Hi. I am making a friend's wedding cake in 9 days. It's my first ever. I have taken Wilton courses 1,2 &3, and I'm currently taking their Fondant & Gum Paste course, so I have some knowledge. I just purchased all 3 of Sharon's (Sugar Shack's) DVD's, and will watch them this evening. Just so you know where I stand on basic knowledge. Did I say, Thank God for Cake Central?!?!

My friend gave me a picture out of a magazine (yes, of a professionally decorated cake!) and wants me to do something very similar. She is not being picky at all and will be fine if I adapt it to meet my skills. (Her Bridal Shower cake was completely my choice, so I know she's serious about that.)

The picture is 4 tiers, each 6 inches high, decorated in buttercream. I will be using Sharon's recipe for the frosting. It has a small amount of scrollwork, and a few gum paste flowers. The Bride did request that the flowers be roses. If necessary, I can add a small amount of burgundy as an accent.

The cake is to serve 175 people.

OK, let me have it! Honestly, I will be very appreciative of any tips or suggestions. TFL!

It sounds like your ready for it (especially if you have Sharon's DVDs ). Just make sure you stay organized and do things in steps. Like bake one day (freeze if you do that), fill and crumbcoat the next day, ice and decorate the day before. This helps me stay organized. Are you transporting it stacked?

I'm so happy that someone replied! Yes, after watching her successful stacking DVD (later tonight) I am hoping to transport it already stacked. Worse case scenario, should I take it in 2 sections and do the final stack there? What would you do? I would like to know it's "finished" when I leave home, as I want to attend the ceremony,,, & enjoy it. (Which means I alse need time to get dressed appropriately, and drive 45 minutes.)

Does anyone have any recommendations for the tier structure? Each tier looks so tall in the photo( I'm guessing 6"), but I really only wanted to do 4" high tiers.

What size combination would make an eye appealing arrangement that will serve 175 people? The picture is 4 tiers, but she would probably agree to 3 if that's what the experience here suggests. The top tier will hold monagrams & enough flowers to tie the look into the rest of the cake. There are just a few flowers overall.

Hi dessert1st!
Welcome to CC!!!

Is there any chance you can upload a picture of what she is looking for? Or just let us know what magazine it is in...maybe we can help out a bit more...

I would start the flowers now if possible. I know my first gumpaste roses seemed to take me forever...and I did end up giving up and buying artifical to use instead (I just hated to spend all of that time for them to just throw them away...I was doing for free...)

If you could let us see a picture, I am sure we can help. Not being able to see what she wants you to copy is like walking into a dark room

Yes, a picture would help. 4" looks higher than you think in pictures. It may not really be 6" high and 4 tiers to feed 175 people would be easy to do with 4" high tiers. Much less baking for you.

I will be happy to PM the photo to whoever requests it. Thanks for helping.

I would strongly encourage you to make the tiers 4" tall. For one thing, the dessert plates are likely to be 6" in diameter which is a standard size. if your cakeis 6" tall, the slices will probalby fall off the edge of the plates.

Second, I also encourage you to stack with the SPS system. if you send me your email in a PM, I'll send you the instructions.

Other than those two things, you should be good to go.

You can set up the cake geneally several hours before the receptin starts, so you should have plenty of time to change and get to the ceremony. My contract allows me to set up at the reception 2-6 hours prior.

Thanks for the PM with the photo, I have just replied to you dessert1st & I did forget to tell you to contact Leah about the SPS system, so glad to see she was onto it anyway.

4 inch high cakes with the 1/2 inch fomecore under them look plenty tall

i think u will have to go to 4 tiers to get 175 servings( I think)