I am attempting to make this as my wedding cake and I'm in the middle of doing a trial run. I have never stacked a cake before, so could do with some advice on that any way, but I would like some opinions on the way the bottom tiers have been stacked. It seems that there is some space between the bottom tier and the next one up, to allow for the sugar roses to be positioned in that way. However, I'm trying to work out if the space would be a styrofoam spacer or if it would be pillars. 
 

1) What do you think would be the best way to recreate this?

2) Having never stacked a cake before, I'm a little confused. I have bought a set of dowel templates, but I'm unsure of how to use them - any advice?

3) I have noticed that there are 2 different types of dowel sticks available to buy. There are narrow, drinking straw sized ones and larger pillar sized ones that are hollow in the middle. Would I be better using 1 type over another? I'm a bit scared that the narrow dowels will be too small and flimsy to support the larger, heavy tiers at the bottom, which wil be chocolate sponge (bottom tier) and lemon sponge (next tier up). Will the larger, hollow dowels be better as they will stop the cake from compressing and provide more support than thinner dowels?

ABSOLUTELY ANY ADVICE APPRECIATED - VERY SCARED WHEN IT COMES TO THE STACKING PART! 

Becky x

(channeling leah s here ;)

i'd recommend using a single plate system--called 'sps'

they are like little tables that assemble like a little table then you push that into each tier and then you place each ascending tier on top of that, on top of the 'table'--very secure -- 

the only technical part is that your cakes have to come out the right height for the length of the supports, the 'legs' of the 'table' -- so bake nice tall cakes so you have plenty of wiggle room--or just bake three shorter layers per tier--whatever works--

then you can purchase longer 'legs' for the bottom tier so that you get that extra room there--no problem-o

becky, do you have someone to back you up on your wedding day to hopefully deliver this for you or anything like that? it's a huge responsibility for someone who is not even involved in the wedding -- but i hope you can find someone to be your back up--

good for you for doing the trial run--be sure to load it up in the car and drive around with it and then deliver it somewhere--you will learn a lot

♥

I'm going to take it to the venue in separate boxes and set it up there the day before - don't want to give myself the added pressure of

stacking it first then having to drive to the venue with it in the car tiered up!

I've had a quick nosy on internet for the SPS system to buy in UK but not having much luck. 

Can any UK members advise? I live in Manchester if that helps.

Any ideas on what is separating the two bottom layers? Pillars or styrofoam spacer?

Thanks for help so far!

Becky x

There are a couple of ways to do this -

1.  Use a polystyrene dummy that's about 2" deep (you can buy these ready cut to size...  polystyrene is bl**dy messy to cut!) Make the flowers on stiff wires or cocktail sticks and then insert them into the dummy.  With this cake, I wrapped the side of the polystyrene in sugarpaste first....  As you are already planning to do, take the cakes separately and stack at the venue, but do the flowers first... (I think I put the next tier on top - but didn't stick in place- and then did the flowers so I knew they'd sit nicely and the cake wouldn't shatter then when I put it in place.  I stick a cake card to the top and bottom of the dummy for extra protection and because I think it's nicer to have the cake card in contact with the cake, rather than polystyrene.

http://www.patacake-parties.com/Wedding/files/page3-1003-full.html

http://www.patacake-parties.com/Wedding/files/page3-1039-full.html

2. Use the Wilton hollow dowels.  For that cake, you may need to cut them down.  But all you do is insert them into the cake and then rest the cake on top.  Again, stack at the venue!  Then lay the flowers in the gap.  I must admit, this is what I usually do when using fresh flowers, not sugar

http://www.patacake-parties.com/Wedding/files/page3-1005-full.html

http://www.patacake-parties.com/Wedding/files/page3-1015-full.html

Suzanne x