OK--here is/was the original plan. Round cakes: 14", 12", 8" & 6". 2-layers per tier, torted and filled with bav creame, iced in buttercream. Set on seperator plates and tiered using 9" push in pillars with a ring of fresh roses around the bottom of each tier.

To accomodate the roses, I set each cake on a size larger seperator plate (ie. the 12" cake is on a 14" plate and so on).

I iced the bottom 2 tiers last night and went to make the marks for the pillars and when I marked the 14" cake with the 14" plate, the marks are about 3/4" from the edge of the cake.

I'm thinking this is WAY to close to the edge to hold. I literally had nightmares last night about the whole thing falling. My dh is an engineer and on first glance, he agrees. He sweetly offered to do some math to figure out if it would work for sure (lol!!)

Options:

1. leave it as is and see what happens (is this "really" an option?)

2. use an additional set of push in pillars near the center of the first tier (so totalling 8 pillars on the bottom tier) Would that look funny?

3. moving each tier to the correct size plate (ie. 12" tier on a 12" plate) and changing the design of the cake since the roses will have nothing to lay on to hold them.

4. using hidden pillars and laying a ring of roses on top of the lower tier to look like they are around the bottom of each tier.

I'm leaning towards option 3. I sort of have a plan in my head of how it could work.

I could also see doing option 4 since have all the material to do option 4 but my layers are almost 6" tall (torted, filled and iced) and that would change the design of the cake from tiered to stacked. However, it could look cool because I could stick with the original design and not have to try and move a fully iced (but not decorated) 12" cake from one plate to another.

Opiniions? Suggestions? Am I correct in thinking that putting 4 pillars near the edge of the bottom cake will not hold?

The bride (a family member) honestly does not care at ALL what the cake looks like. I'm just so glad I figured this out last night as opposed to Saturday morning! Thanks for your help!!

Lisa

I'd say #4. I'd hate to see you move the cakes to a diffrent plate. ( too much chance for disaster) Once a cake is happily sitting on a plate and frosted, I wouldn't want to take te risk of moving it. The cake could crack, you could loose balance and have it tip onto the floor (experience talking here!) Plus you stay closer to the orrigional design. Hope this helps. I know what ever you decide will turn out great!

I'd go with #4 too! It would be terrible if something happened to the cakes while you were moving them to different plates! I'm sure it will be beautiful!

Debbie

Thanks Peacock and Debbie!! I'm going to take your advice and go with option #4. Although I would have enough time to bake a whole new 12" cake if disaster struck--I really don't want to.

I'm off to finish icing and filling and decorating.

Thanks again for your input. I really appreciate it!

Lisa

Any time! Can't wait to see the pictures!
Debbie

You're welcome! Don't make more work for yourself than you have too! Good luck on your cake. I'm sure it will be beautiful!

I think that was a good plan to go with option 4. I am sure the cake will look beautiful! I hope you will post pics when you are finished! Good luck!
traci