I am doing a wedding cake similar to this one in a few weeks and have never done the draping like is done on the second tier of this cake.  Is the tier covered with fondant first and then covered "completely" with a thinner fondant layer or just a strip that is draped?  If it is just a strip, how do you cover the seam?  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The draped fondant is a thin second layer on top of a normal covering.  Make it wider than the cake's height and just scrunch slightly on the rolling board just before you attach it to the cake.

BakingIrene, thank you for your help.  But I am not sure about one thing.  Does  the draped fondant piece completely cover the tier?  Top and all or just a rectangular strip?
 

Just the sides.  If you look carefully, you can see a slight ripple in the top edge of that strip all around.

That's what I thought.  Is there was a trick to cover the seams in the back?

Fold one end of the strip over before you start draping.  Let that end sit on top of the other end without disguising it.  Some people then pipe a row of ball "buttons" over that folded edge to go with the "fabric" theme.

Good question, and good advice. I'm sure I'll be needing this in teh future. Thanks to the both of you :)

Hijacking the thread to say WOW, what a gorgeous cake!  And does anyone have any insight into that top layer?  Sugarveil?  It seems thicker than I'd expect for that.  An impeccably applied gumpaste lace cut out mat?  It's the lack of any ripples (think of the process of covering a layer with fondant)  and the thinness of the connecting lacy bits that are stumping me.  I can usually visualize a way to do something just by looking at a picture, but clearly that cake was made by someone with far better cake skills than I have!

Well I have no idea how the decorators did that floral motif.  But I would use gumpaste flower and leaf cutters, with light veins.  Then  I would simply pipe royal icing to connect.