make cakes, it almost always tells you to use an apricot glaze. I remember thinking that I had to do that -- because it said so!!!
As a PP said, use an all-shortening/no-butter buttercream. Hopefully there is a wedding tent involved, if you have any say so, try to make certain the cake table is out of the direct sun.
You are going to do great!!
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