Might be time to splurge
I own a Wabi Lightning SE and am delighted with the fit, finish, and ride. It's the best bike in my 6 bike fleet. 25 years ago I was in the process of buying my first "real road bike", trying to decide whether to stick with my $1,200 budget or splurge on the $1,800 bike. The young sales guys said 'you're going to ride this bike for 20 years, and are you sure you want to carry the extra 3 pounds for 50,000 miles?' He was absolutely correct, given that I actually put 80,000 miles on that bike.
My advice: buy the bike you'll love the most. It's not the price of a Porsche or a boat, and you're going to ride the bike every day of the year. It might be time to spend a few extra dollars.