Preferred Vendor Pressure

Hi everyone!
We have finally found our DJ, it’s relieving but simultaneously I felt so horrible when I graciously declined an offer from the DJ that came highly recommended by our event specialist. After our consultation this past week, I received numerous texts about whether or not we would put a deposit down. We felt pressured to make a quick decision. Their quality was exceptional but came with a hefty price tag. We negotiated the pricing with them once or twice and the final number we were given for even a basic package would’ve been $2,600 with a $1,000 deposit. Ultimately, we have booked an entertainment company who has competitive quality and the final cost for the basic package was only $1,800 with a $400 deposit. Once FH and I had mutually decided that this alternative was most cost effective, I contacted the other DJ and sincerely thanked him for his time, politely declined the offer, and told him my fiancé and I would definitely keep him in mind for other occasions. In his reply he wanted to know why we chose a different vendor and told us he was more than willing to accommodate our financial needs. Sending this message made me feel like such a mean person. My fiancé took a few hours to reassure me that I handled the situation admirably. Nevertheless, I still feel like a did an unforgivable thing.
Was there a better way to handle this situation? Thanks for your support!