Hi, my friend and I are making our first wedding cake. It will be 4 tier (stacked) bottom cake 16", then 12", 10", and 8". We are using plates to separate the cakes with pillars(not dowels) to support the plates.

How would you suggest transporting this? We are debating over transporting it with the 16"/12" stacked and the 10"/8" stacked and then putting those two parts together on site. What do you suggest?

i am not quite sure if i am getting the whole picture from you but this is what i do for wedding cakes. first even if the tiers are separated with pillars you still have to put support dowels in the bottom cake to hold up the plate the pillars are on. then if each cake is separated with pillars then you can take them all apart and take them as single cakes to where they are going and assemble them there. if two are stacked and then pillars and the other two are stacked then just separate the two halves and take them as two cakes and then put them together there. i hope i have helped i am not even sure i didn't confuse myself...lol good luck and don't worry yall will do fine!

Are you stacking the cake or using pillars in between the cakes?

If you are using hidden or push-in pillars, I'd transport it in 4 pieces and just assemble it there.

Yes, I am using hidden support pillars. The final product will be a 4-tier cake stacked - each layer stacked directly on top of the other.
Have any of you done this? Is it easiest just to assemble there and pipe on the boarder at the wedding?
Thanks for your suggestions thus far.

I always take my cake in pieces and put it all together there. It just gives me piece of mind that if I go around a turn to fast, I don't topple a cake!
Just make sure you have plenty of support under your bottom tiers.
Good luck!

For a fake cake I assemble at home so I have a quick drop off. They weigh next to nothing so you don't worry about them falling over.

Real cake is a different story I always take in pieces and assemble at the reception hall. Ribbon, toppers, some side decorations, borders, etc go on after it is put together. Just be sure to give yourself enough time (up to an hour) after you get there to work. make a list of tools you will need to take along including extra dowels, pins, tips, plenty of extra frosting in case of a boo-boo. Don't forget the camera and extra batteries. Gotta get a picture of the finished product!

Good luck!

What ever you do, do not stack 4 cakes on top of one another without proper support. Dowels rods, support pillars, whatever you use just be sure to put them in each cake that has a cake sitting on top of it. I would stack the 16 and 12, then the other two, the 10 and 8 and then assemble them at the hall. If you have it properly supported and a spacious vehicle and drive extremely careful you can probably transport them all stacked. I have. It arrived perfect. That's the 4 tier lavender wedding cake in my photos.

Cynita

Cynita

Wow! So many suggestions. WE are using the interlocking plates and support pillars (not dowels). We have a very solid board base (melamine). I am thinking that we'll take it 2 pieces. This way we'll only need to put 2 parts together rather than 4. Thank you so much for you advice. I'll post a picture of the final product!
Cynthia - your 4 tier is beautiful.

I'd take the bottom 2 or 3 already stacked (whatever you can lift) and put the top on onsite. I only do that so that I can check for level one last time. Then border that last one. But of course, ONLY do this with SPS, not dowels.