Making a wedding cake is a detailed and multi-step process that requires careful planning and execution. Here is a step-by-step guide:

### Ingredients and Tools Needed
- **Ingredients**:
- Cake flour
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Butter
- Baking powder
- Milk or buttermilk
- Vanilla extract or other flavorings
- Fondant or buttercream for decoration
- Food coloring (optional)
- Fillings (e.g., fruit preserves, ganache, buttercream)

- **Tools**:
- Cake pans (various sizes for different tiers)
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Spatulas
- Cake turntable
- Piping bags and tips
- Cake boards
- Dowels or cake supports
- Offset spatula
- Rolling pin (for fondant)
- Smoother (for fondant)

### Steps to Make a Wedding Cake

#### 1. Planning and Design
- **Design the Cake**: Choose the cake design, including the number of tiers, shape, colors, and decorative elements. Sketch your design if necessary.
- **Choose Flavors**: Decide on the flavors for each tier. Popular choices include vanilla, chocolate, lemon, and red velvet.

#### 2. Baking the Cake Layers
- **Prepare Pans**: Grease and flour the cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- **Mix Batter**: In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in vanilla extract.
- **Bake**: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking times will vary based on pan size.
- **Cool**: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

#### 3. Preparing the Fillings and Frostings
- **Make Buttercream**: Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add flavorings and any food coloring as desired.
- **Prepare Fillings**: If using fruit preserves, ganache, or other fillings, prepare them according to your recipe.

#### 4. Assembling the Cake
- **Level the Cakes**: Use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim the tops of the cakes so they are flat.
- **Fill Layers**: Place a cake board on a turntable. Place the first cake layer on the board and spread a layer of filling on top. Repeat with remaining layers.
- **Crumb Coat**: Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes.

#### 5. Decorating
- **Final Coat**: Apply a final, thicker layer of buttercream or cover the cake with fondant.
- **Stacking Tiers**: Insert dowels into the bottom tiers to support the upper tiers. Place each tier on a cake board and stack them carefully.
- **Decorate**: Use piping bags and tips to add decorative elements like borders, flowers, or lace. Add any additional decorations such as real or sugar flowers.

#### 6. Storage and Transport
- **Storage**: If the cake needs to be stored, keep it in a cool place. Fondant-covered cakes should be kept in a dry environment.
- **Transport**: Carefully transport the cake to the venue, ensuring it is stable and secure during the journey.

### Tips for Success
- **Practice**: If you are new to cake decorating, practice your techniques on smaller cakes.
- **Temperature**: Ensure your kitchen is cool, as buttercream and fondant can be affected by heat.
- **Patience**: Take your time with each step to ensure a professional finish.

By following these steps and practicing your techniques, you can create a beautiful and delicious wedding cake that will be the highlight of the celebration.