I am making a wedding cake for my brother in about 5 weeks. I would like some opinions on this layout and the pillars.

1) Will these work as pillars considering that they want all real cake - no dummies? Would they be strong enough?

2) Does the overall layering effect look okay? I am planning on making some beaded wire jewelry for between the pillars and placing roses around it as well as roses on top of the cake. I am doing scroll work on the tiers.

The first picture way I want to use the pillars and the second is the bud vase I want to use as pillars for this cake. I appreciate any comments or help you can give me.

Thanks in advance,
Cindy

I really like the vases...I think that it will look fabulous!

I think that works just fine.....what a great idea to add beading. I wouldn't see why it wouldn't work, wine glasses are used all the time....even a single glass....I would think 4 bud vases would be able to support the weight.

That vase is really pretty. It would look really pretty to put mini roses inside the vases! That would make a cool cake pillar! I have no idea if it will work, but I like the way it looks. here's hoping someone can answer you.

just remember to put supports under each of the pillars that will transfer the weight on down to the bottom board -- other wise your pillars will sink into the bottom tier.

That looks awesome! Can't wait to see the finished product!

Love the look, can't wait to see the finished cake. I was also curious as to it working or not. That will be another project on my list.

I agree all around. This will work wonderful & be very elegant. Just make sure to distribute the weight. POST PICS!!!!!

Thank you every one!! I am so glad to know they will support the weight of the tiers above. It is a rather large cake with the bottom being 18" and then 14, 10 and 6" for the upper layers. I was so worried that the glass would end up broken under the weight. I am glad to know that it won't as I love the look of these for pillars. I will post pictures of the finished product of course!

Cindy..

I honestly think they won't hold it... I think it looks BEAUTIFUL...but not sure about strength..

Perhaps try it out first just to be sure??

Can't wait to see the final product!

Cindy, why not doing only the botton one a dummy for better suport at the bottom, they will still have real cake....
but how will they cut it for the picture?

It is all supposed to be real cake. I was only using the dummies as a tool for the layout. I am making white cake with strawberry and lemon filling. Frosted with buttercream. I know I have seen cakes supported with wine glasses but I haven't seen it with so many layers above.

Anybody else want to weigh in here? I really would appreciate any and all comments.

How would it look if you put the vases between the 2nd and 3rd tiers? Then you wouldn't have nearly as much weight on the vases...

That was my original plan but the vases are 8" tall and seem a little too tall there. Here is a pic. Opinions on which is better? I was hoping that I wouldn't have to bake an entire cake in order to find out. Still open to suggestions and comments.

oh, there it is I think it looks more balanced that way myself...in theh other one, the bottom layer seems...lonely?

I also like the last layout better too.

My husband agrees with you about the pillar placement. My mother does not. I am starting to like it better now myself that I have seen the pictures and left it sit for a bit. I was just thinking that as well about finding a way to measure the strength - I was just unsure how to measure the weight of the cakes without having to bake. 200 servings is a lot to bake when there are only 4 of us in the house and 2 of them are under 4 years old!!

here is my concern...what are you going to use under and above the vases? plastic separator plates or cardboard/cake drums?

if you use the plastic separator plates, they have feet that can rest inside the vases for a little stability.

but on the bottom, what would be underneath the vases? if you put a dowel underneath - i dont think that would be enough. i think you'd definately need a plastic separator plate on top of the bottom cake (held up with dowels in the cake of course), plus i'd even superglue them down. any slight bump on the cake table, and i can just envision the whole thing coming down.

another thought may be to use the wilton pillars that have this same shape as the vases and are pearlized...i think you use them with separator plates, or to use the clear crystal look pillars that actually push down into the bottom cake and come up to be connected to the separator plate on the cake above (with its "feet" inserted into the pillars). i think they are called push pillars,,, i am not much of a pillar person, but these are just some ideas-

LOL!! I actually don't want to imagine them on that much sugar!! They are extremely active as it is.

Any body else have any thoughts on this issue! The cake not the kids! LOL!

melysa -- thanks for the feed back. I was intending to use the plastic cake seperator plates both under the vases and under the top cake. The top cake will probably be on a foam core board and then set on the plastic seperator.
I like the idea of the super glue. Good point. I think I will at least glue them to one of the plates as I am planning to assemble on site. No traveling assembled for me! Oh yes and good strong wooden dowels under the plastic seperator.

I really wanted to use crystal look pillars but there is none here right now and I kind of like the simplicity of these as compared to the ultra ridged look of the Wilton ones.

yeah, these do look nicer...have you checked ebay? yo ucan find almost anything on there!

I would still like to hear more from people. Has anyone had experience using glass for pillars? Opinions please!

Sorry about these multiple posts. There was a glitch with my computer.

How thick is the glass? Do they look pretty thin, or are they thicker?

If you want to experiment to see if the glasses will hold that much weight, then try stacking a few books on top of them (equal to the weight of a 10" and 6" cake).