A lady sent me this picture ( I did NOT do this cake!!), suggested some changes, and asked me to price this cake.  The cake image came from cakecentral, but I do not know who made it.  It looks to me like the castle is just a smaller cake frosted and the pillars are surrounding it, and on top of it.  

What can I use for those pillars?  I don't have to have those exact ones,, but everything I look up is kind of expensive (like plastic cake tier stands etc) so I know I am missing something. 

Also, do you think this is just single LED Lights used to light up the pillars?  I see them at like michael's but they are like the votive ones.. that give off a yellowish glow :(

I can't help on the lights, but I pretty sure those pillars are Wilton crystal look spiked pillars stuck into the bottom tier: http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=pg_crystalspiked.

Guessing they made the tops out of gumpaste or something, or even cardstock. They are hollow so you can get an LED in there, just not sure where the wires would go but maybe someone else can help with that.

AAHH! Awesome! Thanks!! That is what those pillars are.. I am open to other suggestions if anyone has any though.. just in case I can't get those exact ones for some reason!

I had the same thought about the cones on top.. I think I would use gumpaste..Maybe I can use a coupon and get those pillars at Michaels or Hobby Lobby locally.. and not pay shipping.

I think the LEDs would be individual ones, with their own little battery...Or at least thats what I am hoping.  The thought of a bunch of wires when people are cutting into a cake seems scary to me.. even if battery powered... but where to get those individual ones might be the issue.  

Thanks again.  Still looking up stuff on those lights!

Glad I could help. Oh and that clear base is by Wilton too. It has little feet on it so you can get your fingers under it to lift. I bought one years ago, not sure if they are still made. Those pillars I had to buy for a cake last year so they are probably fairly easy to get. 

Hey! Well, I found these for lights!

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/clear-mini-led-lights-101675/?OrderItemId=31598273

As far as the pillars and that clear plate go.. and other things like that.. do you add it into the price of the cake and let them keep them? Or do you charge a deposit, and then return it when you get them back?

probably the wrong thread for that question! But just thought of it!

I would get a deposit on the stand so you get it back, if you want it back (you probably would do this but I'll mention it in case - build your cake on a cake board so the stand doesn't get scratched when they cut). The columns I would just build into the price of the cake, you don't really want those back unless you envisage using them again!

Same for the lights, build the price into the cake. They look like they would work, I guess you just switch them on then drop them in the columns and they will stop by themselves when they can go no further down, but not until the last minute if they only last 6 hours. Or get the customer to do that and pop the tops on the columns herself?? Depends how far ahead you have to deliver. Looks like they taped one under the base too.