I have an answer to my own question- so I thought I would share it. My sister said she has done this - go to a discount home goods store and find cute plates of different sizes to make a tier. Find inexpensive candle sticks. Glue a candle stick to the bottom of each plate and stack to make a tier. She said you just have to make sure the base of the candle stick is wide enough to be sturdy. She used white candle sticks from Big Lots and red polka dot plates from Home Goods and did this for Christmas. I wasn't there to see it, but I have seen the cake plates she did this way. Very cute and very inexpensive.
