Hi all, I have a wedding cake for next Saturday, and I've really got to figure out what I want to do incase I have to order some things. I've gots lots of freedom with what I want to do. So.....
It's going to be an all white cake with royal icing snowflakes and pearls for some extra sparkle.

I was thinking of doing 14,12,10,8,6 rounds....I need to feed at least 200 so I was going to make a sheet also to serve. Do you think that 5 tiers all 2inches apart will look bad? Should the sizing be mixed up a bit? Should I start with a 16" round???? (that's what I would have to order asap!)

The bride had also mentioned that she likes the pillars, I'm not a fan of them, I prefer the look of all stacked construction. But I was also considering doing the 14,12,10 rounds then 5in crystal pillars then the 8 &6 rounds......would that work? I was going to do the double plate pillars but then I was trying to figure out what to put under the 8"tier, won't it look too plain?

If I do the stacked/pillar cake would I be better off doing a 16,14,12 with an 8&6 on the pillar.

I just don't know what would look best. I'm really leaning towards all stacked, but I'm trying to use what I know the bride likes!

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks!

frankly i would do the bottom two tiers stacked, then place the pillars in between each of the next tiers. It would be easier to transport with just two tiers stacked. and the rest on their own plates.

I would also use pushed in pillars so i didn't have to deal with so many dowels, the higher you go with a doweled cake the more room for error.

Of course this is JMO

i would do a 16, 12, 10, 8, 6

It would look fine with the 14" as the bottom tier. Does she have a topper? If so, you could put that between the pillars. You do need something there. I agree with the PP about the push-in pillars. I think they're easier than the two plate construction.

A 14, 10, 12, 8, 6 is enough for 200 people..Adding a 16 would feed over 300 people. The sizes are fine, just depends on how you want your decor to look. I do cakes with those sizes all the time.
Edna

Thanks for the replies! Now if I go by Earlene's serving chart (which is what I usually use) a 14,12,10,8,6 rounds serves 163, unless I'm adding wrong! That why I planned on an undecorated sheet also.

I also thought about the pushed in pillars but the last time I used them, which was forever ago, (because I hate everything about them) I didn't have the pillars pushed into the exact correct spots and when I put the plate ontop the cake cracked alittle, I guess because I move the pillar in the cake. So I thought that the 2 plate looked less goof proof.....maybe not?

And my plan for transport is to stack the bottom 3 tiers, which I do all the time, so I'm not worried about that, then assemble the top 2 onsite.

PEG818....are you suggesting stacking the 14 & 12 then putting pillars inbetween each of the 10, 8 & 6 tier? Is there any reason why you suggest a 16" base instead of the 14"? I think I'd be nervous with 3 sets of pillars in a cake.

Here's a pic of one of mine that has the bottom 3 stacked and the top 2 on pillars: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=93754

HEre's a 5 tier with the hidden pillars and the space between filled in with flowers: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1119353

I'd recommend the push-in pillars over the 2-plate system. To set the pillars in the right place, just press a plate, with the feet-side down, lightly into the top of the cake. This marks the top of the cake where the pillars should go. As long as you push them in straight, you're good to go!

5 tiers is too many for 200 people. Although, one thing to be considered in deciding how many/what size tiers is how high is each tier. I do a 3 layer cake with 2 layers fillings, which makes each tier almost 6" high. That is a lot of cake! So, if you make higher tiers, you can use fewer and that makes for more stability. I would make a 16", 12" and 8". If bride wishes to keep top layer, throw in a 4" for topper. Tiers for stability should always be at least 3" less in size - I prefer 4". I dowel each tier to support the one on top and then one dowel through all cakes for stability so cake won't move side to side. Hope this helps!

Ok, so I've decided to go with the push in pillars, I may even do the top 2 tiers each on there own pillar. So I'll have 3 stacked tiers than pillars than 4th tier than pillars than top tier. Now I just have to start making those darn snowflakes.....I know that should be fun!!!

BAKINGPW....what serving chart do you use? I know if I go by the wilton chart a 14,12,10,8,6 cake should serve 254 people, but I also know that that chart is not very accurate. If I go by Earlene's serving chart it only serves 163 people. That is a HUGE difference! Now I'm not sure what to do.......My cakes are 3 layers cake, 2 layers filling, usually about 4" high.

Now what do the experts out there think? I do tons of party cakes, and only a few wedding cakes throughout the year, so I don't really think about this too much.

Well okay then, If Debi says I have enough cake than that's all I need to know. That saves me time of making a sheet cake! Thanks!

Can I ask one more question, what do they typically do with a grooms cake. If the wedding cake is being sliced an served at the table as dessert, what do they do with his cake, since is normally much smaller and not meant to serve everyone.

Thanks so much, you've all been so helpful!

Be sure to post a picture when you're finished. It sounds beautiful already!

mkorbal....... I'm assuming you are a home baker...... before you order any pans, make SURE your oven is large enough to accommodate the large pans.....( mine is not )
Listen to Debbie..... she helped me through a couple cakes, and I followed her directions and came out just great........ if you are not going to be cutting the cake, print out Debbie's cutting instructions and leave them at the venue..... I do, and they really appreciate it.... ( Deb said I could)
Show us pics of the end product..... LOVE to see it..... it sounds beautiful...

Oh, the grooms cake, if served at the reception, not the resersal dinner, is cut at the reception, and included in the number of servings you need.....so you would see how many the groom's cake serves and deduct that from the wedding cake......

I agree with Debi on the Wilton serving chart. It is absolutely accurate. If you use Earlene's chart's you are simply making extra cake for free. And the caterer will cut the pieces according to the Wilton chart anyway, because it's what all caterers know. These days, especially now in January when everyone is "on a diet" the usual request is for "just a small piece."

You can also do satellite cakes around the tiered cake if you only wanted to do a 3 tiered cake rather than doing a sheet cake. I did one like that.

I would do all stacking on site instead of traveling with it stacked.

When I got married my wedding cake had a table all by itself and the grooms cake was on the next table with the champagne fountain so if the guest wanted both cakes they were right next to each other.

Please post a pic...would like to see what you come up with.

You are all making me feel so much better about the cake size, now the grooms cake is only going to serve about 35people, it's really just there for decoration. I'm assuming they will cut it and put it with the "cookie table" so I'm not counting that at all in my serving count.
So this is what I definately have:
14,12,10,8,6 inch rounds (knowing that it'll be more than enough)
Stacking the 14,12&10
using the twisted crystal push in pillars for the 8" and then another crystal push in pillar for the 6".

Now I've really got to start those snowflakes!!!! I keep procrastinating!
Thanks everyone!

It might be too late for this one, but you really should look into SPS. It's designed for transporting cakes already stacked and also offers crystal look pillars. It's very, very secure.

I would like to see the pic. please

Speaking of charts-maybe you guys can help! I use the Wilton chart, too, but where the heck did it go on their site? Does anyone have a link to it?

Here ya go .... http://www.wilton.com/wedding/wedding-cakes/wedding-cake-data.cfm

I also have this link on my website (Wedding Cake Pricing page) so brides can get an idea of what size cake they will end up with. Helps prevent the "I want a 5 tier cake for 40 people" requests.

Thank you Indydebi!

Please someone correct me if I am wrong as I have not done any push in pillar constructing since my Wilton course III.

But in that class I was informed to be sure there was a minimum 3" difference of diameter between cakes or else the pillars would be to so far from the center it would bulge cake from the sides ( or something like this). This information is from the Winton instructor.

So can you really stack a 6 inch cake with push in pillars (or SPS) onto an 8 inch cake? or for that matter, an 8 inch onto a 10 inch?

stampinron, it's a tight fit, but it CAN be done. In the first cake (previous page, first cake link in my post), a 6" cake is push-pillared into an 8" cake. Be sure you mark the top of the cake perfectly and push the pillars perfectly straight down. Push gently.

The 2nd link in my previous post uses the hidden pillars, which are even bigger than the push-in-pillars.

Debi,

thank you for that info. I've always wondered about that. Have to say I loved that first cake of yours in the previous posts.