In advance: Make royal icing lilies. Use 1 5/8 in. Lily Nail to make 72 lilies with tip 366 petals, tip 16 star center and 7 pearl stamens each.

Also in advance: Make gum paste lily for cake top. Roll out gum paste 1/16 in. thick. Cut 6 petals using tulip leaf cutter from Floral Collection Flower Making Set. Ruffle edges of 3 petals by placing petal on thin foam and rolling ball tool over edges. Cut florist wire to 6 in. Brush 1 1/2 in. of end with Gum Paste Adhesive. Wrap base of petal around wire; smooth. Repeat for all 6 petals. Set wire side down on large Flower Formers dusted with cornstarch to curve; let dry. Assemble lily, alternating smooth and ruffled petals, around 15 pearl stamens. Secure with white florist tape. Insert end in Flower Spike, securing with ball of gum paste if necessary.

Bake and cool 2-layer cakes. Ice smooth and prepare for Separator Plate (2-Plate) and Pillar Construction. Pipe tip 7 bead bottom borders. Attach icing lilies around plates.

At reception: Allow 1 hour or more for piping suspended drop strings. Assemble cakes on pillars. Use royal icing to pipe tip 2 scallops from plate edges, working from top tier down. All scallops are 3/4 in. wide and 1/2 in. deep; start successive rows between midpoints of scallops in row above. For top tier, begin with 2 complete rows. Pipe suspended drop strings centered between pillars, decreasing from 7 scallops to 1. Skip 1 scallop then repeat. For middle tier, begin with 2 complete rows. Pipe suspended drop strings centered between pillars, decreasing from 6 scallops to 1. Pipe suspended drop strings between previous drops, decreasing from 4 scallops to 1. For bottom tier, begin with 3 complete rows. Pipe suspended drop strings centered over each pillar, decreasing from 5 scallops to 1. Fill with a drop that decreases from 3 scallops to 1, another with just 1 scallop, then another that decreases from 3 scallops to 1. Position gum paste lily in Flower Spike, securing with ball of gum paste if needed; insert in cake top.

** The smallest tier is often saved for the first anniversary. The number of servings given does not include the smallest tier.