I am doing a wedding cake for my boyfriend's boss and wife to be this Fri. I am fine with the overall assembly in so far as how to stack the cake properly, my questions are more with adding the details and when. I just recently started to use SMBC and really like it so plan to use it on the cake. My questions of how to "attack" the cake are namely because I am a rookie with SMBC and am also using cake lace for the first time.
The particulars of the cake are:
* 3 tiers of 10, 8 and 6" (I know some of you hate the small 2" difference but that isn't going to change on this one....lol)
* SMBC as the icing
* cake lace on the bottom and top tiers
* fondant ribbon on the middle tier
* gumpaste roses and hydrangeas as the topper, between the middle and bottom tier, maybe at the base as well plus a few single hydrangeas here and there (they can hide flaws)
* fondant plaque with royal icing monogram on middle tier
* just over an hour drive to the venue
So, I will refrigerate the cake well before transport and I have a cake porter (insulated tote) for it to travel in and I have AC in my SUV so I think the cake will be good getting to the venue.
These are my questions/concerns:
1) 9 times out of 10 when I'm working with a buttercream cake I seem to manage to mess up the icing when I am adding the details. My thought is to have the cake nice and cool before I apply the cake lace, the fondant ribbon, the plaque and the flowers. Am I right in thinking that?
2) Once the cake lace is on the cake can it go back in the refrigerator?
3) I know not to refrigerate the gumpaste flowers so would I be best off to put them on the cake before transport (while it's nice & cool) rather than at the venue when the SMBC will be softer? I am so scared that I'm going to mess up the icing in getting the flowers on the cake.
4) What about the plaque with the royal icing transfer? Ok in the fridge?
My preference would be to have the bulk of the decorating done before I get to the venue as I feel I'll be a bit nervous doing it on site. Having said that, I can do it on site if need be.
Sorting of repeating myself but here is what I am thinking of doing:
1) refrigerate cake to get SMBC nice and firm
2) apply cake lace, fondant ribbon and plaque to cooled cakes
3) cakes back to refrigerator until transport time
4) attach gumpaste flowers to cooled cakes
5) load up in cake porter for transport
Would you do things differently?
Tagging @-K8memphis (hope you don't mind) as I feel you will definitely be a help with this. You seem to chime in on a lot of posts but I just wanted to ensure you see this one...lol
Thank you all in advance for your time and advice :-)
Kelly
i'm here 
hahahaha -- yes i have a big mouth 
hahahaha
yes refrigerate cake
yes apply ribbon and lace when icing is cold -- and i'd do a test on this for condensation -- you won't have any trouble i'm sure but test a little piece of lace in & out the fridge -- water dissolves the lace and i'm sure you won't have that much condensation but if you know it for sure in advance it keeps the butterflies away --
but i would apply the monogram plaque and big pouf of hydrangea at the venue myself -- unless i had done it before and it all worked out well -- it just depends on how stable your flower paste is and if the plaque will be too heavy and fall off on the ride over -- i would have just done a monogram that could be done in advance no worries -- but a plaque is a different matter -- if it's feather light maybe -- but idk i'd apply it after the ride over --
if you mar the icing you'll know how to fix it easy peasy -- i just get in a zone when i set up cakes -- i don't converse unless i have to -- i just get my job done and then i can be human again -- and just take a piping bag of icing with you and a small spatula -- you got this --
the beautiful thing about smbc is it repairs seamlessly -- you should ice something and mess it up and repair it so you can see how versatile and easy it is -- that alone will help alot -- all room temp no water :)
you're very welcome -- your work is so clean and nice and fun and good -- it's a pleasure to chime in and to be asked to chime in 
Thanks @-K8memphis !
I think nerves are starting to kick in a little as I'm used to sending off a completed cake & sort of forgetting about it. I also have another rather large cake to do this week the day before the wedding cake so I'm also getting a bit tired. As per the norm, I take on a lot on top of working full time and just hope it doesn't all come back to bite me in the butt!
All great suggestions to test out how the lace fairs etc. I will try & do all that tonight as I have cake dummies I can practice on.
For the plaque, it will just be a thin piece of fondant with the initials piped on in royal icing. It was the easiest way I could think to do it. My piping skills aren't the strongest so I figure I'll have a much easier time piping on to a flat piece of fondant as opposed to piping directly on to the cake. If I bugger up the piece of fondant, no biggy, I can try again. If I pipe right on to the cake and bugger it up.....different story. Do you have another thought on how to do the monogram? I did a SMBC cake this past weekend that had fondant letters on the side of the cake & they seemed to hold up fine. That cake was refrigerated, letters applied, refrigerated, traveled 1.5hrs and then sat in my cake porter for a couple of hours before being cut.
I do intend to bring extra icing etc with me in the event that I need to make a repair. Fingers crossed is all I can say!
Thanks again so much!
Kelly
if these are round cakes you want to dry the fondant plaque on the side of the cake pan so it's rounded and fits well? But if it's small a flat one would do well --
but I feel sure you could pipe the monogram right on the surface then you don't have to fiddle around with all the other --
i hope you can get a breather after this week -- one cake a week max since you're working full time -- I'd recommend no more than 2 a month really -- then it's more enjoyable and you have time for yourself too --
it's ok to be booked up -- you don't have to agree to everyone's request -- only you can take care of you and that Is very very very important
Agree^^^
Cake lace no problem in the fridge (I use homemade so.only can speak for that) and yes...would be nervous re the RI and the fridge. Make a test. But I'd probably use fondant and a clay extruder and make the monogram. Oh and I'd attach all flowers etc at the reception. If your smbc should become sooo soft that they would fall off, they would fall off anyway, even if you attached them initially to a cold cake. Just make sure they are secure. Good luck...can't wait to see it!
Thank you @julia1812 for your thoughts. I have decided to use fondant for the monogram. I had thought of using an extruder but I only have a cheap one & it's junk! No longer extrudes as the inside of it has worn all funny. I used my "funky" tappits for the letters & have them drying now. May place a couple hydrangeas over the top & bottom of the letters?
[postimage id="5088" thumb="900"]
@julia1812 I forgot to mention that I make home made cake lace too. I use the recipe from Veena Azmanov.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%