i'm making a wedding cake with a 14'',12'', 10'' and 8 inch sized pans. i've been asked to use a non crusting buttercream. is it possible to stack cakes using a no crusting bc?how do you smooth a cake with bc that doesnt crust?
also does anyone have good tips on how to stack cakes and transportation?i'll be stacking 3 cakes and using pillars for the smallest cake.

The only way I know of to smooth bc that doesn't crust is with a hot spatula or bench scraper. Take a pot big enough to fit your spatula or bench scraper when dipped in it. Fill it with water and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Turn to low or just barely a simmer. Dip your spatula or bench scraper in the water and when you pull it out dry it with a paper towel, then smooth the cake with it. You will have to keep dipping and smoothing until you get the smoothness you want.

As for stacking when you put the support dowels or pillars in the tier below pull them back out about 1/4 of the way. When you put the cake plate or cardboard on the supports you have enough time to get your fingers out of the way. The weight of the cake will push the supports back into place.

You can stack them all on site, of course you'll have to add the borders there. For convenience I would stack the 3 tiers at home. If your using cardboards between tiers take a long dowel rod the height of the 3 tiers and push it through all 3 after they are stacked. Then just put the top tier with the pillars on at the site. If you are using plastic plates the SPS system is the safest and most economical for transport.

thanks for your advice. very appreciated. can you give me tried and tested advice on how to stable a cake placed on pillars?how to you put the dowel rods? how do you get it stable enough to place a heavy cake on it?
last time i had a disaster at the wedding site where the wedding cake was wobbley and the cakes did not sit safely on the pillars!
i just then used a stand which was much easier!

Illustrated cake support systems:
(With complete and accurate directions.)

http://tinyurl.com/y22z72

More info on SPS:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-561846-.html
(See leahs post.)

Illustrated dowel cutting by indydebi:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-434013-.html

HTH