I am about to do my FIRST wedding cake. I am using gumpaste to make the roses that will be arranged in a cascade from the top to bottom in a twist on the cake. The roses will be made on a wire -- my question is -- how do I get them to hang on the sides of the cake without falling? Do I use flower spikes? I asked a cake decorating site online and she said flower spikes are only for live flowers that need water. Also read in the Wilton wedding book that you cannot let the wires or floral tape touch the actual cake. How do you apply/hang flowers on the cake without the wires touching it?

In addition, ANY TIPS for me are appreciated! I am nervous about making the roses and putting them on the cake without them all falling off!!!

Also, when you have done wedding cakes with 3-4 tiers, do you assemble it and bring it to the site, or bring the tiers in separate boxes and assemble at the wedding site? What about the flowers, should I apply those to the cake on-site too? As you can tell, I'm new at this and nervous! Thanks in advance.

You can stick the wires into a plastic straw and then insert the straw into the cake. This will keep the floral tape and wires separate from the cake and completely food safe.

I would probably assemble as much as possible before hand but others may disagree

Use SPS for support and you can pre-assemble as many tiers as you can lift.

When putting the flowers onto the cake, start at the bottom. and build the cascade on itself. The flower below helps support the flower above. That part I do onsite.

I use paper wrapped wires (I buy flowers and that's how them come) and stick them directly into the cake.

Yeah . . . yeah.

When Ive done them Ive take and used on large wire and then wired my flowers to it. Then I took the two ends of the wire and bent them and stuck them into straws. You also might need to put a couple of U shaped wires into places to hold them all on. But I usually stick the edges into chocolate and that way their not bare wires going into it. It also makes it really easy for the venue to take them off the cake in one whole swoop. When they pull it out, it also makes the U shaped wires come out too.
You crack me up Leah. "Yeah,yeah" for all the people that were cursing you for putting wires directly into a cake! Too funny! A polite way of telling them.....

yay i'm glad i saw this thread! i'm actually doing this wedding cake this weekend as well and i would have never known to start the cascade from the bottom and work up! thanks a ton leah

I'm a novice -- what is SPS?

Where can you buy flowers? Where do I buy paper-wrapped flowers? If making my own doesn't work out, it would be nice to know where I could get some pre-made!!!

So I can use drinking straws to hold the wires! Genuis! I hadn't thought of that, and I certainly did not know about building from the bottom up... SO helpful. Thank you!