I am making a 5 tiered wedding cake for my brother in laws wedding. The bottom tier is going to be a dummy cake. It will be iced with BC. It has a very simple design not alot of decorations. My question is do i put all 5 tiers together and then deliver it or should i stack the tiers after i get there and finish it on site? This will be my first 5 tiered cake ever. I am so nervous...

I hear most people put it together on site. I personally haven't done anything bigger than a 3 tier and that sucker was heavy enough. Guess it depends on what you're more comfortable with, you delivery options as do you have anything big enough to delivery it in already assembled and how are you going to get it from the vehicle to the reception hall? Hopefully someone will have a better answer for you!

I have delivered 4 tier wedding cakes using SPS, (would NOT do it with dowels or straws) but one word of warning: If the bottom tier is fake, the cake will be top heavy and kind of awkward, because the bottom is so much lighter...just keep that in mind. Also, do dowel your bottom tier, even if it is fake, as that styrofoam will be holding a LOT of weight!

If this is your first time, I would bring it unassembled and assemble it on site, again especailly if you are using dowels or straws. I don't trust those for transporting.

I think I would have all the dowels or supports in the tiers, maybe even have the bottom two stacked for transport....than travel with the rest individually boxed and assemble on sight. It's a lot less likely that you'll have an incident that way.
Just remember to bring a case of supplies to finish up the cake on-site. Icing, spatula, tips, and any needed decorations.

Good luck

I'd definitely stack the dummy and the one on top and maybe the next one, but no more prior to transport, dur to the top heaveyness factor. I'd still use SPS in the non-dummy tiers.

I usually agree with loriemoms on everything she says, but I don't think you need to dowel the styrofoam base. I've done a 5 tier cake with a stryo-base and that styrofoam is rock solid. You can stand on them and they will hold up (and if they hold this fat old lady, they will hold your cake!).

The weight of a fully assembled cake is way more than you think. I, personally, would transport unassembled and stack 'em there. I can set up a 3-5 tier cake and be outta there in under 20 minutes.

By all means, transport the cake separately and then assemble it there. It's really not that hard to put together once you get to the venue and it's even easier if you already have a cardboard sitting on the lower tier same size as the upper one you're placing on. Then, it's just a matter of using a heavy duty pancake turner (one that won't bend) under one side and your hand under the other side to gently slide it on. Then you pipe on your borders. It's not worth risking a possible sudden stop or any unforseen thing that could happen transporting a stacked cake.

Save yourself a years worth of stress and transport separately and set up there. I've never worked with dummies (well not cakes) but I'd still do the full set up there.

Dang Debi, you're fast!! Now, I didn't say you were easy, just fast.

I have done two 5 tier cakes now and stacked them all on site. I transported them in boxes separately then stacked them and did the trim on the bottom after stacking them. I try to get there about an hour before anyone is supposed to show up to make sure I have enough time. My suggestions are to make sure you bring dowels (I have dowels cut to 4 1/2 inches and place them strategically under the bottom 3) because a 5 tier cake is so heavy it tends to lean or sink on one side, and bring anything you might possibly need, frosting in piping bags, towels, whatever you might need. The good thing is that you have a sturdy dummy cake on the bottom, it should make it pretty stable. Best of luck!!!

If you assemble it ahead of time you are asking for trouble. Assemble it on site. Dowel each tier, not the styrofoam one but the rest. It will just save you a lot of stress

Jibbies

I agree with all of the advice about building the cake there. You could probably do the bottom two (styro and bottom layer) Be sure to pack up all of your tools. You'll have to add your trim, and decorations once you arrive.

Here's a 4 layer I built at the reception site. It did take me an hour, but I had to add all of the shells. I set it up 3 hours before the reception began.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1004483

Thanks everyone so much for the great advice i think i will be transporting them sperate. There is another ? i have. I have never used a dummie before so is there and special preparations be fore i ice it or do i just ice it like i would a regular cake?

I've only done a couple of dummy cakes, but I just used regular buttercream icing and more than one coat to give it a smooth finish.

Another way is to lay a piece of that rubber shelf liner on the turntable and it won't slide around

I cover mine with press and seal before icing, that way you can use it again.

good luck.