Cupcake Stand?

[ColwynsMommy]

Well, I've been commissioned to do 170 cupcakes and a small cake for my cousin's sixteenth birthday. :

She would like a cupcake stand to hold a lot of them, one that can also hold a small cake on top. I've been looking for them online and there really isn't much. So, I was thinking that I could get some thick circular cake boards in graduated sizes, and use pretty vases in between to hold them up. The only thing is.. that doesn't sound very sturdy.

Is there a way to make that sturdier, without making it ugly?

Thanks!

[rere]

How about something like this but on a bigger scale?

[Smokering]

Another idea is to get a huge polystyrene cone (craft shops often have 'em) and lop the top off so the flat circle at the top is the right size to fit the small cake. Paint the cone if you want, and then use toothpicks to stick the cupcakes on the side. Kind of a cupcake croquemboche concept. Stick flowers or ribbon or something in the cracks to disguise the cone, and there you go.

Other than that, rere's idea is good. I do like the wire-type cupcake stands, though I've never seen one with room for a cake on top.

[busylizzybee]

I think your idea of stacking them on boards is good- you could have someone cut wooden ones for you if you can't find big enough cakeboards and cover them in a nice paper or paint them- and square ones may hold more on each tier.
If you can find those big wide cylinder vases you could hot glue them to the boards so they are sturdier. There is also stuff called museum wax that would hold well- you can order it online. It's like dental wax but it stiffens up to hold tightly and then you can wash it off after carefully removing it. We went through this for our wedding- I know it's a lot of cupcakes!

[KristyDi]

Maybe something like this on a smaller scale?

[just_lily]

My MIL made the cupcakes for my BIL and SIL's wedding. They couldn't find a stand, so MIL and FIL made one.

They used burner covers (like for your stove), held together with thick dowelling, and a larger tray on the bottom. FIL cut the dowel to fit, and drilled and screwed it all together. MIL then decorated it with paper doilies and ribbon.

It didn't look super-elegant or anything, but it did the job. I think they had about 140 cupcakes, and they didn't all fit on the stand. They just put the extras on the table around it.

You could also look at loval party rental places. They had stands here, but they were pricey.