I am making my firist wedding cake and I purchased the sps system. The problem is that the legs that go inside the cake are only 4 inches tall and my cakes are more like5-6 inches tall. What do I do????? Please help anyone!!!

the only thing I can suggest is to order longer legs. If you do not have time for that, perhaps the wilton hidden pillars at michaels.

Do your cakes HAVE to be so tall for this order?

They do sell longer posts like 9-12...

Good luck
Sorry i could not be more help.

Julia

You have to order the specific length of the legs for the SPS system to coordinate with your cake layers. 4" is the 'normal' heighth of a wedding cake layer. I think they sell a 5", 9" and higher. Like the pp I wonder if your tiers HAVE to be that tall? If the don't I would suggest you trim you layers to match the 4" heighth.

If you go to the wilton hidden tiers you will also need to purchase the wilton plates to fit them into.

As Leahs says -- it's easier to make a 4" tall cake than cut the legs from SPS. They are very thick and made of a heavy material. I recommend the SPS over the Wilton - anyday. Hopefully Leahs will jump on here soon to reaffirm what I've suggested.

Good luck.

Suze

abed,
i just had the same problem, i bought the wilton hidden pillfars and they worked well. they werent as tight as the sps pillars are but they solved my problem.
gerber daisy pic in my photos.
good luck,
kym

If you have time, definitely order the 9" legs. That is what I use for tall cakes and then just cut them on the score lines.

Good luck!

I expected each tier to be 4 inches so the pillar can fit. BUT once I started to fill them, to my surprise, they are about 5 inches tall. I'm really getting nervous. I already have them on the sps plates. I looked at global sugar and they don't sell 5 or 6 inch pillar, just 4. Where do you purchase the longer ones? So I will have to go to michales. Can I keep the plates or do I have to use Michales system?

You can get 9" pillars that are scored so you can cut them to size as Oasis Supply. Here's the link to them: http://www.oasisupply.com/Products/MoreInfo.asp?ProductID=1~BC+GC9SO&CategoryID=65. I don't know when you need the pillars by, but they do ship fairly fast! HTH!

::runs in to post::

All the above posters are correct. The standard height for a wedding cake is 4", and the standard SPS pillars are 4". If for design reasons your cake must be taller, then you have to order a different SPS pillar. The multi-piece comes with a 5" sectn plus (2) 2" sections to make the pillar 5", or 7" or 9". There is also a 9" pillar that is scored in 1/2 inch intervals for easier cutting.

The standard 4" height for wedding cake is because the caterers will show up (or you will bring) the standard dessert plate which is 5" or 6" in diameter. the cake slice needs to fit on the the plate with enough space for the server or the guest to be able to grab the plate.

If you're in the middle of things, I'd probably take a layer of cake off to reduce the height which is problematic anyway. If the design dictates super height, then you're on your way to Michaels/Hobby Lobby for the Wilton system.

Hobby Lobby has a 40% of 1 regularly priced item this week on their website.

Do you have my instruction sheet?

I agree with Leahs -- could you take a tier off or retorte? Unless all tiers are fully decorated and just waiting for pillars, I think I would go that route!

Well, its too late to take a tier off now. I will be heading to michaels. Thanks Leahs for explaining why its important to have a 4 inch tier. I'm tempted to just take them off of the plates and just use wooden dowels, but I feel the cake will have more support with the wilton system, now that I have to go and purchase one. Boy, the things you learn with doing your first wedding cake!!!

I really hope you kept them on the sps plates! I did it and it was FINE!!! Just cut the wilton pillars to my exact height and it worked LIKE A CHARM!!!!

thanks kymscakes. Did you deliver with all tiers on top of each other, or did you assemble on site?