Candlemagic for me by far is my favorite system or methodology in magic. I love the mix of colors, the idea of charging a candle with energy like a battery, which when lit releases the energy you have programmed into it. Kala and Ketz Pajeon's CandleMagic Workbook is an excellent text that goes into depth on the subject. Some books combine candlemagic with planetary magic and color magic in an attempt to line up as many correspondences as possible to provide for optimum success. Aside from the aspects of candlemagic such as what color candle to use and anointing oils, and the planetary day and hour the spell is done, what fascinates me most is the wording of the spell. The written part of the working if you choose to use one.
William Alexander Oribello, author of Candle Burning Magic With the Psalms, offers an interesting way of doing candlemagic. In his book certain Psalms are attributed for certain requests, and if a candle of the color he prescribes is inscribed with a name of God and the Psalm is chanted, after the name of God is annointed then it provides a very interesting means of magic. While it may appear to be primarily Christian magic, this form of use of Psalms also extends into Hoodoo in New Orleans. Ray T. Malbrough in his book Charms, Spells, & Formulas discusses which Psalms might be efficacious or most effective. Malbrough also discusses the power of Saints with candlemagic through his book The Magical Power of Saints, Evocation and Candle Rituals.
Needless to say there are many methods for fine tuning or creating ritual with candles. One colleague writes out petitions and burns them in a small black oak leaf iron brazier beside his candle after linking the candle and the paper with wax for correspondence and lighting the petition from the lit candle for more correspondence. Chanting something like: "As this burns let all obstacles to this purpose burn away, and as it turns to ash let it be permanently sealed." Other colleagues tend to not only carve sigils, runes, or words into a candle, but also to place a written petition under the candle. Sometimes they write a phrase seven times or whatever number has significance to them. Now whether this is just a more effective means of ritual or better psychology for the inner child or inner self to harness magic is up to the interpretation of the practitioner. Repetitive chants, or writing things down, etc., are effective ways of having things go into your subconscious.
In the final analysis candlemagic for me is a good system around which one can easily use a variety of other systems or correspondences. A nice core to center one's ritual around. You can choose to use chants, write petitions, use color or incense, etc. While this can also be done with many other methodologies, for me, since it was one of my first methodologies, it is most comfortably and easily done. While my liking of candlemagic is a matter of taste, I for one always chuckle everytime I see a person make a wish before blowing out a birthday candle. Simple candlemagic done everyday.
Happy Candlemagicking!