Phiney Edmundson, Bridal Designer & Founder of Poppy Perspective 

Family, Creativity, Space

Phiney is a bridal designer and founder of bohemian bridal brand Poppy Perspective who lives in Margate with her fiancee Steve and her not-so-little-anymore, baby Nell. Prior to moving to Margate, Phiney freelanced in London, restoring vintage designs but left the bright lights of London for a calmer pace of life, using this opportunity to focus on her bridal house and bring her concepts to life. 

What are the three things you live for?

Family, Creativity, Space.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in London, but three and half years ago I made the decision to move out to the coast. I was feeling stuck in a rut, overwhelmed, and it was time for a change. I was craving space, a sea view and a fresh start.
That one decision changed everything, and I feel like it caused my entire life to fall in to place. I met my partner while I was looking for somewhere to live, and we moved in together within a month. Within six months, I was pregnant with our gorgeous daughter, who has just turned two. This year we are buying our first house and have just got engaged. I went from scraping by working freelance for other people to running my own business. A dream come true. I believe it is so important to listen to your intuition and am so grateful every day that I followed my heart.

What do you do for a living?

I create non-traditional wedding dresses with vintage, and bohemian feel, and my business Poppy Perspective has grown steadily over the last 3 years. It’s been quite a journey. I started off creating just a handful of bespoke wedding dresses and now have 2 collections and a global clientele. Being a part of a bride’s wedding day is so special, and I am so honoured every time a bride chooses to work with me. I still hand-make almost everything myself from my small studio, which is around the corner from my house.
I feel so lucky that I get to do what I love everyday and create beautiful dresses, although I struggle more with the other side of things. I’m looking forward to the day when I can outsource my email/admin/marketing/social media/accounts and all the other fun that running a business brings!

What rules do you live by?
Having the flexibility of working for myself has been amazing with a young family. Sometimes I might work long hours and weekends, but I also have the time to spend with my daughter and can take a few days off in the week. Always working on that life/work balance.

How do you take care of your mental, emotional and physical health? 

Running a business and looking after a toddler can be a lot, so making time just for myself every day is so important. I have long baths 3 or 4 times a week and love using this time to clear my head and prepare for the next day. I got really into meditation while I was pregnant as I was practising hypo birthing. Although I ended up having an emergency C-section the positive attitude, trust in my body and meditation practice it gave me has changed my outlook on the world. 

Another lesson I learnt in caring for myself after having a baby is that I need sleep. I did not cope well with sleep deprivation of a newborn and actually lost my mind a little bit. Now I make sure I get 7 or 8 hours a night and really notice the difference in my focus and energy if I even drop half an hour.

I struggle with anxiety, so I have developed little habits that help me manage it. I like to be prepared for everything and find that being super clear on what I need to do really helps me. I keep endless lists on my phone and in notebooks. To-do list for each day, week and month. I also have a diary where I make goals for each year and month with the actions to take to get there. These actions then make their way on to my phone.

I also have a gratitude journal which I keep every day. I note down good things that have happened, something I have achieved, what has made me feel good, and try to see challenges as opportunities. A friend got me into this about 5 years ago now, and I am amazed at myself that I still do it every day when I get into bed. It helps me switch off too, getting anything that’s in my head down on paper.
Moving to the sea has been so crucial for my self-care. I love walks on the beach and the fresh air. Being outside does wonders for me and definitely makes me feel more energized and productive.

What are your biggest indulgences? 

I used to have a massage once a month, which was a real indulgence, but now I just treat myself to one after a big event like a wedding show or pop up shop when I know I will need to recharge. I also love a holiday and make sure to get away a few times a year.

What are your favourite life-hacks to improve your day-to-day? 

I don’t have that much child-free time, so I usually need to use precious nap times and early bedtimes for bits of work. Time has become so valuable to me, so any little hacks that can improve my day today and save time spent on unimportant things are so welcome.

What does ‘thriving’ mean to you? 

Thriving to me means feeling on top of all areas of my life. Being busy but not stressed. Loving what I’m spending my time doing and having space for work, family and myself every day.