i was reading through the forum and i noticed that some people make their own bases. is their any certain way that is better than the other. Im making a wedding cake this weekend and i thought that it would be a neat project to make myself. any feedback would be helpful. Thanks for reading.

No there really isn't one certain way to make a cake base.
Lots of time it depends on the cake being displayed. You try to come up with something that will show off the cake better than anything else. It might be to cover cake board(s) w/fondant; foil; material; or something else.
Very little out there is food safe........that is made to come in contact w/food w/o problems of some sort soooooooo you put your cake on a cake board the same size as the cake before putting it on a 'fancied up' board. HTH

I really dont have the money to buy "standarad" cake stands and then not use them because its a once in awhile thing. What I do is buy for example like this past weekend and before.

I bought a real pretty long soda fountain glass at the resale shop, they had 4 of them, I got lucky...spent 4.00, then I found silver platters also 1.00-1.25 looks real new all of them...and I put lights/flowers/sand/shells/or whatever in the glasses to dress them up...and I then use the platters to put the cakes on, decorate with tulle/lights. Also I own now, square blocks I got at home depot, set a couple togther put lights between them so they luminate and greenery and set my cakes on them different levels.

One time I got into a real crunch and I was greener than green and very new to this. I took the cakes to the anniv. party. And they said...didnt you bring anything to set up the cakes on? ahhh, no. 2hrs before the party..thank god it was my inlaws...lol

I ran to the dollar store, and all I could find were boxes of CRUNCH AND MUNCH...brought alot of them like 10, and some tape...I had a pretty cloth in my truck...so I taped boxes together at different levels threw the cloth over the boxes, added greenery, and MADE THE SET UP....lol, we ate crunch and munch forever!!!!

Ill have to find that picture...So basically I use whatever I find that I like. You'd be amazed.

how about advice on making a cupcake stand???

For a great tutorial on how to make a cupcake/cake stand, go to
http://www.cakejournal.com/

This is a great site with lots of neat tutorials and tidbits - check it out!

Just go to the tutorials and there is one called "A Cake Stand".

Here is a link to instructions & photo for a cute looking cupcake tree. I'm looking for more, but my bookmarks are SOO unorganized I'm sure if you google "cupcake tower instructions" or something like that, a bunch of stuff would come up. HTH

http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/how-to-make-a-cake-stand-for-cupcakes-or-mini-cakes

found these sites last night infacat, hope they help someone.

http://junkmailgemsblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/recycled-cake-stands.html

works for cupcake stands too:
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090221/LIVING02/902210312

I got alot to resale shops because I can find those antique looking vases or platters...just an Idea.

I sounds like you are talking about the board that the cake sits on?

I have been making mine with 3 layers of foam board I tape them together cover in fondant, Royal icing etc. wrap with ribbon and they work great.
I am lucky I have been getting the foamboard at Dollar Tree for a $1.00 a sheet.

When making many of these recycled cake stands remember the base must be wide. The wider the bigger the cake it will hold.
If you notice most of those shown are small - won't have much over an 8" cake
Shop your thrift stores for vases, plates, etc. Use 3 or 4 thin bud bases instead of one for the base etc.
Better yet would be us use styro as a base to elevate large(r) cakes. Cover it w/decorative fabric, glue-on paper etc, etc.