I am going to be making my daughter's birthday cake next week. The plan is to cover the cakeboard with fondant (my first time). I am making an 8 inch double layer cake, also covered in fondant to go on top. I am trying to think through the logistics. Should I prepare the cake on an 8 inch (or larger?) board (i.e. apply the crumb coat and fondant) and then "slide" it off of the board and place it on the fondant board?? Is there an easy way to go about this? I can't quite fathom how to transfer the cake onto the fondant board and not ruin it in the process. Thanks for your help!

Leave the cake on the board then place it on the covered board. There is no need to take the cake off the first board.

I'm going to do it for my first time soon. I plan to just leave the cake on the cakeboard amd set it on fondant board...using icing to "glue" it in place. hopefully someone experienced wil let us know if this works.

Cover your board now if you can. If it has time to dry a bit there is less damage to the fondant when the cake if positioned on the board.
I would also leave the cake on the 8" board and attach it to the fondant covered board with some buttercream.

I always just dampen my fondant covered cake board about the size of the cake i am putting on it. This makes it tacky and the cake board under the cake will glue to it. Never fails me. hth

Cover the board in advance, let it dry well. Then do it just like you would stack a tiered cake: decorate your cake on it's own same-size board up to the stage you would if you were stacking it onto another tier of cake, then move it onto the covered board just the same as you would transfer the top tier of a stacked cake.

Last weekend I did a fondant covered board for the first time. I put the cake on first, then cut a long strip of fondant and then rolled it out around the cake & trimmed. It was easier than I thought it would be and looked nice. The only thing is you have a seam where the strip meets back up, but it was barely noticeable and in the back.

Ditto to covering the board first, as much as a week before and let it harden in an area free of dust, or it will get dusty (believe me). In order to cover my board I smear clear piping gel on the entire bottom AND sides. And when I go to place my cake on it I spread a little clear piping gel where the cake is going to go. My cakes don't go ANYWHERE, I've even tilted it to the side after it had set just to see.

Thanks so much for all of your replies. You have been so helpful!