I've just started experimenting with making fondant 2 loop and loopy bows.
I was wondering how you get the tails to form to the cake. Do you make them ahead of time with the loops and just shape them to dry the way you like, or do you add them later in the final stages of decorating and let them fall on the cake? Thanks so much for all your help.

First of all Welcome to CC!

You can do the tails several ways:

1st way you can make them ahead of time and let them form like a ribbon would...not straight...looking like real ribbon (just form and shape like you would want them to look, by laying them on something softly shaped like the back side of a flower former or like I do sometimes using wadded up tissue paper underneath the waves) Hope this all makes sense OR 2nd way you can just put them on the cake and let them lay down over the cake sides...I like the first method..where you can shape them and make them look real.

I really hope this helps...Im not real good about explaining things. If you use GP (gumpaste) they dry A LOT faster and you can form them any way you want to) Or a GP and Fondant mix 50/50.