How the heck do I use these things?! Am I missing a plate?

I don't do wedding cakes but I am making one for my son's class on Wednesday for a Q & U wedding and the teacher found these from years past and gave them to me to use.

The plate is 6" in diameter and the pillars are about 12" in length.

Thanks!

Anyone?? Mr. Q & Ms. U deserve a nice wedding cake!

You can actually push the pillars inside the cake and have enough support that you wont need another plate.. I do it all the time..
Edna

I would do it in this order, from the top down:

6" cake
6" plate
pillars pushed directly into 8" cake
8" cake
12" cake board

Have the pillars in it already and just add the top tier when you get there.

I assume these are the size cakes you are using??

Thanks so much Edna! That was my guess, but didn't want to screw it up.
I love all your Youtube tutorials too, very helpful to beginners like me!

You can also cut the pillars down in equal lengths if you don't want so much space between tiers. I'd look for Leah's SPS instructions here on CC and it will tell you specifically how to use them.

Thanks everyone for your last minute help!

April, I am only making a 9-6-3 cake, since it's only for a class of 15 kids & some parents.

My plan is: 3" cake on cake board on top of 6" cake. 6" cake on top of the plastic plate and pushed into the 9" cake below.

You can also cut the pillars down in equal lengths if you don't want so much space between tiers. I'd look for Leah's SPS instructions here on CC and it will tell you specifically how to use them.

What smoore says is true.. If you dont want to see the pillars, they can be cut to the size you need them.. Thanks for the complements. Good luck with the cake!
Edna

Thanks everyone! Here is the finished cake - my 1st 3-tiered cake and first time using pillars. I'm glad that's done with!

That came out so cute! Bet the kids loved it!

So what is a Q & U Wedding? Never heard the term before! What did you make the letters from? When I saw the picture I thought it would be a cute shower cake with the initials of the bride and groom.

I think some Kindergarten classes have a Q and U wedding -- as you always find Q and U together in spelling.

Current thread on Q & U wedding:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-621314-.html

The Q & U topper are just painted foam - thought about making them out of GP but took the easy way out!