ok so I have my first wedding cake and I just have a handful of questions, some of them I have a pretty good idea of how I'm gonna do it and feel pretty good about my skills but I have never stacked a cake this big before especially assemble on location. I will leave my house with all for cakes. Iced and stack and pipe decorations on locations. Cakes will 12",10", 8" & 6" squares.

So my cake will be 4 tiers square, very similar to this one made by:littlegrahmcracker
The ribbon will burgundy not sure yet if the bride wants the bows or not.

Ok I was thinking the bottom tier can be placed on a board and ribbon applied and decorations piped at home then stack on all the other 3 tiers on location and then add the ribbon to those then pipe decorations. Is this the best way to do it?

By the way the cake will be on a metal cake console.
My cake will have the corners be the front of the cake, the piping design will the same as this cake except instead of dots it will be swiss dots.

Any other tips or things to be aware before handwill be greatI don't really want to be the reason that ruins a wedding.

Thanks in advance

I have this same pic in my collection of "internet cakes" and it's a very popular cake, when brides are flipping thru the book.

That's how I do it. I do all the decor except for the ribbon, though, at the shop. Then all I have to do is add the ribbon when I arrive on site.

And what's the difference between "dots" and "swiss dots"?

You sound just like me on my last Wedding cake a week ago. It was my second one and I was just as nervous about these details.
I put my bottom tier on the board with the ribbon and stacked the other layers on location. What I did was put the ribbon around the second and third tiers before I got there. I had a few adjustments when I got there but I was in and out in no time. I just stacked and went. I tried to do everything I could at home and I didn't want to have alot to do there with people watching me. Thank God I did because I had an audience.
Swiss dots are in the shape of like a triangle.
Good luck!

Nu-uh. Swiss Dots are dots as in the picture. The three dots arranged in a triangle is a picot. (pee-koh)

I pipe ALL decorations on before transport. There's no reason not to. When at the venue stack, border or put the ribbon on and done.

Do we need to talk about SPS?

And the metal thing under the cake is called a plateau.

I agree, I would pipe the decorations on BEFORE you deliver, especially if you are still new at this. It could take a lot longer to decorate than you think & you wouldn't want people to think you were unprepared if you are still working on the cake when guests start to arrive. Good luck!

First of I'm sorry I don't have the right names for things glad everyone knew what I was talking about

My plan was to ice the cakes at home and then on location stacking, adding the ribbon and then piping details. I don't want to add details til after I stack, because I may mess them up and then

I know that cakes always end up taking longer and count in I will be nervous wreck but the place where they are having the wedding will be available from noon and the reception is at 3:30 to me. I'm thinking arrive right at noon. Ready! icing in bags and all to just stack, attach ribbon and pipe. Luckly, I will be piping NO borders!
I personally want to finish right at 3 in case of early birds.
Take my picture, say a quick prayer, run and hope for the best!

Single Plate System. I will definitely never do another wedding cake without it! You've convinced me Leah! I would go ahead and pipe at home. You shouldn't need to touch the sides of the cake when stacking. And if you do mess it up a little, it will be a lot easier to just fix the little flub on site, than to do all of the piping. Trust me, you will probably have an audience and nerves will start. It's best to do it at home. The best stacking advise I have received (If you aren't going to use the SPS) is to leave your dowels or straws sticking up a couple of inches and let the weight of the cake push them in. That way you won't mess up the icing on the bottom cake, or much of the sides of the cake you are dropping.
I hope that makes sense...

HTH

NotJustCake, I do up to 6 wedding cakes in a weekend. You asked for advice from the wedding cake experts and we're all telling you to pipe the design on the sides of the cake before you get there. I arrive 3 hours prior to the reception starting, and I do this week in and week out, and I would never attempt to pipe designs - even dots - on the sides of the cake after I arrive at the venue. For one thing, I need my laser level set up to get them straight. And probably my divider mat.

And if you want info on SPS, just follow the directions in my siggy.

Happy cakeing!

Thank you so much! I checked out your site for the SPS and looks like it would save me tons of sweating. I would buy them later I still have time. Thanks again!