Hi all, I joined a few days ago and looked through the forum. I now feel confident that I will get all the help I need

I have been asked by a friend to make her wedding cake (I make all my families birthday cakes)

She has given me free reign in regards to look and taste (she hates cake) so I have consulted with her fiance and he like any form of chocolate. I showed him some designs and he like this type.

The thing is I don't know anything about quantities, or type of cake etc.

So here goes.

1. I need to feed 150 people how big do my tiers need to be, 4th tier can be added if needed.
3. Will something like this work to support the tiers?
http://www.wilton.com/cakes/tiered-cakes/hidden-pillars.cfm
2. What type of cake do I make, I usually use a chiffon cake but that is going to be too soft to support the weight of the tiers.
3. The venue is about 45mins away, do I take it fully assembled or do it there? If fully assembled how do I transport it?
4. I am going to buy ready made cigarellos but how do I attach them to the side of the cake?

Well thats all for now, but I'm sure I will think of more later.

Thanks in advance.

Ok, for 150 people, I would do a cake in the sizes of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, that will feed apporx. 160. I always use SPS, you can purchase them from Global Sugar Art. You can use just about any cake with SPS because the weith of the top tier rests solely on the sps system. You can attach them to the side of the cake with icing. If you only want the cake to be 4 tiers them I would make the cake 6, 10, 12, 16. Just suggestions. Hope it goes well for you! Welcome to CC!

Here's the wilton wedding chart, which is what I go by. http://www.wilton.com/wedding/wedding-cakes/wedding-cake-data.cfm

An industry standard serving is 1x2x4 ... here is a pic of a 1x2x4 piece of cake: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1156785

Here is a how-to-cut-the-cake to achieve these servings: http://cateritsimple.com/_wsn/page10.html

According to the wilton chart, a cake made with 6/8/10/12/14 cakes will serve over 200, so if you go with that configuration, be sure to charge appropriately.

If I were doing cake for 150, I'd do 14/10/8/6 (152 servings). If you want more, you could easily swap out the 10 and insert a 12" and that would give you 178 servings. Ask the bride if she wants just enough or a little extra.

As rvercher23 said, it doesn't matter what kind of cake it is because the cake itself doesn't support the upper tiers of cake ... the support system supports the tiers of cakes.

Hi and Welcome to CC, chipolata.

Decoding CC acronyms:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-2926-.html

Everything you ever wanted to know about baking, assembling and decorating your first tiered/stacked/layer cake:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-605188-.html

Above thread has almost goof-proof cake and frosting/fondant recipes, baking and assembling help and so much more.

How to use cigarellos/pirouettes:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-608787-cigarellos.html

HTH

Thank you ladies will def be using sps, but what about transporting the cake?

Some people will say that they have transported fully assembled cakes just fine, but me, I do not. There are just too many thing that can go wrong. Take it from me, the first time I transported a cake fully assembled, a guy cut me off and the cake fell over and smushed the grooms cake as well.......You have to do what you are comfortable with.

Only because you are not experienced in transporting I would suggest taking it in parts & putting it together on site, then add the fruit around the layers. The fruit on the top & bottom tiers can be added before you transport.
As for attaching the chocolate curls all you have to do is put them on the cake asap once you ice each cake.
Just plan on taking a 'repair kit' with you. Extra icing; cigs; spatula; any tips you might have used; anything you think you might use or have used in making it.

Another tip, although you did not ask about this, make sure to take your tool kit back home with you! I took a cake to a venue for a birthday party (one that I happened to be invited to). After the party I left and when I got home, I realized I had forgotten my tool kit on site. I think, no problem, I'll just call in the morning. I call, no one has turned it in or seen it. I try again a week later, still no tool kit. I'm told that I will receive a call from the security guard that works the site. No call. This was a few months ago. Just last week I went back to the site for another party and guess what, no tool kit. So now I'm out some very important tools that I have to go buy again. *sigh*

So if you take a tool kit with you, be sure to have it in your hands when you leave!