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.