i'm putting together a display piece that is going to be all cake dummies and just wanted to know if there is a way to attach them all together other than a dowel so that it won't damage them? also do you need to put boards under dummies ?? i didn't know if that would make a difference

Only the base board is needed. You can glue the tiers together with royal icing.

if i wanted to cover the dummies with fondant ... do i have to use saran wrap first over them?? i've been told to use it and then just to buttercream over my dummies... which is right?!!?

You don't have to saran wrap them but you can to help preserve the dummy to reuse it. If you do it that way, the press n seal wrap works well. Then you can buttercream on top of that then fondant. You can also just buttercream on top of the dummies without wrapping and then fondant. Its just personal choice.

So glad this topic has come up..........
I am doing a wedding cake that has got a square dummy at the bottom with a 3 tier cake on top of that, all in fondant.
Do I need to put any support of any sort in the dummy or can I just put the 3tier directly onto the fondant dummy??
I have never worked with a dummy before so not too sure of how this is done.

Cakeladyem, what do you mean by "press and seal wrap"
will this be a permanent wrap that stays on the dummy??

If the bottom dummy is sturdy then you should be okay without supports in it. If you are nervous at all about it I say just put some dowels in it, just in case. You could skewer it through your 3rd tier down into the dummy tier to help it stay together also.
The Press n' Seal is a brand of plastic wrap. Its in with all the other plastic wraps, its just a little different. It has a slightly sticky surface that will stick to the dummies instead of only sticking to itself like regular plastic wrap. Its not permanent, you can take it off and rewrap for the next use.

Thanks Cakeladyem, I think I will go with your idea of putting a dowel thru the bottom tier into the dummy..........rather safe than sorry.
As I need to transport this lot to the venue, I will feel safer doing it this way.
Would you transport the cake already stacked?
Or would you do it seperately. I was thinking of doing it in 2 sections and just finishing it off at the venue.

I support the cakes on the top if my lower base is a dummy.. Just for safety, I dont want them sliding.
You dont need to saran wrap them. The dummies stay good. I have put them in water the whole day, to take fondant off them when the fondant is dry, and they dont get damaged with the water.

Edna

Thanks tonedna for your advice, every little bit helps!
Watched some of your videos on my p.c. last night, they are all cool!
Like the one on how to do make the piping bags.

Taking it in 2 sections is what I often do if it is a very tall cake. I just feel safer doing it that way, the roads here are very rough so I don't want to risk it shaking apart. But it depends on what you think for that cake and your situation. Good luck!

Thanks Cakeladyem, think I will stick to my idea and do it in two sections.
Rather safe than sorry.
My stomach does somersaults when transporting a stacked cake and I am a bundle of nerves by the time I get to my destination.