My niece wants me to make this wedding cake for her in a few months. Any  ideas on the easiest way to get these pleats done (other than individual pleats - trying to get around that

i don't know  -- to me the easiest way is individual pleats but you eliminate that choice so then i guess do it in one full sheet - just pull & stretch & pull & stretch quickly & accurately -- why not do individual pleats it reduces anxiety considerably -- well i got it --  do it in matched pairs of pleats -- start by laying down the center piece...

Beautiful cake!!

You really need to do individual sections of fondant to get it that even. I'd cover the cake in buttercream, then just put the individual sections with the one side folded over onto it. It's the only way that you're going to get it looking that precise.

Here is a similar tutorial. Of course you would have to adjust size and looseness of please but it is a general idea...

http://www.keeponcaking.com/category/wedding-cakes/ 

Loosen pleats I ment 

Appreciate the responses. Thanks so much. Will get a styro dummy and start practising