Ok guys I need some help. I am making a wedding cake in a month and it's my first. YEAH!!!! But I'm obsessing over every little detail. I seriously see this cake in dreams!! I'm not making any money on it, I'm just doing it as a favor. . .I'm actually losing money because I've thrown in extras over the supply cost that I'm getting. I don't though, I'm just excited to make the cake!!! It's going to be 3 tier, 6" & 8" round, 10" square. . .it will have a mousse filling, covered in chocolate ganache then chocolate fondant.

1) Chocopan or dark chocolate Satin Ice? I use SI now and I love it, but I've only tried white!

2) Plastic or wooden dowels? Do I need 1 long center dowel?

3) Cardboard or plastic separator plates? If cardboard, how should I cover the bottom that touches cake beneath (for the top and middle tiers).

4) What should I use for the main cake support? What size? I was thinking 14" because of teh decoration at the bottom.

5) What is the best way to make the balls that are on the cake? I was thinking fondant covered in Luster Dust.

6) I know SI can be refrigerated, but how will the circles and swirls hold up, especially since they'll have luster dust on them as well?

I'm trying to add a pic I hope it works. Thanks guys!!!

I can't answer all of your questions but here's a few.

I would use plastic dowels. When I make a stacked cake, I use foam board for the plates and wrap it in plastic wrap or foil.

The balls are most likely made from yellow fondant with luster dust. The ones on the top probably have some skewers or toothpicks holding them in place.

You need a center dowel if you're going to be transporting the cake already stacked. If you're going to assemble it at the reception, then it could go without one.

Wow, that's a very beautiful cake!

Will you have enough room to refrigerate the assembled wedding cake?

If not, Rich's Bettercreme and ShirleyW's faux bavarian recipe might be a good shelf-stable substitute:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2396-Bavarian-Cream-Filling.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about Rich's Bettercreme (and Pastry Pride):

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-1814171-.html

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

http://tinyurl.com/y22z72

More on SPS system:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-561846-.html

Illustrated level dowel cutting by indydebi:

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

Illustrated how to cut & serve clean slices of cake:
(Indydebi's method of cutting tiered cakes.)

http://www.cateritsimple.com/id10.html

Look forward to seeing pics of your cake.

HTH

Edited to update links.

Thanks Texas Rose and Jan for your responses. I'll check some of the links on bettercreme, but the bride has her heart set on chocolate mousse. Any other opinions????

DO put in a long center dowel, I made that mistake and my whole cake slid and shifted, compeletly ruined.
Use bubble tea straws, buy that off the internet, you can get them at lots of places.
14' sounds good for the main cake bottom. and if you use cardboard, cover it with saran b/c it will get soggy, Ive experience the effect of that too.

Goodluck!