Hello everyone!
I have my first wedding on Oct 29th (this Saturday) and I am super nervous so I have a few questions. The cake will be a 3 tier cake to feed 85 people (1 square 12", 1 9" round and the anniversary cake, which it is just a 6" round.) with raspberry filling. Each tier will have too layers, vanilla wasc and chocolate (I am doing tests this weekend to see if the chocolate layer should be choco wasc or rose levy Berambaum's 3 tier choco butter wedding cake because I have never tried those before- the cake was going to be vanilla but now my friend changed his mind.) Hopefully I will be able to got to a cake supervision class at a local profesional baker's store the day before (I am hoping my hubby can take the day off to take care of our toddlers so I can go) so I can decorate the cake there. Here are the questions:

1. I usually cover my cakes in Indydebbie's crusting buttercream (under the fondant) but I am not sure if it will complement the flavors. I was thinking of mixing the buttercream with the rasberry filling (it is like a preserve, I bought it at that cake decorating store/bakery) or maybe adding a rasberry oil or something.

2. I was going to stack the cakes with dowel rods and with a long dowel rod that will go through all the layers in the center but I have read about sps and now I am wondering if I should use that instead.

3. What is the difference between sps and the wilton pillars with the cake separator plates.

4. How should I transport the cake, All stacked up or only the 2 tiers and then put the top tier overe there.

5. I am not sure if I should give the cake to the catering guy on Friday or if I should transport it myself on saturday. The wedding will take place in Boca Raton, FL which is about at least 30 min north of my house but I am getting my hair done in Miami, which is about 30 min south of my house so It will be kind of chaotic. I have never done or transported a 3 tier cake before (only 2 tier cakes.)

6. The cake will have green cymbidium orchids cascading down. I am assuming I need to cover the stems in wire with florist tape and stick it on the cake the same day but I am not sure so what would you do?

7. Each tier has a strip/ribbon around the bottom. Should I use a satin ribbon or a fondant one? I think it would look cuter with a sating ribbon but I am not sure.

8. I need write "Always and forever" as well as their monogram on the tiers. I was thinking of doing it out of royal icing but I am nervous about messing it up so any tips will be appreciated

Let me see if I can attach the picture of the cake so you can see it and have a better idea. Thank you so much, I know this is waaaay too long.

honestly,,you need to look on youtube for some help on your doweling and tiering techniques..just telling you is not going to cut enough for you to picture how this technique is done in your head,,so you are best to watch some videos on youtube for stacking and doweling cakes..

1) the flavors sound good and complimented..
2) use the new bubble tea straws as they are easier to work with and better for the cake nowadays vs wooden ones
3) You can get by with this cake for the original doweling process vs the expensive SPS system...that would be more ideal for much bigger cakes,,but if you are going to do a lot of wedding/stacked cakes, then you may want to invest in the SPS system as it is more sturdy and less worries on transporting vs the old way.
4)You are safer to just take the 2 tiers stacked and have topper separate and then assemble with main dowel rod at reception hall..but whatever makes you feel more comfortable..it sounds like you are very new to all of this, so I would take 2 layer and topper SEPARATE! YOu also need to practice your skills from YOUtube and doing it because this is a HUGE, important day you don't want to mess up with for the bride vs just an ordinary b-day cake.
5) sounds very stressful for you,,YET, I would transport yourself due to being reliable if anything happens to cake by caterer at all, UNLESS you personally know and trust the caterer extremely..You don't want anything to happen to that cake so it's best to have in your hands till put on display table at reception.
6) as far as the flowers go, if you can assemble them into cake PRIOR to delivery, then that's best and then just have material aside with you in case one falls out or break..you can also put stems into straws then insert into cake. Sounds like your day will be chaotic, so I would do prior.
7) ribbon: satin looks nice but you MUST place a thin strip of wax paper around bottom edge where ribbon goes FIRST!! Then put ribbon OVER wax paper..do NOT put ribbon directly on cake..non-edible and not allowed! Easy way to do it is cut a strip of wax paper, same size as ribbon, then use glue on edges for it stick, but won't touch cake. Then wrap it around cake and glue on with edible piping gel.
You can use RI for writing,,but you NEED to practice your writing to make it nice..so practice on wax paper with RI or you may use icing also,,but whatever works best for you! YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE THIS STUFF BEFORE DOING THIS CAKE!! Brides expect perfect wedding cake!!

YOUTUBE will help you with a lot of tips and good videos to follow! Take a lot of time out to view these and best of luck!

Thanks so much!
Yes, I have been practicing but I am worried about the writing. Thanks so much for the ribbon tip, I did not know that. Should I mix the buttercream with a little bit of the filling to ice it or should it be regular buttercream? I am also planning on putting a very thin layer of buttercream in the middle because I do not want the filling to soak up into the cake. I have only done 2 tier cakes and that is pretty easy to transport. The only 3 tier cake I have made is the one from the wilton course so it doesn't count. The good thing about this wedding cake is that it is very simple, except for the writing and stacking. I usually do celebration cakes (usually carved or 3D,) which are more complex, but I am worried because of the 3 tiers and the transportation. The interesting thing is that I am more worried than the bride. I am very picky so I always try to make them as best as I possibly can. The bride is VERY Zen. In fact, my 3 year old is the ring bearer and I had to call her a few weeks ago to ask her what should he wear because she never told me. She told me that he should wear whatever I think is nice. I thought she was crazy. He is going to wear a tux because I want him to look Nice. I would never allow someone else to choose what the ring bearer should wear if it was my wedding. I am way too much of a control freak and perfectionist to leave that decision to someone else

Depending on how much filling you would need to mix with the buttercream, it may change the texture more than you'd like. It may also make it so that it doesn't crust but since Indoon't know exactly what kind of filling you're using I'm not sure about that one. If you want to make sure the fondant is going onto a Buttercream that has the texture you're used to working with and doesn't ooze out the bottom, it may be better not to chance it. I'm sure the flavor will be fine--in my opinion plain Buttercream tastes good with anything!