Hi ink_spot,
I am just curious. In which african country were your parents and when was the marriage? Because my parents were married in 1947 in Mali, West Africa, and I even have a copy of their marriage certificate for administrative purposes. I am not trying to say that they could have gotten a certificate; places are different; a small village is very different from a big town, not in Africa alone.
I am from a country where most men can marry up to 5 women if they choose to because of their muslim faith, but they still get 5 marriage certificates and each time the bride must sign that she allows her husband to be polygam(to have several wifes). But I am sure that in some very far villages deep in the country, they might just see the chief of the village and that's it!
What is worrying about Africa is the way getting papers is easy not the opposite. I just do not want people to get the wrong idea about Africa and I like to explain things.
Peace!
Camisseat