"Put the Tent Flaps Down and Turn the Music Up"

That's the advice that Chicago Botanic Garden spokeswoman Gloria Ciaccio has for Midwestern brides planning outdoor weddings this month. That's because there's one thing a whole lot worse than rain on your wedding day: millions of screaming bugs drowning out your vows. Yes, it's time for the return of the 17-year cicadas in northern Illinois, and according to this Canadian Press article by Tara Burghart, there's little to be done when it comes to escaping the shrill mating calls and the sheer ick factor of these pesky creatures that emerge from their underground burrows on a 17-year cycle.

If your wedding is already planned, look on the bright side. As Dr. Gene Kritsky of Cincinnati's College of Mount St. Joseph pointed out during the 2004 cicada emergence, you'll have a meaningful way to celebrate your 17th anniversary... and your 34th... and your 51st.

Rather than crying and losing sleep, embrace Cicada Mania. You can even buy the T-shirt.

If your outdoor wedding is still a few years away, you'll be able to plan around the next cicada emergence. The Great Southern Brood of cicadas is due to emerge in the spring of 2011, so if you're planning a wedding in the area stretching from the Midwest to Maryland and Virginia, choose a summer or fall date.