I'm stilling getting my ideas in order for my first wedding cake. She wants 2 hearts on the bottom set right on top of each other and then pillars to 1 round on top. My questions:

1) What sizes should the heart cakes and round be ????14, 12 & 8??? For a smaller wedding

2) How much room should I have for my cake board to stick out around my cake. 1 or 2 inches on each side??? (I have a ruffle thing)

3) I read a thread here saying that you could use fabric covered in contact paper or wrapping paper covered in contact paper instead of aluminum. Has anyone here tried that??

4) When you stack the tiers how do you do that without sticking your finger in any of your perfectly smoothed dang icing!!!???

I appreciate the invaluable advice I receive here!

The base board should normally be 2" larger than the base of the tier.

With ruffleboard, the cake should come over the starting edge of the ruffle.

As for sizes, there is a size chart in the articles section.

There are dozens of threads about how to stack cakes. generally, you just have to 'drop' in into place.

Foil or other materials should not come in direct contact with the cake. Clear contact paper is very useful.