Planning a 2010 wedding? You might want to incorporate turquoise into the colour scheme for your big day.

The shade has been named the colour of the year for 2010 by professional colour standards provider Pantone, which highlights turquoise’s soothing properties thanks to its tropical connotations.

“In many cultures, turquoise occupies a very special position,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

She adds: “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a colour of deep compassion and healing, and a colour of faith and truth.”