Ok, so a friend of mine is getting married in South Beach, FL and would like me to make her cake (or cupcakes). Has anyone ever done anything like this - is it even possible? The only way I can see this happening is if I rent an apt with a kitchen and make it there, or possibly use the kitchen at the location of the reception? Although I'm assuming they will either say no or charge me an arm and a leg. What about baking, covering in fondant, packing in a cooler with dry ice and ship overnight? Then decorate there? Ugh...help!

They have condos that you can rent. They already have kitchens in them. If she lives there use her kitchen.

Yeah, and in a lot of beach condos, the kitchens are awesome!

Bake at home, decorate and put on fondant. Carry it on the plane. Put it together at wedding.

You can also do it like they do for FN Challenges or sometimes you see Duff doing this.
Bake your cakes and ship them to the location and then you can decorate it in your hotel room. Be sure to make more in case of damages.
Or you can do what Sylvia Whinestock does and she flys her cakes and tells the pilot to make soft landings. She packs each tier and assembles on site.

You could ship cakes frozen and decorate there also.

I did this for my niece's wedding- not the cake, but the food. My tips:

Lots of hotels/ condos with kitchens BUT ask "what size". What they call a kitchen may be a dorm frig and microwave. Small frig/ full size? Oven, what size? etc. TAKE AN OVEN THERMOMETER- every oven is different!

Equipment is a bugger. Make a list and have specific things to borrow from people locally. How can you do this without a KA? Buy one? Nope- borrow one. Pack your favorite tools, and premake what you are comfortable with.

Extra time--- it's party time, so you will want to participate and have 1/2 the time you thought available to do it unless you stay up for 3 days straight.

Good luck!